How and when to prune fruit trees

Trim calendar

Pruning, that is, the complete or partial removal of branches, should be done to regulate the growth, development and fruiting of the plant. There are several types of pruning - formative, rejuvenating, pruning to reduce height, to reduce the volume of the crown, sanitary. In the first three to five years, formative pruning of the seedling is done.

Phased shaping of the crown of a tree in 10 years

When the crown is well-groomed, well-lit, strong, then the beginning of flowering and fruiting is accelerated. You can make an old tree better, stimulate its growth, as well as the appearance of generative buds, increase yields and activate growth processes with the help of rejuvenating pruning. It should be carried out every 3-4 years, when the attenuation of the apical growth is noticed. It is better to start improving the illumination of plants and increasing their productivity with a decrease in height, as well as limiting the volume of their crown.

Sanitary pruning is a last resort for neglected fruit trees when broken and dried branches have to be removed. There is no special time when you need to do this type of trimming. The procedure for pruning plants can only be carried out at the right time, often in late autumn - early spring. The weather will definitely make its own adjustments. It is important to remember that it is best to choose a dormant time for the plant. When the growing season of fruit trees ends and before the buds begin to swell.

Pruning apple trees, pears should be carried out when they no longer have leaves. And fruit trees: plum, cherry plum, apricot, peach, cherries, sweet cherries and almonds are best cut on the contrary, when foliage is present. At this time, there is less chance of infecting the plant with fungi and bacteria. For plums, this period is summer, the cut branches will have time to grow, and also get stronger for the future harvest. It should be remembered that pruning fruit trees depends on the climatic conditions of your region. The times when you can prune each plant for warm regions are highlighted in yellow; blue for colder regions and green for general pruning times. The purpose of summer pruning of fruit is to thin out long young branches with fruits. It is better to shorten the branches now than they will break off and cause more damage to the tree.

Video "Correct pruning of fruit"

Practical advice for the seasons of the year

In winter, you can prune trees of winter-hardy crops. It is better, of course, to choose a thaw time, since in severe frosts the wood will be fragile, the cuts will not turn out even, and the wounds will heal poorly and for a long time. Even the cut points are left longer - about 5-15 cm - for protection, later they will be removed. If your seedlings are young, it is best to wait until spring comes. Fruit stone fruit trees should not be cut when the yard is damp and wet, you can provoke abundant gum flow.

Pruning of trees is very rare in the summer.Mainly due to the accumulation of assimilation products in plants and a decrease in the leaf surface. When you remove unnecessary, in your opinion, branches in the summer, this will weaken the tree, it will stop growing and developing. A deliberate weakening of the recovery process of trees is done only after the process of lowering the crown height. Definitely, in the summer, old dried and frozen branches are better visible, they can be safely removed.

Caring for a tree in the early years of his life

It is during the summer period that it is possible to accurately establish the load of the current harvest on the tree, therefore, rejuvenating pruning of apricot, cherry and sweet cherry is allowed. It is best to thin out pome fruit trees in summer in a lean year.

What not to do

As already mentioned, you cannot prune trees in severe frosts (up to -10 ° C), tools do not cope well with fragile wood, the loosened tissue of cuts shrinks, wounds do not heal, which leads to damage to the buds and branches. Also, all sections should not be hermetically covered with a special solution, such measures will be advisable on sections more than 2 cm in diameter. It should be remembered that large wounds on trees take about 2-3 years to heal.

You can only use a good sharp tool, a reliable ladder. If you have worked with diseased plants, you should disinfect the tool with alcohol, otherwise you will infect healthy trees. If you planted a seedling in the fall, you do not need to cut it right away, it is better to wrap it up, mulch it. Pruning in the spring.

We remind you that pruning without harm to plants must be carried out before the start of sap flow. When trimming, you should not leave sharp corners: you can avoid cracks and frosting. The correct angle is 45 - 60 °. Strive to replace old, weakly fruiting trees with young ones. Monitor the condition of the plants after pruning, use your own experience in the future when working in your garden.

Video "How to properly prune fruit"

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