One of the important procedures in my orchard is pruning fruit trees. I approach this responsibly, because it directly affects the quality of the crop. In addition, a pruning error can, in the worst case, cause the tree to die.
Time to trim
I do the main pruning during the dormant period of trees and shrubs. At this time, there is practically no sap flow. In addition, after leaf fall, trees can more easily tolerate the loss of the aboveground part.
If I start pruning in the fall, then I do it at least a couple of weeks before severe frosts. Otherwise, the wounds will not have time to heal, and the freezing of fresh sections can lead to decay.
I often start pruning in early spring, before bud break. The ground under the trees thaws faster, allowing you to get close to them in March. The weather is still winter, but frosts are no longer terrible. There is a whole summer ahead for the healing of wounds and the formation of new shoots.
What types of pruning do I use
To begin with, I do a sanitary pruning. I remove old and diseased branches. I try to cut with some healthy wood to stop the disease for sure.
Then I proceed to thinning pruning. To do this, I delete the crossing branches. I cut off the shoots that thicken the crown. Good crown ventilation reduces the likelihood of tree and fruit diseases.
At the third and final stage, I do the formative pruning. This applies primarily to young trees. A neat crown is not only beautiful, but also practical.
Formation allows you to control the height of the tree at which the fruits will ripen. A small stem will allow you to freely approach and carry out work under the crown.
Shortening young shoots not only limits the width of the crown, but also improves the branching of fruiting shoots.
Branch pruning technique
I use a sharpened tool for trimming. For the thickest branches, I choose a hacksaw. I cut the branches thinner with a lopper. I shorten very thin shoots with pruning shears. I break the kidneys on the trunk with my fingers.
I shorten the shoots at the very bud, making an oblique cut. Ideally, it turns out that a new shoot, developing from an extreme bud, becomes a continuation of the old branch. In addition, the cut is tightened faster.
Completely removing thick branches, I cut them on a stump. And I also make the stump oblique. The upper edge is obtained at the very trunk, and the lower edge departs slightly. If the branch is thinner than a pencil and needs to be completely removed, then I cut it into a ring. That is, I do not leave the hemp at all.
It is important not to remove the bark from the remaining part of the branch when pruning. This can happen if the branch falls under its own weight before it is completely cut off. To prevent this, I first trim the bark with a sharp knife along the contour of the future cut or saw cut.
Be sure to process the places of cuts with a diameter of more than a centimeter with garden pitch. This promotes quick healing and prevents bacteria and pests from entering.
Where to put the cut branches
Young healthy shoots are passed through a shredder and sent to compost. Old wood is not good for this. Firstly, it will take a long time to compost, and secondly, it is often infected with diseases or larvae.
Therefore, I burn the main part of the cut branches. The resulting ash is then used as an excellent organic fertilizer.
In my garden I try to do pruning of fruit trees every season. This directly affects the quality of fruit trees. They grow healthy, beautiful and bring me good harvests on a regular basis. Unfortunately, there is a reverse example of a neglected garden not far away. Therefore, I can see that there is a difference.
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