Tips for pruning trees in winter in February

What is winter pruning for?

Pruning in winter has a positive effect on tree growth and subsequent fruiting. A plant, the crown of which is not formed, and the branches are not thinned out, sooner or later begins to give small yields of small ugly fruits. Conversely, large fruits grow on properly cut branches. Pruning in winter is also more convenient because the tree stands without leaves and everything is visible, even the smallest branches, and it is easier to notice those of them that grow in unsuccessful directions.

Timing of circumcision in winter

You can prune trees almost at any time from late autumn to early spring - that is, before the sap flow begins. However, it is pruning in February that is most favorable for the garden. Trees cut in the fall (“wounded”) are more difficult to survive the winter. In addition, the weather is not always favorable for successful pruning of branches. This procedure is not recommended to be carried out at temperatures below five degrees of frost - since under such conditions the wood becomes very fragile and the branches are too easy to damage. Obviously, it is most convenient to prune in winter, at the very end of February.

For those who are verifying favorable days for gardening according to the lunar calendar, we inform you that in February 2021, pruning of the garden can be carried out on the waning moon, starting from February 26.

Video "Pruning Fruit Trees"

Correct technique

It is preferable to prune trees annually, rather than once every two to three years, but very intensively. Trees accustomed to regular minor pruning will tolerate this procedure much more easily. Small plants should be trimmed in proportion to their size, that is, not too much. The maximum possible, but still safe for the tree, pruning is the removal of no more than a third of the branches and shoots per season.

Pruning depends on the type of wood. It is recommended to leave a strong central shoot and horizontal branches on apple trees. If the plant is old and the fruits on the lower branches do not receive enough sunlight, you need to cut off the upper part of the central shoot. Peach and apricot trees stretch upward and need to be pruned harder to remove the top of the crown. It is customary to completely remove old branches from berry bushes.

Garden pruning should only be done with sharp tools. In the household of every self-respecting gardener, there should be pruners, garden shears and a garden hacksaw (just a garden saw, with a special blade, an ordinary household hacksaw is not suitable for such delicate work). Usually, the cutting part of the tool is positioned towards the part of the branch that remains. The tool should be positioned at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The cut should be done almost next to the kidney, and do not leave a large hemp above it.

The pruning shear blade should be in the direction of the tree

The first thing to do is to remove dry leaves, dry, dead and diseased branches, if any, on the tree. Important! After working with diseased branches, the tool should be disinfected, and the branches themselves should be burned, as they are dangerous for the garden.Although there should not be such branches before winter pruning - an attentive gardener conducts sanitary pruning of trees immediately, when the first signs of a tree disease appear.

Next, you should completely remove the branches growing inside the crown and down. If the branch is too thick and broke during cutting, the procedure will have to be repeated and the branch should be cut below the break point. Branches that grow vertically upwards should be trimmed at the branching point.

Thus, on the tree there are horizontal (conditionally horizontal, growing at an angle of 45-60 degrees) branches growing outward - the most promising for fruiting. Branches with shoots should be shortened by about a quarter or, at most, by a third.

Lastly, thin twigs growing in inconvenient directions (up, down, inward) are removed. Sections with a diameter of more than 2 centimeters must be treated with a special ointment - garden varnish. Sometimes in winter the var does not fit well, then the place of the cut can be lubricated with paint based on drying oil. Numerous small shoots may appear near the cut, stretching upwards - they also need to be removed.

Advantages

Correctly carried out pruning allows you to form the crown shape that is optimal for fruiting. If the tree is cut slightly, it stimulates the growth of new shoots. When the branches are thinned, more sunlight enters the crown, which has a positive effect on the ripening of the fruits. Finally, the fruits in the formed crown are arranged more evenly, which protects against broken branches.

If we talk about the advantages of pruning in the winter, then this is a convenience for the gardener. The branches freeze and you need to spend much less effort to trim them. In addition, the risk of damaging the bark these days is minimal. In addition, parasites hibernating under the bark are removed from the plant along with the cut branches. Gardeners recommend sanitary, shaping and rejuvenating pruning in winter.

Video "Spring pruning of fruit"

To know when and what branch operations are required on frosty days, do not miss this video. Here you can find up-to-date information for 2021.