A garden in a country house or in the courtyard of a private house is the dream of many people. It's nice to spend time on a bench among the trees with a book in your hands. But after all, people want to see not only nature, but also to have good harvest to collect fruits. The garden needs maintenance. You need to know exactly how and when to prune fruit trees correctly, at what time of the year it is better to carry out these actions, because it is from proper care will depend on the quality of the crop.
What is pruning for?
Many amateur gardeners find it easy to do without pruning. fruit trees. In their opinion, the crown itself will grow, the fruits will appear earlier, and there will be a high yield. No, this assumption is erroneous, the correct pruning of trees is the key to a long life of fruit trees. Also, with each season, the volume of the crop will increase.
If a person does not know how and when to prune fruit trees correctly, and will do everything at his own discretion, then soon the fruits will be crushed. With each season, there will be less and less fruit, and as a result, a year will come that will not bring a harvest at all.
Pruning fruit trees and shrubs is important. Every gardener must understand this and take the right action. Pruning is needed for young, old and aging trees. Thus, the wood is rejuvenated and bears fruit better. And many valuable varieties bred by breeders are especially in need of pruning. There are specialists who offer their professional services in the garden.
When is pruning done?
Gardeners often do not pay much attention to the timing of rejuvenation garden plot. Let's figure out when spring pruning of fruit trees should be done.
The best time is the end of February or the beginning of March, when the danger of return passes severe frosts. Pruning begins with young seed orchards. First, these are pears and apple trees, black and red currants (if the thickness of the snow allows).
At the end of March or at the beginning of April, most of the crops are pruned. First, these are pome trees, then stone fruits. Young cultures should be cut off before the start of sap flow, as in more late dates plants weaken with each lost branch.
In May-June, pruning is carried out during the flowering of trees and shrubs. Mature plants can be rejuvenated even after sap flow, so the regenerative growth processes are reduced.
Care in the warm season
In the summer, some crops are also pruned. This procedure allows you to delay the flowering of the tree for the next year, which helps to minimize crop loss during early frosts (for example, this is true for apricot). They also break out and pinch out unnecessary shoots. Cut off in the summer season ornamental plants. To resume flowering, inflorescences and flowers are removed.
How and when to prune in the fall? Is it possible to carry out such procedures in this season? Yes, for the restoration and rejuvenation of neglected apple trees, and red currants, raspberries and many others.
If gardeners know how to prune fruit trees in the spring, then the harvest of the garden will always delight the owner with healthy and juicy fruits. The plant will live for many years.
Existing species
Used to rejuvenate trees and shrubs different types trimmings, there are about five of them, a combination is also possible.
The first type is formative. Initially, it is required to give the desired shape and size of the crown. But you need to know how to properly prune fruit trees. All extra branches are cut off at the very trunk, large ones - by a third, thin ones - twice.
The second type is regulatory. Aimed at maintaining a balance between crown growth and fruiting. All vertical, skeletal branches and processes inside the tree are cut. Such actions will allow you to give the crown the shape of a pyramid.
The third type is rejuvenating. Such pruning is carried out for the maximum growth of all branches (old and young).
The fourth type is restorative. If the tree or its branches have been exposed to frost or mechanical damage, then perform a partial cut.
The fifth type is sanitary. This is the pruning of damaged, diseased, dry or broken branches. In practice, gardeners often combine all types of rejuvenation.
Proper care prolongs the life of plants
In order to understand how and when to prune fruit trees correctly, it is enough to study the literature and try to apply the knowledge gained. Often people turn to specialists for help. Pruning fruit trees is different from pruning ornamental shrubs, because pears, apricots, apple trees, currants, cherries are grown to produce delicious fruits and berries. When inexperienced gardeners do their own pruning, shoots often grow a little later. They need to be removed, perhaps several times. If you properly care for trees that have large roots, they can live up to thirty years. Vegetation with short roots bears fruit much earlier (three years after planting).
pruning apple trees
Each fruit tree needs separate care. The apple tree in our country is quite popular. It grows in almost every garden. Pruning apple trees depends on the general condition of the tree: age, structural features, crown. In a certain period of time, different actions are performed. At the time when the apple tree bears fruit, it is pruned according to the regulating form. During the aging period, rejuvenation is carried out. During the growth and development of the tree, formative pruning is carried out.
If the apple tree is quite old, then it needs special care. As a rule, on such trees there are many small fruits located at the very top. Apple trees are tall and have many dying branches. Pruning such a tree should be gradual, within 2-3 years. Start from the south side. For apple trees, a low and narrow crown is suitable.
Pruning stone fruit trees and berry bushes
Gardeners want to make the most of their land. For such a purpose, fruit trees and berry trees as much as possible. In pears, the crown itself looks like a pyramid, therefore it does not require constant adjustment. One problem: the tree quickly puts out vertical branches, some need to be removed, while the rest should be turned into fruit-bearing ones.
Stone plants form from two to four years of age. It is impossible to delay pruning for a long time, since cherries, plums and cherries are very difficult to bring into the desired shape. Fruiting stone fruit trees do not tolerate the removal of large branches.
In spring, currants, gooseberries, raspberries, blackberries require rejuvenating pruning.
Shortening and thinning
There are two ways to prune fruit trees. The first is called shortening - partial shoots and branches are removed. This approach stimulates the growth of the kidneys. You can shorten strongly, by half a branch, medium - by one third, and weakly - a quarter of the shoot is removed. With the help of this method, the trees are rejuvenated. If the branches are large and old, then strong pruning is performed.
The second method is called thinning (cutting). In this case, branches and shoots are completely removed. The method is suitable for fruit which are too thick.
If you properly care for the garden, then fresh and juicy fruits will always be on your table!
Competent pruning of fruit trees is the basis of a beautiful, well-groomed, rich garden. Features of the autumn haircut, all its “possible” and “impossible”, “how” and “when”, “why” and “why” - later in the article.
autumn pruning fruit trees - a procedure as necessary as a haircut for a person. The reasons for doing so can be completely different.
Some trees are too overgrown during the summer, their "hair" needs to be aired, so they are thinned out.
Others have suffered from the invasion of pests, and only a competent haircut helps to get rid of them completely.
Still others have been subjected to the aggressive action of the elements, and it is necessary to cut out all dry and broken branches from them.
The fourth ones are simply old, and competent pruning will help them to resume and start fruiting with renewed vigor.
Each case has its own nuances and its own rules. But if you make a mistake, the tree will suffer, and may not survive until spring at all. Therefore, the autumn haircut should be approached responsibly and competently.
Attention!
Tools for cutting must be clean and well sharpened.
Timing of pruning trees in the fall
The autumn pruning procedure helps the trees to endure the winter cold more easily, and also has a very positive effect on the quality characteristics of the future crop. But it needs to be done on time.
Garden activities begin when nutrients pass from the leaves to the trunk and roots, that is, with the fall of the foliage. At this time, sap flow slows down, the tree is preparing for rest, therefore it is the least susceptible to injury.
It is best to carry out operations to remove excess growth in September or October. Then the tree will have time to adapt to its new “look” even before the onset of frost and will more easily endure wintering.
In November, it is extremely undesirable to engage in them. After all, if frost hits, the bark in the places of the cut will freeze, and the wood under it will begin to shrink. As a rule, a green plantation wounded in this way eventually dies.
Attention!
Autumn pruning of trees and shrubs is carried out exclusively in regions with temperate climate. It is highly undesirable to carry out such procedures in the northern regions: the plants do not have time to recover before the onset of frost.
Pruning trees and shrubs in autumn, the main principles
Attention!
Autumn pruning is possible only on winter-hardy varieties of fruit trees.
Basic pruning principles
Most often, the gardener's autumn worries come down to sanitary pruning of trees. Everything else is postponed to the spring.
But sometimes it is advisable to perform other types of circumcision:
- shortening of shoots on plants of the first year;
- crown thinning for better lighting and ventilation;
- its formation according to a predetermined contour;
- rejuvenation of trees.
The procedure is performed in the following order:
- First of all, they carry out sanitary pruning of branches that are sick, withered, attacked by pests, and also broken due to bad weather or under the weight of the crop.
- Remove all tops and root shoots without exception.
- Next, get rid of the weakest, closely growing, directed to the center or vertically upwards, as well as rubbing against each other branches.
- In the case of anti-aging pruning, old and unpromising branches are removed.
- The wounds inflicted during the procedure are carefully treated. For this, most often, garden var is used.
- All biomaterial obtained as a result of such processing is immediately removed for a considerable distance and must be burned.
In the absence of a garden var, you can use the usual oil paint. Moreover, it is even preferable if the cuts are large or there is a high risk of a rapid onset of cold weather.
To see in more detail which branches must be deleted, the figure will help:
features of pruning trees of various species and age groups
In the case of pruning young trees, the removal of branches is negligible. Its main purpose is to form a crown.
In this case, the following types are distinguished:
- longline with a central conductor (or leader);
- changed-leader;
- bowl-shaped.
A tree that has already entered the fruiting stage needs more severe pruning. At the same time, some branches are cut out completely, and some are only shortened. Such measures allow you to increase the yield, as well as strengthen the structure of the crown so that the branches do not break under its weight.
Old trees need rejuvenating pruning. At the same time, more than half of the old, least productive and incapable of providing proper nutrition, branches are removed. After carrying out such a procedure in the first year, the yield decreases slightly, but then the tree begins to bear fruit with renewed vigor.
Dwarf breeds also need pruning. But they grow much slower than usual. Therefore, you need to cut much less branches from them.
As for shrubs, they wake up very early, so autumn pruning is much more preferable for them than spring pruning. Such a procedure is not only a way to keep them in good condition. This is also a great opportunity for rejuvenation, as well as improving the quality characteristics of the crop.
Removing old branches stimulates the growth of young shoots. In addition, this creates conditions for better ventilation and penetration of sunlight. This means that the bush is less attacked by various fungi, and the berries on it become sweeter.
In most cases of pruning fruit trees, the annual removal of a few branches is much easier than mass pruning of branches every few years.
As a rule, the number of cut branches should be approximately equal to last year's growth (but not more than a third of the crown).
First of all, old, unproductive branches are removed.
Tree pruning in autumn for beginners in pictures
When starting to trim trees, it is very important to be guided not only by how to choose the right tools and time, but also what is the best technology to use to remove excess vegetation. But it is with the last point that novice gardeners often have problems. The pictures presented here will help you better understand which elements of the tree should be cut in the first place and what is the best way to do this.
branches to be removed
Everyone knows that, first of all, dry and diseased branches are cut out. Then those that grow inside the crown or interfere with each other. Next, you need to look at the angle between the branch and the trunk.
The closer it is to zero (or 180 degrees if the branches are pointing down), the less these branches are prone to fruiting.
Therefore, experienced gardeners tend to leave (or form as such) the maximum possible number of branches growing perpendicular to the trunk. After all, it is on them that the largest part of the “fruits” is formed, which are the basis of the future harvest.
In case of improper growth of frame branches, it is undesirable to cut them. It is best to stretch such branches with a rope and fix them. After 2-3 weeks, you can let them go, or you can leave the tree in this state until spring.
features of cutting branches
It is important not only to determine the branches to be removed, but to cut them correctly. The following methods are used for this:
Thin branches are cut with a pruner, for thick ones a saw is used. It is very important to keep the cuts on the tree as even as possible, as well as to use the correct techniques for cleaning the branches. Mistakes here are fraught with a decrease in yield, the development of diseases and even the death of the tree as a whole.
It is also very important to consider that the more vegetation is cut, the stronger the tree is overgrown with new shoots. Therefore, before proceeding with pruning, you need to imagine how it should look in the future.
In order not to cause severe damage to the tree, when cutting thick branches, their own rules apply:
If there is a risk of branches freezing after pruning, and it is not possible to transfer the procedure to another time, it is advisable to leave stumps. But in early spring they must be removed.
Videos pruning trees in autumn
How to prune an apple tree in autumn, diagram
The apple tree is one of the most popular trees in our latitudes. Not everyone knows this, but it can bear fruit for about a hundred years. But at the same time, proper care cannot be dispensed with, one of the elements of which is proper pruning.
The scheme of its implementation depends on the age of the apple tree and can be carried out in one of the following ways:
- strong - removal of about 2/3 of the annual growth;
- medium (moderate) - cutting about half of the growth of the shoot;
- weak - shortening of the shoot by 1/4-1/3 of the annual growth.
Together with them, thinning is also used, that is, cutting the entire shoots.
When forming pruning of young seedlings, a weak pruning is used with cutting out some of the entire shoots. In this case, the central conductor should rise 15-30 cm above other branches. Skeletal branches are formed from 3-5 lateral shoots, shortening to a bud and leaving their ends at the same level. All competitors are cut into the ring.
During the period of active fruiting (5-10 years), the main task of pruning is to activate the "fruits", and, accordingly, to increase the yield. At the same time, strong thinning is combined with weak (or medium) shortening. In this way, the density of the crown is regulated, as well as the growth and the desired direction of the overgrowing branches.
The video will help you better understand all of the above:
Older apple trees need rejuvenation. At the same time, strong pruning of apple trees is used: skeletal branches are cut to the area where tops appear, and the crown is partially thinned out. The procedure improves the conditions for fruit ripening, which in the best way affects their quality. Branches that need pruning during rejuvenation pruning of old apple trees are perfectly illustrated by the diagram:
How to prune a pear tree in autumn
Like an apple tree, excess shoots are also removed from a pear, which often naturally forms a well-shaped crown with a central conductor. It is usually not as dense as an apple tree, so it needs a similar but less heavy pruning. In addition, since the tree has a tendency to freeze in winter, it is pruned lightly.
But due to the fact that part of the active kidneys of the pear dies, the sleeping ones wake up. And among them a lot of tops are always formed, on which the gardener must work. By shortening, such shoots are turned into semi-skeletal and overgrowing branches. All the rest are removed so as not to interfere.
Attention!
According to experts, it is the autumn pruning of the pear that brings the greatest benefit to the tree.
Only pears of early and medium varieties are processed in this way.
In the first year after planting, the seedling is not pruned.
How to prune apricots in autumn
Apricots are hard to cut. It bears fruit on spurs, bouquet twigs and annual growths, which are very, very short-lived. In less than three years, they dry out, exposing skeletal branches. At the same time, the harvest strives to unattainable heights.
Therefore, the main task of the gardener is to strengthen the branching of young shoots. In addition, it is necessary to cut diseased, poorly developed and interfering branches.
Due to its strong growth, the tree needs plentiful pruning of the crown, moreover, annually. This contributes to better yields and better fruit ripening. In addition, cutting out the top of the crown, as well as branches growing close to the ground, is great for facilitating the care of the apricot.
After the procedure, you should not feed the trees, otherwise they will not only replace the cut branches too quickly, but will also grow new ones.
How to prune plums in autumn
Regarding the autumn pruning of plums, the opinions of experts differ. Supporters complain that due to the vagaries of the weather in the spring, you can simply not have time to do this procedure. Opponents also appeal to the fact that the mistakes made at this time can be fatal for the tree.
Indeed, autumn cuts are tightened badly. The reason for this is the suspension in the growth of cambial cells. Based on the foregoing, it is best to carry out only sanitary pruning of plums in the fall. When preparing a tree for winter, it is imperative to remove dry, diseased and broken branches from it, and in some cases also thin out the crown so that it is not injured from a large amount of snow.
For trees that are in the phase of active fruiting, the procedure is carried out according to the scheme:
How to prune honeysuckle in autumn
For pruning and shaping honeysuckle bushes, autumn is the most successful period. The procedure has practically no contraindications, but there are some features that you definitely need to know about when starting to carry it out.
So, the shortening of the bush is carried out immediately after it is planted in the ground, and after that the plant is not touched for 5-6 years. Sanitary removal of shoots is carried out only after the completion of leaf fall. And the most suitable period for pruning honeysuckle is the time when the temperature is positive during the day, and at night it drops below zero.
Pruning is subjected exclusively to mature, mature plants. At the same time, only small twigs or buds are removed, but in no case are the main branches of the shrub, which should remain at least five.
Cutting down a large number of the tops of honeysuckle are highly undesirable. After all, it is on them that the buds of the bush are formed.
How to prune currant bushes in autumn
All types of currants are pruned during the dormant period, when the shrubs do not have any leaves or buds. At the same time, no more than 10 large branches are left on young bushes. On those that have already begun to bear fruit, about a third of the oldest shoots are removed.
This is done under the root, near the ground. By the way, in a similar way, they also get rid of unripened shoots, which, when frozen, significantly reduce the immunity of the plant as a whole. The remaining branches, for better branching, are shortened to the first bud.
Branches of blackcurrant fruit best at 3-5 years, and white and red - 2-5 years. Then they gradually lose productivity. Therefore, all aged branches are subject to mandatory removal. But at the same time, it is imperative to take care of new ones, leaving 3-5 mature replacement shoots every year.
After removing the shoots from currant bushes, they need hilling. After all, new branches should sprout from the roots.
Everything related to pruning red and white currants can also be used for gooseberries.
What is the best way to prune grapes in autumn
Autumn pruning of grapes is one of the mandatory procedures for this crop. At first glance, the operation is rather complicated, but if it is neglected, the plant will devote all its strength to the formation of the vine, and then you will simply have to forget about the harvest. Therefore, every novice grower simply needs to master it.
They begin to form a grape bush only after it completely gets rid of foliage, but before the onset of stable cold weather. For good yields and early fruiting, immediately after planting, two main shoots are formed on the grapes.
In the second year of life, in order for the seedling to gain strength, it is shortened by two buds, and in the summer they pinch off the excess. In the third year, removing all unnecessary branches, the fruit link is finally formed: a replacement sleeve-knot-fruiting vine.
Attention!
The length of pruning vines for each variety is different and depends on its characteristics: short - by 4 buds, medium - by 4-8 and long - by 8-12, and sometimes up to 20 eyes (by the way, the first two can be ignored).
When performing the procedure, all sections left on each of the sleeves must be on the same side. Otherwise, circular tissue necrosis may occur, which will lead to the death of the plant.
The formation of a grape bush in the first two years of life is as follows: 
In general, starting from the third year, the scheme for autumn pruning of grapes looks something like this:
- The entire fruiting vine, tops, as well as weak and interfering shoots are cut off.
- In young bushes, all unnecessary taps are removed, in old ones - annuals.
- Fruiting vines are shortened depending on individual characteristics varieties. Replacement knots - for 3-4 kidneys.
Without knowing exactly which variety you are pruning, in order to accurately get into the fruiting zone, it is best to prune for 6-8 buds.
The weaker the shoot, the less buds are left on it.
Top shoots are cut out both completely and for a replacement knot.
When pruning in autumn, it is advisable to leave 2-3 times more shoots than necessary. This is due to the possibility of their freezing. In the spring, everything unnecessary must be removed.
Do trees need to be bleached in autumn?
For experienced gardeners, the answer will definitely be positive. And the main reason here is far from aesthetic appeal, which is often motivated by spring whitewashing. The fact is that such a procedure helps the tree to more easily endure sudden changes in temperature, and, accordingly, to emerge from hibernation with less loss.
Otherwise, gardeners have to deal with frost cracks. These wood lesions, most often, occur at the very end of winter, when the sun is already shining with might and main during the day, and frosts return again at night. Such crevices themselves practically do not tighten. They need to be treated long and hard. If this is not done, the tree weakens, and eventually dies.
Contrary to popular belief, trees of all age groups should be whitewashed without exception. But in the case of young seedlings, it is necessary to avoid solutions containing lime or limit its amount in whitewash mixtures as much as possible. With regard to old trees, the painting process is greatly complicated due to the large amount of pre-painting work.
It is desirable to carry out painting work just before the frost, so that such a coating lasts as long as possible on the tree trunk.
Stem and skeletal branches are subject to staining. Moreover, the higher the tree will be whitewashed, the better.
High whitewashing the garden is best done with a sprayer.
How to whitewash trees in autumn
For the autumn painting of trees, a variety of mixtures are used: water-based, water-dispersion paint, as well as well-known lime mortars. The main requirements for whitewash compositions are surface coloring in White color, the ability of the skin to "breathe" under them, as well as the duration of stay on the cortex.
The modern industry offers a wide range of whitewash for trees. But you can also cook them yourself. In this case, the composition used for staining should include the following components:
- white clay, lime or chalk - to give it a white color;
- glue, milk or soap - for better adhesion to the bark;
- fungicide - for disinfection.
Attention!
When using purchased paint, be sure to make sure that it is intended specifically for whitewashing living trees, and not for any other wood.
But whitewashing itself is just the final step in a four-step process. It is preceded by the cleaning of the trunk, its disinfection, as well as the healing of wounds.
How and why to clean the trunk of fruit trees before painting
If the whitewashing of trees is performed only in dry weather, then with the cleaning of the trunk, everything is just the opposite. Perform it exclusively in conditions of high humidity. This softens dead skin, it becomes like plasticine and comes off the trunk much easier. Together with it, lichens and other harmful formations are removed.
Attention!
Before cleaning the trunk, an oilcloth or other material is spread under it, on which all the garbage is dumped. After the procedure, in order not to spread the infection, all the biomaterial removed from the tree is burned.
Remove the remnants of the peel from the trunk should be very careful not to unnecessarily injure healthy wood.
As for disinfection, it also needs dry weather. Surface treatment from lichens can be carried out using any antifungal agent. Moreover, you can use it as purchased (for example, blue vitriol or Skor), as well as homemade preparations.
Ash "talker" is considered one of the most successful means for disinfection. To do this, take wood ash, kitchen salt and, for better adhesion, laundry soap (5:2:1). Pour the mixture hot water and boil for a few minutes. The cooled solution is carefully covered with trunks and skeletal branches of trees preparing for painting. It is most convenient to use a wide brush.
If the tree has not just cracks, but also rather deep wounds, they must be treated before whitewashing. To do this, first of all, all the garbage is scraped out of them, as well as dead and diseased tissues. Garden pitch or special healing putties are applied to the cleaned wood.
A simple recipe for a healing mixture for wood: mix two parts of clay with one part of mullein, add blue vitriol and thicken with straw dust. With such “seals” it is necessary to close up all the holes on the tree trunk, and only after they dry up, proceed to painting it.
" Trees
Tree pruning is the key to success and a must-have procedure that every experienced gardener knows about. Any fruit tree requires constant and careful care. Only in this case it will give a rich harvest.
Fruit trees such as apple, pear and stone fruits need pruning. They are very picky about pruning. Why prune fruit trees?
Pruning gardeners solve several problems at once:
- Growth and fruiting.
- Reducing the size of the crown.
- The phytosanitary task is to create conditions unfavorable for pests and diseases.
The procedure for pruning trees prolongs their life and leads to a rich harvest.
If little light enters the crown, then the branches inside the crown do not bear fruit and eventually die. Fruits are formed only on those branches of the tree where the light hits.
And if tree pruning was done rarely or not at all, then the fruits will be on hard-to-reach branches, located, as a rule, high.
Thanks to the pruning process the crown of the tree is formed correctly. This leads to the growth of side branches and allows you to get more fruit on the available branches.
When and what kind of trees in the garden can be pruned
Pruning fruit trees in a particular season depends on the following factors:
- what goal the gardener wants to achieve with this procedure;
- in which climatic conditions the garden is located;
- from the type of tree.
When is the best time to prune: spring, summer, winter or autumn?
In the central and northern regions of Russia not recommended for autumn pruning, because due to severe frosts, the wounds on the trees will not have time to heal.
This also happens because the movement of sap in the tree slows down, as it goes into a state of rest. As a result, the tree can become sick and die.
Therefore, in these regions, it is best to prune in early spring rather than autumn. It is important to bear in mind that the procedure can be carried out as soon as the air temperature has risen above 0℃.
Besides it is important to start pruning from old trees, since the buds swell faster on them than on young ones, it is recommended that pruning be done strictly before the buds swell.
Pruning fruit trees in spring:
In the southern regions of the country, pruning can be done in winter period . This is due to the fact that in the south the frosts are not as strong as in the north.
Winter pruning is primarily carried out in order to rejuvenate old trees and create the correct crown for young seedlings.
Also winter pruning is often done to reduce the fruiting of young trees. It is believed that a tree that gives rich harvests for 2-3 years in a row should be given a rest.
In addition, thin branches from a high yield young tree may break. Therefore, it is important to cut off excess branches in winter. In winter, gardeners prune first pome rocks, and then stone fruits.
The ideal dimensions of a fruit tree are 3 m high and 3 m wide. They will allow you to harvest most of the crop without the help of stepladders or ladders.
Some gardeners believe that summer is the best time for pruning.. But in this case we are talking about trees from 3 years and older. They claim that pruning during the summer months results in a thriving growth of new shoots.
In addition, if pruning is done during the fruit filling, the quality of the fruit is noticeably improved.
Another advantage of summer pruning is the juice secreted by the tree. It covers the wound, which leads to rapid healing, and also acts as a protection against pests.
Most experienced gardeners find that pruning is best done when the tree is resting. Therefore, they prefer early spring.
At what age should fruit trees be pruned?
This procedure can be started annual shoots for crown formation.
If the tree has already reached 10-15 years of age, it is considered old. In such a tree, the number of growths and productivity are reduced. He needs a rejuvenating pruning.
To do this, cut branches into 3-7-year-old wood. Thus, the crown is reduced. But already to next year young shoots will thicken it. It is important to ensure that the number of cuts on one side of the branch does not exceed three.
Which plants to do and which not
The pruning procedure is required for almost all fruit trees. Since it is she who leads to an increase in yield, allows you to accelerate the growth of a tree, and also protects its many pests and diseases.
Trim, apricot, cherry plum only when leaves appear on the trees. If this is done while the tree is dormant, then pruning can lead to fungal and disease damage to the trees.
In summer, you can remove dried branches, also shorten new shoots and remove branches that interfere with the crown.
Features of the procedure
Trimming trees is important to do carefully and follow the basic rules so as not to harm.
Timing
First of all, you need to decide on the appropriate pruning season. It will depend on the type and age of fruit trees, as well as on the location of the garden and the climate.
Preparing garden tools
The presence of all the tools necessary for carrying out this procedure will play a large role as a result of pruning.
In order to avoid an increase in the diameter of the damaged area on the tree Use only sharp tools for cutting.
- garden hacksaw;
- secateurs;
- air secateurs - secateurs on a long rod, for trimming branches at the top;
- stairs;
- glasses;
- garden pitch or paint on drying oil - the means necessary to process the cut point.
Do not trim with a rusty tool. Otherwise, the tree may get sick and die as a result.
Scheme and technology
Before proceeding with the pruning itself, it is necessary to determine why it is necessary and draw up a plan of action.
Below are the main goals that gardeners achieve with this procedure:
- form the correct crown of the tree;
- strengthen thin young shoots;
- remove crossing branches, defuse the crown to allow sunlight to penetrate it;
- remove diseased branches, making it possible to grow healthy;
- increase in the number of fruiting branches;
- prepare the tree for the winter.
If it is necessary to achieve the fastest possible growth from a fruit tree, during the pruning period it is necessary to reduce the main number of fruiting buds.
Once the goal is determined, it is important to learn pruning techniques. Several techniques are known, among which the most popular are three:
- Cut on the kidney. This technique helps to set the correct direction of branch growth. You should find a branch with good growth. The cutting plastic of the secateurs should be turned towards the remaining part of the branch. The cut is made at a slight angle of 5 mm. in front of the kidney. The new branch will grow in the direction the bud is facing.
- cut on the ring. This technique is used when it is necessary to remove a full-fledged branch that grows inside the crown, interferes with other branches and creates density. The scheme is as follows: in the place where the branches are connected, it is necessary to cut exactly along the outer ring.
- Side branch cut. This technique allows you to change the direction of growth from one shoot to another. Incapacitated branches are cut off, and the side ones take on the function of the main branches.
Good post-care
If the cut diameter is more than 1 cm, the wound should be treated without fail. To do this, you need to buy or cook your own garden pitch and treat the wound on the tree with it.
If for some reason garden pitch does not lie on the wound, you can use paint on drying oil.
Young fruit trees should be trimmed only to form the correct crown. Otherwise, pruning can lead to a deterioration in fruiting properties.
People who take care of their trees and prune correctly and on time always receive gratitude in the form of a good harvest.
If a person first decided to do this procedure, it is very important to follow the recommendations of knowledgeable gardeners, since this process only at first glance seems simple.
But in fact, carelessness and ignorance can lead to the death of the plant.
Recently, in a hardware store, I met my gardener friend, Sergei Ivanovich Stepashin. I talked to him. He bought garden pitch and two new pruning shears. A woman stood nearby and asked: “Why are you going to the garden so early? There is snow up to the waist!” Sergei Ivanovich answers her that it is time to do pruning, otherwise the juices in the trees will wake up.
But the woman again objected in disbelief: “What juices? Apple trees will bloom only in May, there is still a lot of time before that, you will have time. It's hard to cut in the snow. I come to the garden in mid-April, so there are still snowdrifts behind the house.”
Expressing her concern about the inconvenience associated with the snow, the woman was surprised that Sergei Ivanovich chose the most expensive tool. “They would take that secateurs over there, cheaper.What's the difference than to cut the branches? It’s good that my apple trees are young, they don’t need to be cut at all.”
And then an experienced gardener read a “lecture” to a talkative customer. All advice was very valuable, and at my request, he allowed them to be published.
Sergey Ivanovich is an experienced gardener. Everyone goes to him for advice, because in any year he is with the harvest. pruning fruit crops he considers very important. It ensures the health of the tree and good, stable yields. There are three main conditions that must be met.
1. Let's start with the timing. Pruning is carried out in late winter or early spring, when the threat of frost with temperatures below -15C has passed (in middle lane Russia usually from the end of February - until the middle or end of April). Therefore, dear gardeners, if you come to the garden only by mid-April, then this deadline for cutting!
Apple trees bloom really late and do not show signs of life for a long time. But hidden processes take place in them, including sap flow. If pruning is carried out during this period, then the wounds do not dry out for a long time and the branches flow through them with juice. Stone fruit cultures awaken much earlier, they must be cut first.
2. Pruning of fruit trees should be carried out from the first year after planting. Young apple trees also need pruning, like any other. You can not wait until the crown is overgrown and it will have to be thinned out a lot. This is no longer a pruning, but an execution for a tree. Proper pruning involves the formation of the crown from the "childhood" age, that is, the gradual, annual removal of unwanted branches and shortening, changing the shape of the selected skeletal branches.
3. You need to trim only with a sharp tool. You should be aware that not every tool is suitable for trimming. Cheap secateurs and loppers are made of soft metal that quickly becomes dull and burrs. Their blades severely injure tissue. A good tool is made of high quality steel, which holds an edge perfectly. This pruner also lasts much longer. Naturally, their price is higher.
Why form a crown
When forming the crown, special attention is paid to the choice of future skeletal branches. They must meet the following requirements: departure angle - 40-60 degrees; in one tier - no more than three branches.
Compliance with the departure angles is necessary so that in the future the tree, without installing supports, holds a crop of up to 500 kg. At acute angles of departure, the connection between the branch and the trunk is weak, and the stress “to tear” is quite large. In especially fruitful years, even large branches break. Sometimes the tree breaks in half.
Branches with an acute angle of departure are either cut out or bent back by installing spacers (Fig. 2.).
It is also necessary to observe the condition that there should be no more than three branches in one tier. Otherwise, the crown thickens, and in low light, the yield decreases, the taste of fruits deteriorates, shoots ripen worse and diseases begin to develop.
Pruning young seedlings
Pruning begins in the first year after planting. Saplings of spring and autumn planting are cut in the same way. The meaning of this pruning is to balance the roots damaged during digging and the aerial part. Sometimes this is done in the nursery.
Annual seedlings without branching are pruned at a height of 80-100 cm above the soil level (Fig. 1, a). This stimulates the formation of lateral shoots from which skeletal branches will be formed.
In a branched seedling 1-2 years old, all side branches are removed at a height of 60-70 cm (Fig. 1, b). Often, gardeners feel sorry for the seedling, believing that "he still has nothing to cut." But such pruning forms the stem of the future tree. All branches below 60 cm are simply not needed. Below, they are poorly lit and produce a small crop. Over time, they will still have to be trimmed, but the wounds will be larger.
Branches located above 70 cm are shortened by 1/3-1/4 part. Usually this is done over the 3-5th kidney, counting from the base of the shoot (see Fig. 1, c). At the same time, the principle of subordination of branches is observed. The central shoot (leader, or conductor) should be 15-20 cm higher than the side branches, and the shoots located higher along the stem should be shorter than those below. Usually, a two-year-old seedling has 3-4 side branches that are shorter than the conductor. In the case when all branches are developed approximately equally and the central shoot is not the leader in growth, a strong pruning of the side branches is carried out in order to achieve the principle of subordination of tiers. Sometimes a seedling has duplicate shoots (if two adjacent buds have developed on the stem). Leave one, the most well-located branch, and the second is cut into a ring.
Principles of crown formation. The angle of origin of the skeletal branches is 40-60 degrees; in one tier - no more than three branches; the leader should be higher than the side branches; the branches of the upper tiers should be shorter than the lower tiers.
After the winter, it may turn out that the leader is broken or very cold. In this case, it is replaced by the most powerful, closely spaced shoot, tying it vertically to the stump left by the conductor, or to a peg stuck in the ground.
The same pruning rules are followed for a three-year-old tree and older. Moreover, the principle of subordination of branches is also observed for lateral skeletal branches. Overgrowing branches on them should be shorter than the side conductor. Figuratively speaking, the principle of subordination can be represented as a kind of “rounded triangle”, into which the tree itself must fit after the formation of the crown and its skeletal branches (Fig. 3).
In the future, pruning of a young tree is carried out in order to create a light, sparse crown. This should be done not only in spring, but also in summer. For example, already in the summer you can see which shoots grow inside the crown. They are removed immediately while they are still green. Young shoots growing down, pinch. Duplicate shoots are cut or transferred to another position using stretch marks. "Green pruning" is the most forgiving form of pruning.
You can find this article in the newspaper "Magic Garden" of 2011 No. 6.
For a novice gardener, there is always an acute problem when to prune trees in the garden, because such a procedure is one of the most effective ways to increase the yield of fruits, protect against pests and manipulation, which significantly increases the life of the plant. If you approach this task responsibly, you can correctly form the crown of a tree, which will give it an aesthetic appearance and ensure the flow of oxygen and solar heat to each individual branch, and this will positively affect the number of fruits grown. In addition, pruning eliminates the chance that the trees will start to grow in width and height.
The best time for this is in the fall or spring. If the gardener is lazy, then his trees threaten to overgrow with foliage, which leads to a decrease in the size of the fruits on them. On the other hand, if pruned too fanatically, then the fruiting time will increase due to the fact that the abundance of remote branches negatively affects the maturation of the plant itself. Therefore, everyone needs to know how to properly prune trees and when to do it.
Trimming types
Experienced gardeners know that pruning is different, and each of them has a specific purpose.
Here are the most popular ones:
- Pruning immediately after planting. It is carried out in order to achieve harmony between the roots. young plant, if they are damaged, and the above-ground part, which is intact. With the right approach, it helps the root take root in the planted soil faster.
- Shortening pruning. Prevents uncontrolled growth of branches in different directions, and also allows you to balance between branches of the same order. It has a positive effect on branching and allows you to cut fruit trees in such a way as to most effectively form their future crown.
- Wellness pruning. The main goal is to remove withered, infected or deformed branches. If it is clearly seen that they are sick, they are eliminated with a small amount of healthy wood so that the disease does not progress further. Then the removed branches are burned. It is recommended to prune fruit trees, starting with a healthy cleaning of the crown, and only then move on to other branches, starting from that appearance, which is imagined by the gardener.
- supportive. It consists in shortening too large branches, as well as those that grow in the wrong direction (down or inward). This gives the tree an additional flow of air and does not allow it to grow randomly, in different directions.
Having become acquainted with each of the methods of how cropping can be done garden trees, the gardener can navigate how much each individual tree needs it.
The effect of pruning on the condition and fruiting of a tree
In some way, each pruning is stressful for the plant, but it can be used to regulate the fruiting time and the overall development of the tree trunk. Remember, every coin has two sides, for example, if you eliminate branches that grow in the wrong direction and add excessive density to the crown, while not applying the shortening of the annual growth, then this strategy will significantly speed up the time when the tree begins to bear fruit. Especially when compared with instances to which such methods were not applied. However, this is fraught with the fact that the crown will be ankle and unstable, and the branches will be characterized by slack and a short life interval, which differs little from a completely uncircumcised representative of the flora.
Inexperienced gardeners often sin when pruning by greatly shortening the branches. If in a young and actively growing walnut one-year-old growths are shortened a lot and without any reason, this will lead to unnecessary crown density and a delayed start of fruiting. If the variety is characterized by fruits at the very end of long branches, then fanatical shortening will lead to a significant reduction in the number of fruits. In addition, you should be aware that thoughtless pruning reduces the tolerance of cold in winter. Strong pruning justifies itself only if the plant is young, but its growth is weak.
It should be borne in mind that if you combine tenderloin with a slight or medium pruning of one-year-old growth, then this will slightly delay (by a maximum of 2 years) fruiting during the first couple of crops, but not their level as a whole. The advantages of this will be a superbly folded crown, which is distinguished by its strength, in addition, the branches will be more stable, and the fruits on them will be larger.
If the gardener wants to achieve consistently large fruits, it is necessary to prune the annual growth intensively every year, however, take into account that the total yield from a particular tree will decrease significantly. In such trees, the crown becomes dense, you have to spend a lot of time eliminating unnecessary branches that will weaken the yield potential.
Novice gardeners are interested in how to prune each specific tree, because the methods differ depending not only on the species, but also on the variety. For example, when pruning walnuts, mulberries and grapes, most often only dried shoots that interfere with growth are eliminated. Each vine requires active and painstaking attention. Pruning of stone fruits (cherries, cherries, apricots) begins with fruit-bearing specimens in order to be in time before the awakening of stone buds, which wake up earlier than vegetative ones.
One-year-old growths (last year's shoots) must be pruned every year or at least every other year. Combining cutting and pruning, you can achieve that the crown will be neat and strong. In the process of pruning growths, moderation is needed, otherwise young trees will lose their fruitfulness in the formation of unnecessary skeletal branches that jam the fruit branches. It is also fraught with the fact that next season the gardener will have to fiddle more with pruning extra branches, fearing that they will thicken the crown and reduce cold tolerance.
It should be remembered that intensive pruning is only necessary if you need to weaken individual branches that begin to compete with conductors or potentially interfere with other smaller branches. Do not prune branches that have regained a horizontal position after the garter; cutting should also be avoided in cases where it concerns powerful intermediate branches that are in a horizontal position. If you do not follow these rules, then the gardener will absolutely unreasonably delay the appearance of fruits on cut branches and reduce their number.
Pruning of representatives of the garden flora, such as pears and apple trees, must be started from mid-spring, trying to be in time before the juice begins to circulate. If the growth from last year reaches the size of half a meter and looks healthy, then this is good and nothing needs to be touched. If they barely got to the 18-20 cm mark, then you need to start by looking for a problem that affects the general condition of the plant. For example, the reason for this may be branches that come from a tree trunk at sharp angles. Remember that the tree should have one top, and boldly eliminate them.
Skeletal branches, if overtaking each other in growth, can become a potential problem in the future, so they should be cut in tiers. Count so that one tier is 16 cm lower than the previous one. When finished with pruning, switch to one-year-old shoots, they must be cut by about a third of the length so that there are no difficulties with branching in the future.
A special approach is required for those trees that form a crown in the form of a pyramid. When pruning, try not to touch the topmost kidney, most often located on the outside. If the tree is sprawling, then, on the contrary, a kidney is left on the inside. The powerful branches of the pyramidal tree are directed outward when cut. Those branches that grow at an acute angle are eliminated almost under the base, in extreme cases, leave 20 cm shoots, under the "stump".
Trimming time
Beginners and experienced gardeners alike are often confused about when is the best time to prune trees. You need to understand that the processes that trees are exposed to in autumn and spring are completely different. In particular, if circumcision occurs in the spring, then this stimulates vegetative processes. If in summer time, then this contributes to the laying of shoots and allows the branches to ripen better. Traditions say that the ideal time comes with the beginning of spring (March-April), but for some decorative species it's detrimental.
spring/summer pruning
The last ten days of February and the first of March are the optimal time to start sanitary pruning. It contributes to the development of shoots and is in harmony with the rhythms by which plants live.
If you cut it in the first decade of June, when summer is just coming into its own, then you need to focus on taking into account a couple of important features.
- This slows down the vegetative processes, and pruning of individual branches can last until the last decade of August.
- In general, expect that the more you prune now, the less you will have to prune in the future.
- Pruning is done only after the trees have already faded, or the movement of juice is completed (for cherries, mulberries, grapes). Remember that pruning affects the tree less if it is covered with leaves: then injuries heal faster.
The time for pruning fruit trees, for example, pear and apple, is most favorable in the spring, when the temperature during the day exceeds 0ºС. Plum and peach, on the contrary, it is better not to touch at this time, as the risk that they will start to hurt increases. Work on them can begin during the appearance of the first buds or leaf blooming. In extreme cases, pruning is quite possible to transfer to the summer.
Apricots are best cut in the summer, because this makes it possible to determine exactly which type of procedure will be optimal. In addition, pruning carried out in an atmosphere of settled heat will increase the frost resistance of trees and give immunity to temperature changes.
If the gardener found that the tree did not survive the winter well, then pruning should begin no earlier than May-June, if the damage from the cold is minor, then it is permissible to process it immediately, thereby stimulating their growth.
autumn pruning
Experienced gardeners note that cutting in the fall negatively affects most trees. First of all, this applies to cherries, pears and plums. Without great need, they should not be disturbed during this period, it is better to transfer all work to the spring.
Young trees are also very sensitive to autumn pruning, to the point that a fragile plant may disappear. If a one-year-old growth is cut off, the risk increases that the place of the cut will freeze, capturing the nearby area. Of course, the wound will not be able to quickly and efficiently heal, which will lead to problems in the future.
Most often, autumn is used as a time aimed exclusively at sanitary pruning. Winter, with its cold weather, is the time that the tree is best met without aggravating damage. If the plant is seriously damaged, then there is little chance that it will survive the cold time. Most often, the buds that remained on the shortened branches of a young plant do not open with the advent of spring. It is important to know that pruning in autumn is possible only if the air temperature does not exceed -5ºС.
Finally, we can add that proper pruning will significantly increase the yield of the resulting fruit, the plant itself will become stronger and healthier, and the gardener will be pleased with the elegant appearance of his site.
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