The topic will be of interest to those who grow fruit trees on their plots, namely apple trees. I want to talk about autumn pruning, because it is one of the most important agronomic procedures necessary for healthy growth and a rich harvest of delicious apples.
Why prune an apple tree in the fall
Garden apple trees, regardless of age, need to be pruned every year. Carrying out autumn pruning has a lot of positive features for fruit trees:
- Helps to form a healthy and visually attractive crown.
- Promotes an increase in the quantity and quality of the crop, while improving the taste characteristics of the fruit.
- Prolongs the life of apple trees.
- Strengthens the branches and allows the necessary amount of sunlight and air to freely penetrate into the crown.
- Helps to properly prepare the tree for a successful wintering.
Don't neglect autumn pruning. Even if you do not see any changes in the moment, negative consequences over time will affect the characteristics of the fruits and the immunity of the tree.
Autumn pruning dates
Pruning will give the expected result if you do it on time and take into account some important points:
- When choosing the exact timing of pruning, it is always worth focusing on the climatic features of the region.
- You can start pruning after a visual assessment: the foliage should completely turn yellow and fall off. This will mean that the sap flow processes are completely completed.
- Prune in dry, quiet weather. I try to choose the time twenty days before the expected arrival of the first freezing temperatures. If you are late and prune later, the damaged tissue of the tree simply will not have time to heal.
Features of pruning apple trees in autumn
Competent autumn pruning is the key to good and healthy tree growth in spring. When pruning in the fall, try to minimize damage: if it is possible to cut a larger branch instead of many small ones, it is better to stop at it. Leave large branches over ten centimeters in diameter before spring pruning.
After the procedure, the cut sites must be allowed to dry for a day, and then treated with garden varnish.
Do not rush to prune without preparation, including:
- Determination of the age, nature of development and the size of the crown of the tree.
- The choice of pruning technology depending on the age and condition of the apple tree.
- Inspection for traces of pests or diseases. If I find areas of damage to the bark, then without fail treat them with a solution of copper sulfate.
How to prune an apple tree in the fall
If someone has no experience and starts pruning for the first time, I give detailed instructions:
- To get started, take care of the near-stem circles, which need to be cleaned of debris and fallen leaves.
- In order not to damage the soil and avoid excessive point pressure from the stepladder, I lay out boards under the crown, on which I stand myself or place the stepladder.
- It is worth starting pruning with dry, weak and diseased branches that cannot safely endure the winter period.
- Then you can proceed to the branches growing inside the crown. Such shoots prevent sunlight and air from freely penetrating to each branch.
- Further, branches growing vertically upwards are cut off. Those with no flowers or apples.
- You also need to remove branches that grow at an angle of less than 45 degrees. With a large amount of harvest, they simply cannot withstand the weight and break.
- Young growth at the trunk should also be removed, it takes a lot of strength from the tree.
- In the fall, you can also do some formative pruning if necessary.
Now you know the general rules of autumn pruning for the health and abundant fruiting of your apple trees.
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