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How to prune garden. Spring pruning of fruit and berry crops

Why do some gardeners have apple trees every year delicious apples, and in others, the yield of trees decreases for unknown reasons, branches break, apple trees die? To avoid such troubles, you need to learn how to properly care for apple orchard not forgetting to trim the branches regularly.

Do you know how prune an apple tree properly And what is the best time of the year to do this? Are you sure that you are forming the crown correctly? If not, our article contains the main recommendations on this topic, and the attached video clearly shows how apple trees are pruned in the fall.

Pruning serves different purposes depending on the age of the tree:

• the formation of a beautiful crown of the correct shape;
• strengthening young branches;
• increase in the number of fruiting branches;
• ensuring good access sunlight to apples;
• removal of old branches to replace them with new ones;
• preparing the tree for winter.

Pruning an old apple tree in most cases allows it to be saved, and young trees grow and bear fruit better thanks to similar procedure.

Apple pruning video

When to prune apple trees - in spring, summer or autumn?

Young trees are pruned every year in autumn and spring. Pruning apple trees in spring is necessary to remove branches frozen in winter, to form a crown and to increase productivity. Spring pruning begins before sap flow, until buds appear. In late autumn, as the leaves fall, they prune old, damaged, broken, rotten branches to prepare the tree for winter. In rare cases, apple trees are also pruned in summer to ensure the best access of light to the fruits. Winter pruning by apple trees is easier to tolerate, since they are at rest, but it can only be carried out in warm southern regions, otherwise the tree bark, fragile from frost, will be damaged.

Is it possible to prune an apple tree in the fall, after frosts? It’s better not to, otherwise the bark around the place where the branches are cut will freeze, and the wound will overgrow for a long time. Try to finish all work with the apple tree before the first frost.

Young trees are pruned every year in autumn and spring.

Held autumn pruning in the following way:

• first, large broken and dry branches are removed;
• the weakest branches are cut out of those that are too close to each other;
• cut branches growing at an acute angle;
• all damage caused to apple trees during the pruning process is carefully smeared with garden pitch or oil-based paint;
• cut branches are collected and burned.

Branch pruning methods

Pruning apple trees in the fall is of three types: weak, medium and strong. Weak pruning make young apple trees - new branches that have grown during the year are shortened by one quarter of the length. In the spring, fresh shoots will sprout from the cut branches, and a beautiful crown will form. Medium pruning apply on 5-7 summer apple trees and on old trees also in order to increase the number of fruitful branches and crown formation. Fortified branches are cut to a third of the length. Strong pruning necessary for thinning branches so that apples ripen better under the sun, for this the branches are shortened by half.

There are three types of pruning of apple trees in autumn: weak, medium and strong.

A separate type of pruning apple trees - removal of dead branches. It is important here not to make a mistake by cutting the branch right at the trunk of the apple tree, otherwise the dried knot will soon fall out of the tree, and a hollow will form, which can eventually lead to the death of the apple tree. Cut the branch down to where the first bud appears. Then, with a thin file with fine teeth, file the stump in such a way that the saw cut from the trunk goes towards the branch you are sawing. The place of the cut in this case is recommended to be treated not with paint, but with garden pitch. If after this treatment it rained, do it again.

A separate type of pruning of apple trees - removal of dried branches

Pruning of young apple trees with thin branches is carried out with a secateurs, and the strengthened branches are cut down with a saw. The tool must be clean and very sharp, sharp like a razor. Dull garden shears or a hacksaw will greatly “shatter” the bark, and the wound will heal longer. Paint for processing is suitable only for oil, based on drying oil, other types of paints will burn the bark like acid. Some gardeners use a disinfectant solution of lime with copper sulphate in a ratio of 10:1 to treat wounds after pruning. Please note that instant processing is only necessary for old dry branches, and when pruning young branches, you need to wait at least a day, and even then cover the cut with paint or pitch.

Video about autumn pruning of apple trees

Pruning of apple trees begins after planting in the first year in order to restore balance between the reduced root system and the sprawling above-ground part of the tree, which will require more water and nutrients than the roots can provide. In the next 3-5 years, it is better not to prune young apple trees - remove only broken and dried branches. Shoots should be shortened if the tree grows up too quickly.

pruning fruit trees the question is quite voluminous, it makes no sense to expect in one article to cover the entire range of activities that mean caring for the crowns of fruit crops. Pruning garden plantings can be safely devoted to a separate book or used as a dissertation topic. But still, we will try to highlight the main criteria for this archival science for every gardener.

At the initial stage of acquiring experience in garden care, key moment when the gardener notices that the fruit harvest is noticeably poorer, and the quality of the fruit is deplorably unsightly. In addition, the garden begins to resemble a forest thicket, in which even in the midst of a clear sunny day, gloomy twilight dominates. The gardener begins to be overcome by vague suspicions that he is missing something, but he understands that it is urgently necessary to correct the situation until wolves or other bloodthirsty predators have settled in the garden. And the sooner a novice farmer comes to the conclusion that pruning is necessary in the garden, the easier and more painless it will be to correct the gardener's omissions and bring the trees into proper shape.

Let's take a quick look at the principles, types and methods of pruning in this article using the example of an apple tree, as at one time Ostap Bender threatened to take a rally through our impassability and, accordingly, slovenliness. It must be immediately clear that the active growth of the tree, the annual growth of branches, the correct formation of the crown, winter hardiness, the increase in life and fruiting, the yield and excellent quality of the fruit are derivatives of competent pruning of the apple tree. Pruning is one of the most important agricultural practices, without which it is impossible to provide the garden with full functional development, growth and fruiting. Pruning is necessary throughout life fruit trees and at all stages of their development.

Pruning dates for fruit trees.

When starting pruning, it should be borne in mind that the most favorable period for its implementation is the dormant period of fruit trees, the so-called hibernation, when there is no sap flow from late autumn to early spring.

IN winter period pruning should be done during thaws, when temperature regime not lower than -5°C. At lower temperatures, the wood of fruit trees becomes brittle, it is not possible to cut it with high quality, in addition, the tissues exposed from the bark cover, freezing much worse, overgrow.

So that the fruit tree does not waste vital resources on the growth of meaningless wood, pruning of unwanted shoots near the apple tree is also carried out during the period of growth, vegetation and ripening of the crop, in a word, one can say - all year round. Although such pruning is considered secondary and considered auxiliary, it is no less important for fruit trees than the main one, allowing the plant to direct its life potential to the growth of the main skeletal structure, the laying of fruit buds and productivity.

How to prune fruit trees.

Gardeners prune with two different ways, one is called - shortening, the second - thinning. When shortening, as you can easily understand from the name, the shoot of a fruit tree is partially cut off, whether it is a one-year growth or a perennial fruit branch. The purpose of this agricultural technique is to thicken and strengthen branches, reduce crop overload and eliminate the frequency of fruiting, as well as rejuvenate the fruit tree, extend its life. Shortening is used when forming the crown young tree, to awaken the buds located at the beginning of the growth of the branch. There is an equally important goal of subordinating shoots of different ages to each other, to level the skeletal framework of the tree, and to correct the direction of its growth.

Shortening the annual growth by a bud, which can later shoot outward from the fruit tree, to the outside, is one of the main methods for forming the crown of an apple tree. When pruning, a bud is selected, on the shoot of a young growth directed to the external free space, leaving two more buds on the edge, a cut is made. It is also not worth getting carried away with a strong shortening of the branches, usually ¼ is cut off, in extreme cases -1/3 of the annual growth of the shoot. In the coming year, the cut branch in front of the cut point will release three shoots. The last shoot will be direct, almost a continuation of the main branch. The penultimate, second shoot from the edge will grow slightly deviated to the side from last year's main branch. The third shoot from the edge, on the kidney of which we madebet last seasonwhen pruning, will turn out to be the most deviated from the main branch in the direction we need, almost parallel to the ground, into the outer space from the crown of the apple tree. Now, after him, we cut off the two shoots we don’t need, transferring the main branch to the rejected shoot.

Shortening and at the same time transferring to another shoot, which has an obtuse angle of growth to the pruned branch, preferably located parallel to the ground, is also a characteristic agricultural technique and is very important in gardening. It is performed mainly a year after shortening to a kidney with an external location, or, as gardeners call it, pruning to a third kidney. But shortening, which has the goal of transferring to a lateral shoot, is also used as a separate, independent method of forming the crown of a fruit tree.

When pruning, the branches of fruit trees are not only shortened, but also completely removed, a similar method is called thinning. Proper thinning is the removal of a branch at the base, at the point of growth to the trunk of a fruit tree or a thicker branch. In this place there is a peculiar, easily distinguishable fold from the tissues of the bark, leaving it untouched, and a cut is made with a sharp pruner. This pruning method is considered the most painless and easily tolerated for a fruit tree, the left bark fold will tighten the cut point, over time it will not even be possible to determine that there was once a branch there. Gardeners have for a similar case special term- removal or pruning "on the ring", it does not matter whether annual shoots are removed or perennial branches.

When thinning, all branches directed inward to the crown of the tree are initially removed. Then all the damaged, frozen, with traces of diseases, unproductive, thickening the crown of the fruit tree branches. When pruning, further growth of the branches is analyzed, if after some time two or more branches are supposed to intersect, it is better to prevent their meeting in advance so that the plant does not waste its growth forces. The branches should not be allowed to touch each other, in the wind they will mechanically damage the bark cover, which can most likely lead to the development of diseases, therefore one of the intersecting branches, at the choice of the gardener, is removed to the ring, and if possible, shortened with the transition to another shoot.

Thinning and shortening when pruning are applied simultaneously, both methods are effective when used in combination. One has only to take into account one more nuance when pruning - a variety of apple trees, for fruit trees with a slight growth force, a crown is formed 3–3.5 meters high. For vigorous varieties - the optimal height fruit plant about 4-5 meters.

Initial pruning of fruit trees.

Initial pruning is carried out in the first season after planting fruit trees. If fruit trees were planted with unbranched annual seedlings, they are crowned, that is, the upper part of the tree is cut off at a height of 60–90 centimeters, depending on the characteristics of the apple tree variety and the rootstock on which they are grafted. Accordingly, apple seedlings grafted onto so-called dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstocks are pruned much lower than on seed and half-grown rootstocks. As the seedlings grow in the bole zone - the distance from the beginning of the root collar to the place of crowning, the leaves are removed.

If the seedlings were planted two years old, or crowned last season, they are shortened by the main skeletal branches to the outer buds, which will give more efficient branching, awakening large quantity buds, will expand the future crown of the fruit tree. The upper branches are shortened by 2/3–¾ of the length, the lower ones by ¼, unwanted branches are completely removed by a ring.

If it is necessary to correct an unsuccessfully formed seedling of a fruit tree whose crown turned out to be one-sided, the branches are shortened relying on the buds located on the side of the missing skeletal branches, predicting the growth of shoots in the desired empty region.

Each eminent specialist gardener, of course, has his own proprietary way of pruning young fruit trees, but the way they are in this issue professionals, respectively, and their methods are quite intricate for a novice agrarian. I want to offer beginner gardeners an elementary way to form the crown of a young fruit tree, called the “method of three”.

The initially planted apple seedling is shortened so that only three growth buds remain on the tree. During the summer period, the seedling will kick out three branches from the buds, forming an apple bush. The following spring, the branches are shortened, so that as a result of growth buds, exactly three remain on each. In the autumn of the second year, the crown of an apple tree already consists of nine branches. It is already easy to guess that the next, third year, the branches of the apple tree are cut and left on them no more, no less, but exactly three buds. Now the formation of the crown is considered complete, we got an apple tree with twenty-seven relatively identical branches.

Then, in the annual spring pruning, one growth bud is left on each of the 27 branches of the apple tree, all the rest are removed if possible, only fruit buds are preserved. The apple tree, subjected to this method of shaping pruning, bears fruit earlier and more abundantly. If additional shoots appear during the growing and fruiting season, they should be pinched, as a result, the crown does not thicken, and the tree feels great.

Features of pruning fruit trees.

At the fruit tree big role play the angles of departure of the main skeletal branches directly from the central conductor. The sharper the angle of departure of the skeletal branch relative to the trunk, that is, if the shoot has one direction with the stem and only slightly deviates, being practically a continuation directed upwards, the less valuable this branch is as a yield. Such a branch is designed only for active growth and capture free space, she has practically no fruiting, you should not expect a quality harvest from such an escape. Among other things, such branches adversely affect the penetration of light into the crown, reducing the intensity of photosynthesis for the fruit tree, and are also less connected to the tree trunk; in harvest years or under the influence of heavy gusts of wind, there is a risk of their spontaneous breaking. Therefore, when forming the crown of young fruit trees, if it is not possible to simply remove such branches painlessly, leaving only more perpendicular ones, their sharp articulation angles with the trunk are expanded to 50–60 °, with the help of spacers inserted between the branches, a garter, or a garter of a load that causes the escape grow, more inclined.

The following year, the skeletal branches of the fruit tree are pruned with the transition to external shoots. The central conductor is cut together with the lateral skeletal branches, thereby subordinating them to each other. For apple trees with a pyramidal crown, it is allowed that the central conductor exceeds the skeletal branches by 25–35 centimeters, for varieties with a more spreading crown, no more than 10–20 centimeters. If the central conductor of the fruit tree is twisted or in appearance it is inferior in development to the lateral skeletal branches, it is replaced with a transfer to another stronger shoot located below.

When starting pruning fruit trees, it is necessary to take into account many factors - age, biological characteristics of the variety and the rootstock on which it is grafted. It is necessary to compare the ability of shoot formation of a given variety, the specifics of the reproduction and formation of the crown, the characteristics of the fruit-forming wood. Vigorous fruit varieties are pruned more sparingly and relatively less frequently than low-growing ones, because intensive pruning stimulates the growth of shoots, which can eventually cause the crown of the fruit tree to thicken. The growth activity of the fruit variety of interest can be easily found in catalog specialized publications.

When cutting a shoot into a ring, or cutting off part of a branch, the secateurs are placed with a sharp cutting cheek to the part of the tree that remains. If it is held on the contrary, with the sharp part towards the receding shoot, the blunt curved part of the pruner will mechanically damage the bark and wood at the cut site, which is an undesirable factor, increase the healing period of the cut and can cause damage to the wound, fruit tree, putrefactive pathogenic bacteria.

Formation of the secondary crown layer of fruit trees.

After 3-4 years of care, sparing, aimed at increasing the number of pruning shoots, the time comes for the formation of skeletal branches and the second tier of the crown. The meaning of this method is that the bearing main skeletal branches are shortened, but not so intensively. In varieties of fruit trees that are distinguished by good branching, growths of 40–50 centimeters long are left, for weakly branching ones - at least 25–35 centimeters.

With the onset of fruiting, shoot formation in a fruit tree is noticeably reduced due to the laying of fruitful wood for subsequent crops. After the apple tree has given us the first 2-3 crops, the growth of the fruit tree in height should be stopped with pruning. For this purpose, the top of the centrally conductive trunk is cut out with transfer to the skeletal lateral branch, the angle of departure of which is not less than 45 °. Skeletal branches protruding beyond the conditional border of the top of the crown are also cut off.

Rejuvenating pruning of fruit trees.

Very often, the impression of neglect arises at the sight of old orchards, in which the crowns of apple trees, rising up 5–9 meters, intertwined their branches to a critical degree, it is not possible to get into the middle of the tree, the bark cracks and peels off, the fruiting is plentiful, but the fruits are very crushed.

If the age of fruit trees in the garden is more than 15–20 years, their skeletal branches and trunks are healthy, and the apples, although small, are acceptable in taste, it is possible to rejuvenate fruit plantations without radically replacing old plants with new ones.

A clear decrease in the size of fruits and leaves, a reduction in annual growth and the cessation of laying fruitful wood on the branches of a fruit tree is a signal that the tree needs rejuvenating pruning. When pruning, they are guided by the following scheme:

• In the case of a decrease in the annual growth of shoots to 25 centimeters, the branches are cut into wood of 2–3 years of age.
• If the growth is reduced to 10–15 centimeters, pruning is done on 4–5 year old wood.
• In the absence of shoot growth, rejuvenation is performed on wood aged 6–9 years.
  

Anti-aging pruning is associated with complete removal dimensional perennial branches, the removal of which is carried out as usual on the ring. In this case, the cut point must be treated with garden pitch. In general, if the cut point is more than 2.5 centimeters in diameter, the use of a garden pitch is mandatory.

Cardinal pruning of old skeletal branches will provoke an abundant awakening of buds that seem to have lost their shoot formation, powerful perennial branches and a fruit tree trunk. During the summer, the tree will give an abundant forcing of vigorous vertical shoots, the so-called spinning tops. The following year, part of the shoots is removed, and a new, young crown is formed from the remaining ones, using the methods of pruning fruit trees known to us, on the outer bud, and then on the side branch.

Thus, after 3–4 years, the newly formed, seemingly obsolete, fruit trees will please with an abundance of excellent large fruits. With normal care, rejuvenated apple trees will bear fruit for at least another 10–15 years, rejuvenating pruning gives the garden a second youth, significantly extending their lifespan. And since a person’s life also has its own term, it makes sense to think about whether there will be enough strength and time to grow Orchard the second time or better will be limited to anti-aging pruning.

There is another idea that is very rational to implement when rejuvenating the garden. During that string of years, while fruit trees have reached the age when they need to be radically rejuvenated, many new apple varieties have appeared that have favorably surpassed the former taste characteristics and other important qualities, such as frost resistance or long storage. It would be reasonable, driven out by a fruit tree, after pruning the "tops", in the coming season, partially re-graft with new varieties to obtain fruits with improved qualities. Re-grafting is carried out in early spring using the rotation or butt method.

Sanitary pruning of fruit trees.

If a fruit tree was for some reason deprived of proper care for a long time, they say this is neglected, and in order to revive it to a normal productive and functional life, to revive fruiting that has almost come to naught, apply sanitary pruning. They remove dry, damaged by diseases or frost, broken or interfering with each other, shading the crown of the branches, remove the shoots, the so-called tops. Having lightened the fruit tree from unwanted wood and having the opportunity to see the skeletal structure of the branches, if necessary, rejuvenating pruning is performed. Sanitary pruning makes sense if the tree has undergone a disease, then all obvious affected branches of the fruit tree are mercilessly removed, one might say, amputated so that the infection does not spread further through the garden.

Conclusion.

Methods and methods for pruning fruit trees were described using the example of an apple tree, but for other fruit crops they are largely identical, with the exception of some minor nuances. If you follow the above recommendations and comply with the above conditions, alternating them with timely measures aimed at protecting against garden pests and diseases inherent in these varieties, fruit plantations will bring abundant fruit harvests. highest quality not one decade.

P.S. When pruning fruit trees, garden pitch is almost always used, these days it can be easily purchased at specialized gardening stores. But if the garden is quite extensive, and pruning is to be grandiose, for example, rejuvenating or fruit trees for a long time the hand of the gardener did not touch, it makes sense to cook garden pitch yourself, I will give a simple recipe:

• 4 parts beeswax;
• 5 parts of automotive grease;
• part of the resin of a pine or spruce.

All components are placed in a "water bath" and heated to a liquid consistency, thoroughly mixed. You can add a few crystals of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate to the var when cooking, which will add antiseptic properties to the composition, which is very useful when processing sections of young fruit trees.

Caring for trees in the garden is very important, because if you let this process take its course, there will be no good harvests, and the aesthetic beauty of the garden is out of the question. Crown formation directly affects fertility, as well as appearance. autumn pruning fruit trees is the most important, and a lot depends on how you spend it. They begin to form a crown from an early age, so the summer resident determines the strongest branches, which are given priority in development. The tree does not waste energy in vain, so the yield is maximum for a particular variety. In addition to weak branches, it is necessary to remove old, dry ones, and carry out sanitary pruning of the tree.

What is pruning, why is it needed?

Removal of shoots, branches or parts thereof to form a crown for preventive or sanitary purposes, rejuvenation is carried out for old plants. This procedure is subjected not only to fruit trees, but also shrubs, ornamental plants. As a rule, work in this direction is carried out either in autumn or spring, but sometimes, for a number of reasons, a tree can be cut in the summer. Autumn pruning is advisable only in regions with a rather mild climate, for residents of the northern regions, it would be best to postpone work to spring. Why is that? It's simple, immediately after you remove the branches or shoots, a wound forms at the cut site, and if a sharp cold snap occurs, then the bark abruptly begins to freeze, and the wood deteriorates. Thus, the plant may die.

It should be noted that not all plants need frequent pruning, there are crops in which this happens every few years, while others are pruned every season. Therefore, further, we will talk about the features and nuances in the processing of a particular tree.

Apple pruning.

When:

The apple tree is pruned in the spring and less often in the summer (with a very thick crown that interferes with the development of fruits). Sometimes this procedure is carried out in the fall.

Spring. It is important to get to work even before the juice movements through the plant begin. First of all, the branches that have frozen and dried up in winter are removed, then they proceed to the formation of the crown.

Autumn. It is necessary to make the sanitation of the crown, a suitable month for this is November. Don't start pruning before the apple tree has shed its leaves.

The columnar apple tree is pruned either at the beginning of summer, or already before winter.

Autumn pruning of an apple tree

The goal is to eliminate weak, dry, with signs of decay, black cancer, and other dangerous conditions. Do not worry, you will not bring harm, because during this period the plant is already at rest.

Action plan:

• Start with old large branches that have withered or are badly damaged.
• Proceed to remove branches that grow at an acute angle.
• All places of cuts are covered with a garden pitch, if it is not there, then use paint on drying oil. Young branches are not processed immediately, but after a day.
• Burn all cut shoots and twigs.

Young apple trees are processed very carefully, while using a pruner. The shoots that appeared this year are shortened by a quarter, and then they are not touched for 3-5 years. However, this rule should be neglected if the tree is growing rapidly upwards. A plant older than 5-6 years old is pruned on a more serious scale, but still, moderately. Leading, strong branches are shortened by a third.

Rejuvenation of old apple trees takes place in three phases:

1. The first year, we remove a third of the old branches, choose the old ones, and the damaged ones.
2. In the next season, we repeat this procedure, with the same outcome.
3. In the third year - the final phase, we delete all the old branches that still remain.

When rejuvenating, it is unlikely that a pruner will help you, it is best to use a saw. Before use, the blade should be disinfected.

Columnar apple tree.

In this case, there is a direct dependence on the intensity of pruning to the intensity of growth of the remaining shoots. Feel free to remove a third of the branch, three or four buds will remain, from which powerful and healthy shoots will appear already in the graying year. Otherwise, if you leave more buds, the shoots will be of medium strength, and very weak if you leave the tree alone and remove a small part. Do not cut off the center part, otherwise the crown will begin to split in two.

If you decide to achieve a columnar shape, you need to start forming it from the very moment the seedling is planted. To do this, the crown shoot is tied to a support, and fruit links are formed from the side shoots. If the shoots are overpowerful, they are cut into a ring, as they may begin to retard the growth of the conductor. The frame is formed from grown young shoots.

How to prune an apple tree in spring.

The first procedure is carried out in the first year after planting, even if you acted carefully when planting, the root system was still damaged, because it is very fragile in apple trees. Therefore, cutting the seedling is necessary in order to distribute the movement of nutrients and juice, only to the desired branches. In the photo, you see the processing scheme after planting, with the help of this instruction you can form the correct crown.

A year later, next spring, the second pruning of the apple tree is carried out. This time we leave only 4-5 branches, the strongest and growing at an obtuse angle - these are skeletal branches. But they also need to be cut to form a tiered structure. To do this, leave a length at the bottom more than at the top. The conductor (trunk) is also cut, it should be no more than 25 centimeters higher than the other processes. In the event of a bifurcation of the conductor, one of its parts is cut off.

Third - fifth year.

This is a very important period for the formation of the crown, so you need to act very carefully. The main thing is not to harm future fruiting, act carefully, and do not remove too zealously.

The growth of the conductor every year must be regulated, and not allowed to grow too rapidly.

Pear cut.

Pear pruning has its own characteristics, this procedure is not carried out annually, but regularity is still necessary. Sanitary procedures are carried out in the warm season. With the onset of cold weather, they become impossible, and they are transferred to warm season. by the most the best period spring is considered when the temperature crosses + 8C. In autumn, pear pruning is done only in September. The pyramidal shape of the tree is a reference in which the collection of fruits is greatly simplified, so it is best to follow this tradition when forming the crown.

The crown begins to form almost from the very beginning, but before this is done, it is necessary to select the branches that will form the base of the pear. annual plant cut at a height of about 45 centimeters from the ground. In two annual trees, half of the side shoots are removed, the remaining ones will be the basis for a powerful tree. They are cut at the same level, but the conductor is 20 cm higher than the rest.

In autumn, the pear is pruned only in order to remove diseased, dry, damaged branches, as well as extra ones in the crown that are not useful. By a third, you can shorten young shoots, as well as the crown, but only if necessary, the main thing is not to harm the shape of the crown, leave it pyramidal. Further, the places damaged by a pruner or saw, as well as cuts, are treated with garden pitch. As we said earlier, lubricate young shoots only after a day has passed from the moment of work.

Pruning pear in spring.

In the spring, it is best to carry out rejuvenation procedures. To do this, you must first cut the top, but this is only if you have not carried out the correct pruning procedures before, and if you did everything correctly, then the crown will be of optimal height, and you can only thin out the density, remove the weakest, dry and damaged branches . Shorten the rest by a quarter, cover the cut points with garden pitch or paint based on drying oil. Carry out manipulations before awakening the kidneys, but not too early, the thermometer mark should cross the mark of + 5C.

How to cut a plum.

When pruning a plum.

Carry out this procedure as needed.

Spring:

In the spring, the plums are pruned before the buds open. First of all, remove frozen branches, then the phase of preparation for active growth begins. In this case, start forming the crown: remove weak shoots that make it too thick, and damaged and dry branches should be removed.

In summer:

It is carried out only when a bountiful harvest threatens to break a branch, remove or shorten unnecessary ones.

Autumn:

How to form a plum crown, diagram

Autumn pruning of plums solves two problems at once: preparing the tree for winter, as well as increasing yields in the next season. After leaf fall, all processes in the plant slow down or stop altogether, it is getting ready for bed, right now all the manipulations need to be carried out. It's time to remove damaged, dry and diseased branches. The top is shortened if the plum is higher than 2.5 meters in height. Then comes the moment when it is necessary to shorten the shoots that grew faster than the norm. Also, shoots that in the future may make the crown too thick are also removed. Young trees are not subjected to hard pruning, shorten the shoots by no more than one third, but with branches that will grow inside the crown, you should not stand on ceremony, they are cut off entirely. Old branches are removed in the spring, but those that did not bear fruit at all can be removed in the fall.

All waste after work is burned, and the places of cuts are treated with garden pitch, or paint based on drying oil.

Old trees are not pruned in autumn, this procedure is transferred to spring.

Cherry pruning.

When pruning cherries:

It makes no sense to carry out this procedure annually. The formation and rejuvenation of the tree takes place in the spring, in the fall the tree is pruned only if it is necessary to remove dry, damaged or diseased branches. In the southern regions with a mild climate, you can cut the cherry in October, but in the northern regions - in September. After the tree throws off the leaves, work can begin. But be sure to watch the weather forecast, if you see that frosts will begin very soon, then this procedure set it aside for the coming of spring.

Autumn cherry pruning:

IN autumn period work with trees that are one year old is not carried out, since they will not have time to heal their wounds before the onset of cold weather. In grown plants, the branches are shortened and carefully removed, while leaving intact the most powerful processes sticking out in different directions. The distance between them should be at least 10 centimeters. We remove all the growth, as it makes the cherry weak, and serves as a shelter for small rodents. In a rooted plant, shoots can be used for transplantation, but in a grafted plant, it is useless.

Spring pruning cherries:

At this time, young trees are formed, and the old ones are sanitized. The most successful moment for this will be the beginning of March, and it will last until the end of April. At this time, the kidneys have not yet blossomed, and the movement of juice along the trunk has not begun. Young trees that have recently begun to bear fruit are pruned very carefully and minimally. If you planted a tree in the fall, then only in the spring can you start cutting it.

Formation of the young:

1-3 year old cherries form in the spring. It is very important to form the crown correctly. Choose well-growing skeletal branches (the distance between them is 8-15 centimeters, they should not grow from neighboring buds). Remove the lowest shoots on the ring, it is necessary to raise the trunk by 30-50 centimeters, then we remove the weak and dry ones, as well as those growing at an acute angle.

Working with old trees:

Caring for 10-15 year old cherries is quite complicated and will require certain knowledge and skills from you. Since fruiting at this age is plentiful, the trunk must be made more stable; for this, old, diseased and dry branches are removed. It is also necessary to first thin out the crown if it is very thick, and then proceed to the rejuvenation procedure.

The total number of branches of the first order is from 8 to 12 (bush-like), and up to 8 (tree-like). The second order is not taken into account, they are removed only when they begin to grow inward and thicken the crown. To change directions, branches are cut to 1-2 buds. If the height of the cherry is over 2.5 meters, it is shortened by cutting off the central conductor.

Apricot pruning:

When and how to cut an apricot.

Spring, summer and autumn are considered suitable for this procedure. The most thorough and thorough is spring, in summer only branches overloaded with fruits that threaten to damage the tree as a whole are removed. In the fall, they carry out sanitary work and prepare for the winter.

Autumn.

Prune the branches during this period very carefully, and only remove the old, dry and damaged ones. Do not leave deep wounds, and those that remain must be treated with garden pitch, if the cut is deep, then first apply blue vitriol on the wound, and then the garden pitch. You can also remove shoots growing inside the crown.

Spring.

This is the best season to start work. Start pruning apricots around April, when the cold has already receded. During this period, the tree itself is formed, preferably in a cupped shape, as well as sanitary pruning is carried out, and a crown that is too thick is cleared. Strongly growing shoots from skeletal branches are also removed.

Summer.

At this time, the procedure greatly affects the future harvest. At the very beginning of summer, last year's shoots are pinched, the length of which exceeds 20 centimeters. Already after 10 days, the number of shoots will increase significantly, which will positively affect the yield. But do not forget to water the apricot regularly, especially if the weather is dry, hot, otherwise all activities will be wasted without giving the desired effect.

How is the process of pruning apricots:

It should be noted that in different age groups, are solved different tasks Therefore, it is advisable to break this question into several points, by age.

Young .

When pruning a young tree, it is very important to look at the correct formation of the trunk, as well as the location of the skeletal branches. The shoots need to be greatly shortened so that the young apricot can easily bear their weight and can develop calmly.

Sequencing:

1. After a year after planting, it will be about September, it is necessary to shorten the whip by 1/4 from the tree.
2. In another year, three large branches will grow in that place, they should also be cut off at the very beginning of autumn. In early spring pruning is not carried out, otherwise there is a risk that the tree will die.
3. In the third year of growth, the apricot will acquire a spherical shape, at which point it will be necessary to cut off the growth shoots if they stick out and stand out from the rest of the mass.
4. Small, weak branches are pinched at the point of growth.
5. Starting from the fourth year, the gardener needs to cut off the stem shoots that grow faster than others on a regular basis.
6. Fruit branches are removed every few years.

Old :

The apricot rejuvenation procedure is very important if you want to maintain or even increase its yield. When is the procedure needed? In the event that the annual growth of shoots is less than 20 centimeters.

Action algorithm:

1. Twigs that are 5 years old or more must be sawn off at an angle.
2. When a powerful shoot appears at the saw cut, then the branches above it, or grow in different directions, are removed, so the new sprout gets more strength and nutrients.
3. Radical removal does not occur, do this procedure gradually, waiting for the appearance of new shoots, and only then remove the old ones.

Peach cut.

When:

As in most cases, this procedure is carried out with a peach three times a year: in autumn, spring, and summer. In the spring, a plant is formed, and the branches damaged by the cold are also removed. Also in the spring you can rejuvenate a peach. In summer, manipulations are carried out only if necessary, and in autumn they are prepared for winter.

Autumn.

We carry out sanitary removal of unnecessary branches, damaged and diseased. We burn waste, away from the orchard, treat wounds with garden pitch, or paint based on drying oil.

Spring.

The most suitable moment for this procedure is the period between the onset of bud swelling and flowering. As a rule, it does not last long, a maximum of three to four weeks, during which time you need to have time to carry out all the activities.

• Increase the fruiting interval.
• Formation of a decorative look.
• Sanitary.
• Acceleration of flowering and the beginning of fruiting.

Pruning peach by age.

1. The first year after planting, it is necessary to form a vase-shaped crown. To do this, the plant is shortened by 20 centimeters, at a height of about 65 centimeters. Upper growth should have a wide angle of departure. Next, select two more growths that will be located below and have the same parameters as the top one. They need to be shortened by 10 centimeters. Shoots that started on the stem at the point of shortening near the trunk should be removed as soon as the buds open. Those shoots that grow inside the crown must be removed, do it in the summer.
2. In the second year, it is necessary to form correct angle tilt and growth of skeletal branches. New growths are shortened to 65 centimeters. Strong growths growing at the top or bottom are removed. Lateral - it is necessary to thin out, leave every 15 centimeters, and the length is removed by 2 kidneys. In summer, fat shoots growing inside the crown are removed.
3. Third year. At this time, you should choose two powerful branches on the skeletal branch at the top, and cut them 60 centimeters from the bifurcation. Delete the main part of the conductor above the top branch. The most powerful shoots are removed from above and below on the skeletal branches. In the event that the length of young, one-year-old growths exceeds a length of 80 centimeters, they must be thinned out, cut into 2 buds. Thus, a new fruit link begins to form. The rest of them are used on temporary fruit branches, which must be shortened by eight buds. In order for the lower shoot growing to tweezing to develop as efficiently as possible, the shoot located on top must be cut to 50 centimeters. On those branches where two buds were shortened last year, the growth that grows upwards must be shortened for fruiting, and the lower one - for two buds. This is how the fruit link is formed.
4. This Last year peach growth, so the formation of a vase-shaped crown is completed in the fourth year. And so, at the top of the skeletal bifurcation of the 2nd order, we select 2 branches of the 3rd order. We shorten them by a third of their original length. It is necessary to remove strong growths in the upper and lower surfaces of the branching, which are located at the base of the bole. On the branches of the 2nd order, complete the formation of fruit links. On 3rd order splits, thin out the growths, sometimes pruning quite hard, all the way down to the second bud. The rest are left for 7-8 kidneys. These will be fickle fruit-bearing branches. In the first row, remove branches that are no longer bearing fruit. As well as the branches of the lower growth, which were previously cut last year. On top growths, remove about seven groups of buds

Cherry pruning.

When:

They form a tree in the spring, carry out sanitary measures in the fall and, according to tradition, prepare the cherry for the winter, but even in the fall, on the recommendation of many gardeners, rejuvenation can be carried out. But, of course, you should not prune heavily in anticipation of cold weather, it is better to combine sanitary procedures with rejuvenation, and remove damaged, weak and diseased branches. If you did not dare to rejuvenate the cherry in the fall, you can do it in the spring.

The crown, according to experienced gardeners, the cherry should be in the shape of a cone, with a wide base. Thus, the tree receives the maximum amount of heat and sun, while ensuring good air circulation inside the crown.

Autumn.

After all the leaves have fallen, start removing dry, diseased, and damaged branches. The rejuvenation procedure requires the removal of old branches, older than 6-7 years, under the ring. Seal the wounds with garden pitch and linseed oil paint.

Spring.

Early March best time for spring pruning cherries. At this time, she has not yet left the sleep phase, so all procedures will be less traumatic. But wait for the night frost to stop. To prevent the branch from drying out, do not remove its tips and growth buds. Too dense deciduous crown is removed not in one fell swoop, but in tiers. In this way, you stimulate the appearance of side shoots, which in turn will have a positive effect on future yields.

Summer.

Cherry pruning is carried out in the summer, those who do not like to do this in the spring, because of the stress for the tree. Sanitary work can also be carried out at this time.

Pruning garden trees.

As you can see, there is a lot in common in pruning all fruit trees. The main activity in this matter falls in the spring, during this period, as a rule, they form a tree, rejuvenate it. But in the summer and autumn, they carry out additional procedures, and sanitary measures, removing diseased, dry, and weak branches. But, as an exception, one can imagine an apple tree and a pear, in which case autumn is considered the main season of work.

How to trim, techniques:

• Cut on the kidney: It is carried out in order to change the direction of growth of the branch, you can choose the vector that suits you. To do this, on the annual shoot, find a kidney that would be directed in the direction you need. Near it, it is necessary to cut a branch at an angle of 45 degrees, but make sure that the stump opposite from the kidney is not too long (about 2 centimeters). Since if the stump is longer, then most likely it will dry out, and the kidney will not wake up.
• cut on the ring. When you remove an unnecessary process, it must be removed completely, right up to the outer edge of the ring. Thus, you can make the main one, the branch that grew next to the unnecessary one.

Wound care is very important, so do not be lazy to apply garden pitch, or drying oil-based paint, to the cut site. Recently, many similar drugs have appeared that are more effective in their action, you can check this information in your nearest specialized store.

Foreword

Annual pruning of fruit trees is the surest way to increase yields and improve the taste and appearance of fruits. However, even experienced gardeners do not always realize when pruning fruit trees will be most painless for them - in winter, autumn or spring.

Necessary tools and materials

Start pruning fruit trees - the best timing

In fact, pruning does not have a clear beginning and end frame, an experienced gardener, no, no, and even cut off a branch with a hacksaw or pruner that violates the fruit tree pruning scheme conceived for a particular plant. However, the goal is not only to comply with the branching pattern, in this way the growth of new, young branches is stimulated, and the fruiting period is extended. It is impossible to say unequivocally that pruning increases the yield of a tree, but we can safely say that the quality of the fruit increases significantly. It is not surprising - after pruning, the balance between the root system and the crown of the tree is disturbed, as a result of which powerful roots saturate nutrients fruits and branches.

It is most correct to start forming a tree from the moment it appears I am a sprout. However, most often, gardeners fall into the hands of a plant that grew completely freely and without any shaping, which means that the first pruning should be done immediately after planting. Post-planting pruning has another task - to restore the balance between the affected root system and the ground part, which often remains intact during transplantation. root system will not be able to fully "feed" the rapidly growing young crown, so some "freeloaders" need to be removed with pruners, at the same time forming the first skeletal branches.

Competent pruning - when to use which?

During health pruning, all branches affected by rot or scab, frozen and weak shoots are removed. When removing them, part of the healthy wood should also be hooked in order to certainly stop the spread of the disease. In no case should the removed branches be laid on the compost, the only right decision is to burn them immediately! But the ash after burning - what you need fertilizer! Such procedures must be carried out constantly throughout the growing season.

Shortening pruning is carried out in order to tame over-growing branches that interfere with each other and obscure neighbors. Ideally, each branch should receive at least a few hours of direct sun per day, which is achieved through thinning and shortening. Thanks to the latter, the growth of shoots located below the cut is also stimulated. Shortening pruning, first of all, is needed by young trees, which are very actively developing the crown.. On a mature tree, pruning becomes a minor operation that only keeps the tree from growing too large.

But the formed crown needs constant thinning - this removes branches that compete with each other, growing down or inside the crown, shading more promising branches. Thinning provides good ventilation - such a tree will be better able to resist diseases, since it dries out faster from moisture, and does not become overgrown with mosses and scab.

Proper pruning of fruit trees in winter and autumn

Thinning and shortening pruning is carried out during the sleep period - and this is the whole winter and the beginning of spring. In autumn, the tree is only preparing for sleep, so it is better not to disturb it. Yes, and in winter it is still better not to stick your nose out of a warm room - according to the observations of many gardeners, the tree tolerates frost worse. In addition, you can never know with certainty which branch will survive until spring, but in the spring you will definitely make your choice.

Therefore, shortening and thinning operations are best left for the end of February - the beginning of March.

At this time it is no longer cold, but the tree is still sleeping. When shortening, it is necessary to cut the branch in such a way that the bud, which is located closest to the cut, reaches the cut point with its tip - in this case, the new branch will slightly change the direction of growth, and the cut will heal many times faster and almost without a trace. If the cut is made at the base of the last bud, then there is a high probability that it will dry out, and instead the bud below will wake up, which, as a rule, grows in the other direction. The cut points must be lubricated with garden pitch immediately after cleaning.

When sawing side branches, at least a few millimeters of wood should be left, because with a full saw cut, you can damage the main trunk, and then a shell will form at the site of the wound, which can develop into a hollow. You don’t need to make a stump that is too high either - it will dry out and become a “home” for pathogenic bacteria. When removing branches with a hacksaw, always keep a sharp knife- before cutting, make a circular incision in the bark, otherwise the branch may tear off a long flap of bark. And this is a very serious wound for the tree.

Fruit tree pruning scheme - using cut branches

You don’t need to get carried away with pruning, otherwise there will be only stumps on the tree. If the tree is neglected, has grown as it wanted for several years, first of all, clear the center of the branches growing inside, shorten the top, but do it as sparingly as possible. Better stretch

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Experienced gardeners often disagree on the question “when and how to prune trees?” However, they all agree that this procedure is extremely important for the proper growth of fruit trees, optimal formation of their crown and trunk, increasing fruiting capacity and crop quality, as well as rejuvenation. garden plants. It is also important to remove deformed, broken, dried or diseased branches.

tree pruning

When solving the problem of when to prune fruit trees, it is important to know that their first pruning is done during planting one-two-year-old seedlings at a permanent growth site. In a planted specimen, about thirty to fifty percent of its crown is cut off with a secateurs. The resulting sections should be covered with garden pitch, and then wrapped with electrical tape. Instead of garden pitch, you can use oil paint as a putty.

Over the next three years, shaping pruning is carried out, allowing you to create a proportional and reliable crown of the fruit tree. Our website contains a video on how to prune trees during this period, so that later the tree has a properly formed crown, and its skeletal branches grow thick and do not interfere with each other. Also, the pruning procedure should ensure that the tree branches grow at an obtuse angle relative to its trunk.

If the question is when to prune trees in the garden and how often to do it, the answer is this: young trees require annual formative pruning. During this procedure, it is recommended to cut off up to a third of the length of absolutely all strong shoots growing on skeletal branches and trunk. It is advisable to leave three or four shoots on the branches of a young tree. The rest must be removed.

Problem, trimming old garden trees, is also quite solvable. They are pruned as needed. Old and diseased branches are definitely removed, as well as branches that have undergone breakage and deformation. Also, periodic thinning of the crown is recommended.

When is the best time to prune trees?

Questions: "Is it possible to prune trees in winter or summer?" - novice gardeners ask quite often. It is important to understand that in different time years, it is necessary to carry out tree pruning procedures of different significance. The main pruning is usually performed after the termination severe frosts during tree dormancy. It is desirable that it be produced before the onset of spring growing season. In warm regions, it is performed until the end of February. In the absence of proper experience or doubting how to prune trees in the spring, because of the fear of cutting off healthy branches, confusing them with damaged ones, you can postpone the pruning procedure until May, when the buds begin to bloom. Formative pruning is also carried out in early summer, while pruning in autumn is mainly done to rejuvenate the tree and encourage the growth of new shoots.