When is the best time to prune fruit trees? How to prune fruit trees in the garden - types and diagrams

Tree pruning is the key to any gardener's success. Fruit trees need constant and gentle care. Only in this case they will give regular and bountiful harvest. Surely, many gardeners have encountered such a phenomenon that a neighbor in the dacha collects more fruits from one plant than you do from the entire plot. This means that your neighbor is doing proper care behind your trees, which you unfortunately neglect. From this article you will learn why cropping is needed fruit trees and how to do it right.

Purpose of tree pruning

This procedure is carried out in order to prolong the life of plants, stimulate their growth and obtain big harvest. After all fruit trees on the personal plot planted for the purpose of producing fruit. Besides, Pruning your garden helps protect your trees from pests and possible diseases.

In general, plants need comprehensive care, one pruning will not be enough to get a bountiful harvest. It is necessary to fertilize, water and spray the garden. And then your fruit trees will be beautiful, healthy and, most importantly, fruitful.

What tree pruning plays big role in obtaining a harvest does not mean at all that this event should be carried out when it pleases. Exist certain deadlines and methods of carrying out this procedure. Failure to follow these rules will have the opposite effect on the trees and you risk instead blooming garden receive a PIECE OF SCANTED PLANTS.

Trimming types

By removing extra branches from the crown of a tree, you greatly slow down its growth. Experienced gardeners have long noticed such a feature, the larger the tree, the smaller its fruits. The following types of plant pruning are currently practiced:

crown forming

This is done to obtain a bountiful harvest by forming the correct crown of the fruit tree. Typically, such pruning is carried out in the period from 2 to 4 years of the life of a seedling in your area.

Branches are pruned in such a way that stronger shoots form a reliable frame that protects weaker and thinner branches. This should be done in such a way that the branches inside the frame receive a sufficient amount of sunlight. It has been noticed that trees with a properly processed crown begin to bear fruit earlier and give more yield..

Regulating fruiting

It is from this procedure that the regularity of the harvest depends. The essence of such pruning is as follows: depending on the variety of the seedling, the shoots are shortened by a certain number of buds. This number can vary from 3 to 12.

Restorative

It consists in removing old, broken or diseased branches.

Anti-aging

This type of pruning is relevant only for mature trees. Old branches are removed or shortened, only young shoots remain. It is recommended to carry out such a procedure approximately once every four years.

Trimming methods

Novice amateur gardeners are concerned about the question of how to properly prune trees? We have already told you about the types of this procedure. Now it is worth talking about the methods. There are currently two known methods. Let's talk about each of them in more detail.

Shortening

The bottom line is cutting off young shoots. This is done in order to prevent the growth of shoots outside the crown..

This is done as follows: choose a shoot that grows outward and has more than one kidney. For example, if there are three buds on the shoot, it is recommended to cut one. On the next year, the cut branch should give three young shoots. One of them will definitely grow in the direction the gardener needs, that is, not outward from the crown, but parallel to the ground. This shoot is left, the other two are cut off.

thinning

Such pruning of fruit trees is considered the safest for plant health. In this case, the branches are not cut, but removed completely.

It is necessary to delete the branch at its very base. Usually in this place there is a barely distinguishable fold of the bark. This crease should remain intact. Then the cut site will quickly tighten with bark, which will significantly reduce the risk of disease.

Tool selection

The choice of tools for pruning fruit trees plays a big role. Tools should be not only comfortable, but also well-sharpened.. This will allow not only to quickly carry out necessary work, but will also bring less discomfort to the seedling.

Here is a list of tools that should be in the arsenal of any gardener:

Secateurs

This is probably the most popular and frequently used tool in gardening. When buying these garden shears it is necessary to pay attention to the following points: weight, sharpening and operation of the mechanism.

If you purchase a tool that doesn't fit your hand or works hard, the job of pruning fruit trees will take a lot of time and effort.

Hacksaw

Inexperienced gardeners often use ordinary carpentry tools to work in the garden. This is fundamentally the wrong approach. A construction saw, although it will provide a faster process of work, will cause irreparable harm to the tree. Therefore, it is best to purchase a special garden saw.

Air pruner

This tool according to the principle of operation does not differ from ordinary garden scissors. The only difference is the telescopic design of the fixture. Thanks to it, without using a ladder, you can cut branches located at a decent height from the ground.

petrol saw

This tool is used to trim thick branches from old trees.

How to properly prune to increase the yield of a tree

Many novice gardeners do not pay due attention to this procedure. Why bother with pruning if the tree bears fruit so well, they say. But high yield will be only in the first three years, then it will sharply decline.

The crown plays an important role in the fruitfulness of the tree. It is recommended to cut and form it from the beginning of planting the seedling in the ground. The crown should not be very thick and high. Otherwise, the abundance of branches will not let the sun's rays through, which will impede the development of fruits. In addition, it is very problematic to process and spray heavily thickened trees. Accordingly, the plant will often get sick.

Pruning the garden is also needed so that the branches grow in the same direction. The chaotic pile of branches not only reduces the yield, but also makes it difficult to collect it. Therefore, all shoots that grow strictly up or down are recommended to be completely removed.

Horizontal branches should not be removed, it is on them that the most fruit is formed. In extreme cases, you can cut them slightly so that the branch does not break from the abundance of fruits.

Do not leave dried, broken or frozen branches. They affect not only the yield, but also the lifespan of your garden.

AT winter time, especially with the onset of severe cold weather, it is recommended to trim the crown. This will allow the plant to recover faster after frost and, accordingly, give more yield.

When to prune

Why you need to prune fruit trees and how to do it right, we figured it out. Now we should talk about what time of the year it is better to do this.

pruning garden trees held at any time of the year. But it is worth considering some factors. For example, the region of the country where your garden is located. Considering the vast expanses of our Motherland, each of its regions has its own climatic conditions.

For example, in the south it is recommended to do this, because there are no severe frosts there. In central Russia, and in the north of the country, fruit trees should not be pruned. Otherwise, during hard frosts, the tree can get sick and die.

Given these features, we can conclude that the optimal time for cutting branches is early. Until the buds start to swell. Therefore, first of all, they pay attention to old trees. Buds on them are formed much earlier than in young plants.

Also has its own characteristics. In general, experienced gardeners and biologists advise choosing for pruning the period when the garden is resting.

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 of fruit trees is the most important, and a lot depends on how you spend it. Crown formation begins with early age, thus 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, carry out sanitary pruning 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 medium strength, and quite 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, root system it was damaged anyway, 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 the 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 trim the top, but this is only if you have not carried out the correct trimming procedures before, and if you did everything correctly, then the crown will 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.

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 postpone this procedure for the arrival of spring.

Autumn cherry pruning:

In the 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 you can 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 to 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 said that in different age groups, different tasks are solved, so it is advisable to break this question into several points, by age.

Young .

When pruning young tree, it is very important to look at correct formation trunk, as well as the location of 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 orchard, treat wounds with a garden var, 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 kidneys. 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. it 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.

Crown according to experienced gardeners The cherry should be in the shape of a cone, with a wide base. So the tree gets maximum amount 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. AT recent times there are many similar drugs that are more effective in their action, you can check this information in your nearest specialized store.

The preferred time for pruning is late winter and early spring, before new growth begins. During this period, pruning is carried out in a large number garden plants which include fruit trees.

Pruning trees is necessary to maintain the health of plants, to give them strength and beauty. In fruit-bearing crops, this procedure helps to increase the yield.

The basic rules for pruning any type of tree are: use clean and sharp tools, cut under the diseased areas of the tree, timely processing of the cut.

There are 3 types of pruning:

1. thinning. This method of pruning is characterized by the removal of an entire branch. Its pruning is done where it branches off from a larger branch or trunk. This method is rarely used, since thinning does not stimulate growth and only reduces the weight of the plant. This method is suitable for decorative purposes so that the plant does not look too massive.
2. Non-selective pruning. Its essence lies in cutting the branch anywhere, which will stimulate the dormant buds to grow top shoots. This method helps to increase the density of the plant.
3. Selective pruning. According to her, pruning should be done to the nearest bud or side branch. The diameter of the remaining branch is equal to half the diameter of the removed shoot. This method reduces the height of the tree.

How to prune fruit trees

My aunt was happy for many years bountiful harvest apples from your apple tree suburban area. But time passed, and the harvest became less and less, until the tree ceased to bear fruit at all. The aunt thought that the climatic conditions were to blame, but the problem was different: she did not cut the branches of the tree.

By pruning the branches of fruitful trees, you relieve the plant of the extra weight of the fruits and allow sunlight to penetrate into the center of the crown. The sun's rays and air penetrating into the center of the crown provide better circulation and do not allow the plant to get sick.

Trimming trees is distinguished by three types of crown:

1. tiered with a central conductor
2. change-leader
3. bowl-shaped

If the tree has not been pruned before fruit formation, then pruning will have to be done more strongly, with cutting and reducing the size of the branches. This is necessary to increase the yield of the tree and create a crown structure that will not bend or break under the weight of the crop.

Trees need to be pruned once a year. Thus, the plant will not suffer from severe pruning after a longer period of time. It is possible to cut as many branches as the tree has grown over the past year.

Important! However, it must be remembered that when pruning old branches formed over the past year, the number of cut branches should not exceed 1/3 of all branches of the plant.

First of all, it is the old branches that should be deleted. If you are dealing with dwarf trees, then you should not get involved in pruning branches as well as ordinary trees. Trees that are smaller than normal grow slower.

Some varieties of apple, pear and plum trees are distinguished by the formation of fruits on medium-sized branches, so if the crown has become too dense, you can safely cut off old and unproductive branches.

Keep an eye on the growth of horizontal branches, as branches that grow vertically, that is, upwards, give a large increase, but their yield decreases.

If branches, also directed vertically, grow downwards, then their productivity will be low due to lack of sunlight. Therefore, shoots that grow up and down should be cut off, leaving horizontal ones.

For a more complete understanding of the tree pruning process, watch the tutorial video for beginners with step-by-step instructions:

How to prune apple and pear trees

It is necessary to cut the tree according to the tiered type of crown. With age, the main shoot may droop due to the heavy fruit, preventing sunlight from reaching the lower branches. In this case, it is worth cutting the top of the main shoot.

In this arrangement, sunlight will penetrate into the center of the crown, and new branches will grow upwards, replacing the cut central trunk. Trim side branches as needed to easily reach any part of the plant.

How to prune a plum

Since the plum is predominantly a bushy tree, it is not possible to form a plant with a central stem from it. Another form of trimming is suitable here - cup-shaped.

If you have hybrids from Japan and America at your disposal, then they need to cut off more branches than plum varieties from Europe. The top must be open to free access sun rays to the lower branches. If the branches bend too much towards the ground, then they should be shortened.

How to prune peach and apricot

Such fruitful trees are characterized big stature branches, so it is worth pruning them in large quantities to increase the yielding quality criteria. To make it convenient to work with these trees in the future, cut off the top of the crown. Do not forget about the branches that grow close to the ground.

After pruning is complete, do not get carried away with excessive feeding, as the tree will quickly grow new branches because of it. Due to the rapid growth of branches in summer, the tree may suffer in the winter season.

How to prune cherries

In a newly planted cherry, a crown is created with the main conductor, which, in older plants, is removed, and a modified-leader crown replaces the tiered crown type.

Pruning is done like pruning, but not in such a large amount, otherwise in winter the tree will be damaged by the cold, which will certainly affect the life span of the cherry.

The tree may need correct pruning autumn for a variety of reasons:

• Removal of diseased or wind-damaged branches;
• Crown reduction to renew branches and improve air circulation;
• Height reduction;
• Removal of interfering lower branches;
• Formation for design solutions;
• Yield increase.

Once the decision to prune has been made, consider whether or not you should do the work yourself. If in your area a big tree on which you want to remove large branches at the top of the crown, it is best to hire specialists. In particular, trimming may require lifts and heavy chain saws. This is a job that should be left to trained and experienced professionals.

The time of pruning in the garden always depends on the use of the species and method. Thus, it is produced at different times of the year, in any season, but the advantage is given spring period before the buds swell. Dead branches can and should be removed throughout the annual cycle.

Never compromise personal safety when pruning.

Spring

Pruning to enhance growth is recommended in the spring. This is explained by nutrients, are distributed from roots and perennial parts to younger growing and fruiting parts. It is best to choose a period immediately before the start of sap flow, which will have a beneficial effect on pruning. Do not prune shrubs that bloom in spring.

Autumn winter

Pruning in the autumn and winter seasons is often carried out in areas where it is predominantly warm and there are no severe frosts. Otherwise, there is a risk of damage to the bark and wood in the place where the cut was made by extreme cold or sunburn.

When planning pruning, it is important to remember that the temperature should not fall below -8 degrees. Pruning during this period minimizes sap loss and subsequent stress on the tree. It also minimizes the risk of fungal or insect infestation, as the fungus and insects are likely to be dormant. Finally, in the case of deciduous trees, pruning after leaf fall will give you a better idea of ​​how the shape of the trunk will change. Fruit trees are not recommended to be pruned in autumn.

Summer

Gardeners rarely prefer summer pruning, because when the buds are swollen and the tree blooms, you can damage the rings, and in the summer the branches will have to be removed with the harvest. However, it makes sense during this period to pinch shoots that do not need strong growth., as well as the removal of tops that appeared after a large cut.

Pruning tools

Here are the main tools:

• Secateurs. The use of ratchet tools is not recommended. It is best to choose a regular and comfortable secateurs.
• Garden hacksaw. This is a specialized hacksaw that tapers towards the end of its blade. The teeth are arranged in such a way that they do not allow the hacksaw to clog with sawdust. It is not recommended to use a construction saw. For comfortable work, purchase a tool according to the profile.
• Air pruner. Such a pruner is used for hard-to-reach areas of the tree. It is a bar to which a pruner is attached, driven by a lever and a rope.

It is necessary to monitor the condition of the tool. Sharp blades must be used to avoid damage to the trunk or bark. Otherwise, there is a risk of surfaces susceptible to contamination by harmful microorganisms. Tree diseases are easily spread by contaminated tools.

So after each trimming, be sure to disinfect your tools in a 1/9 dilution of chlorine and water, followed by cleaning with soapy water and then drying.

How to prune trees and shrubs in the garden?

common goal- cut off the unwanted branch, while keeping the trunk intact. The most common mistake is cutting a branch too close or too far from the trunk. Or, breaking the sequence, damage the bark, especially when pruning large branches.

Depending on the purpose of the work being carried out, you will be able to determine which technology to use.

Cut on the kidney

Using this pruning method, you can, for example, change the direction of growth of branches depending on your needs. You need to choose a kidney located on a one-year-old shoot that grows in the right direction. Such a cut is made at an angle of 45 degrees to the branch.

The cutting blade of the pruner should point towards the part of the tree that will remain. Pruning is done by forming a slight angle so that the kidney remains intact, but at the same time without forming a stump. The kidney will dry up if it does not receive the necessary substances. This happens when a very sharp cut is made that hits the kidney. Here we must remember that our goal is for the kidney to form an escape.

At the same time, if a stump is left, it can dry out, and the kidney will not give a new shoot. Such a stump can only be left when pruning a shrub.

cut on the ring

When using this method, the entire branch is cut off. Depending on the thickness, a pruner can be used. In order not to leave a protruding stump and at the same time there is no “cut”, a cut should be made along the outer surface of the ring. Rings are located at the junction of the branches.

Side branch cut

If you want to leave a side branch and continue growing in its direction, you need to cut off the unnecessary branch. It turns out that the cut in relation to the left branch will become its continuation.

How much to cut?

Do not cut more than 25% of the branches of the tree. When deciding how much to cut, you need to focus on the bare minimum.

Each pruning is a great stress for the tree, and it also increases its vulnerability to diseases and insects.

Make sure the living branches are at least 2/3 the height of the tree. If you remove more than necessary, this will increase the risk of damage to the tree. Sometimes pruning is forced. For example, wind damage, height reduction due to power lines, municipal canopy requirements, etc. But even in these cases, trim as little as possible.

Care after pruning

Garden var, paints based on vegetable drying oil, petrolatum, etc. are suitable for covering cuts. Branches located on the periphery of the crown, with a diameter of less than 2 cm, are not lubricated.

Try to continue to monitor the condition of the tree and treat the resulting wounds, if necessary. If you notice any peculiarities in how a tree reacts to pruning, try to apply the experience gained in further care.