The content of the article.attention to fruit trees in any season. Summer pruning of apple trees is mandatory, as it gives a lot of advantages both for the tree itself and for the gardener.
The importance of summer pruning
The main purpose of pruning is to ensure the late flowering of the apple tree. This prevents possible damage to the bound buds from late spring frosts and fogs.
Several arguments in favor of summer pruning:
- Removing fast-growing shoots increases the supply of essential nutrients to growing fruits.
- It is easier to form the crown of the tree in order to ensure that the fruits receive enough sunlight and create convenience for the gardener to harvest.
- Removal of shoots rejuvenates the old tree and heals the young apple tree.
- Thinning provides better penetration of sunlight into the crown, which affects the best maturing of apples, and prevents the formation of malignant lesions on the leaves.
- Pruning apple trees in the summer has a positive effect on the appearance of new buds, stimulates their growth and inhibits the growth of shoots.
Impact of pruning on fruiting
Can I prune apple trees in summer? Not only possible, but necessary! From the degree of thinning will depend on the time of fruiting tree. Weak and rare pruning - will accelerate the emergence of the crop, strong - will delay the ripening of fruits for at least 1 year. Removal of branches provokes strong growth of new shoots near the cut. Pruning changes the relationship between the root system and the above-ground crown. Essential substances from the root feed fewer growth points. This causes increased, rapid growth of new shoots.
Some apple trees grow strongly, but do not enter fruiting. Gardeners note that certain varieties have specific characteristics - a long unproductive infant period. Apple trees, which develop in favorable conditions and have sufficient amounts of mineral, mostly nitrogenous nutrients, do not plant flower buds.
Deviation and securing of the branches in a horizontal, wilted position will provide a delay in the assimilates in the above-ground part of the tree.
This procedure should be carried out at the end of June. About a quarter of the branches( non-skeletal and semi-skeletal) are fastened with string or tape.
This manipulation weakens the branches and encourages them to form flower buds.
For the first time, pruning apple trees in the summer for beginners seems difficult and troublesome. Yes, it is, but only at first, as long as the manipulations are performed on the "untouched" tree. The gardener needs to monitor the unnecessary fatty processes( tops) on the tree trunk and remove them in time. It is noticed that the broken process heals much easier and faster than the cut off with shears or a hacksaw.
On these stumps you can graft other varieties of apple trees or other fruit crops. If there is no need for a prishchepe, the damaged areas are “covered” with mastic or oil paint.
Basic rules for pruning an
apple tree Before starting work, carefully inspect the tree, then begin. Stick to the golden mean. Remove a lot of branches - the risk of not getting the crop, leave a lot of excess - it means, do not achieve the desired result.
Formation of the crown
A certain set of manipulations provides the apple-tree with a finished look and a formed crown. After planting a young tree in the garden, he will have the first pruning, which determines the height of the trunk. Subsequent manipulations on cutting off shoots are required to ensure the correct formation of skeletal branches and ramifications.
The duration of crown formation lasts for several years. It takes 4 years for palmette; for a longline and a cup-shaped form, it takes at least 8 years.
The productivity of a tree will depend on the correctness of the work done. Experienced gardeners recommend caution and gentle treatment. It does not cause stress to the tree, and it will have time to recover before the fall.
Young apple trees that have not yet been bearing fruit, especially need pruning. Each subsequent year only update pruning. For mature trees, this method is needed to increase yield.
Stamb - trunk height from the root collar to the first skeletal branch. For an amateur garden, low-stem apple trees( 40–60 cm) are preferable.
Rejuvenation
Pruning can give the old tree a new life and make it bear fruit. Conventional sparing manipulations on the formation of the crown update the fruit-bearing, encouraging the apple tree to bring a quality crop. Increases the percentage of ovaries during flowering several times. Anti-aging pruning begins only after the cessation of growth and drying of the upper part of the apple crown.
Ideally, “rejuvenation” is carried out 2 times a year( in summer and in winter).
Evaluate the result on several grounds:
- The external state of the tree.
- Color, apple leaf structure.
- The trunk bark is whole, dense, without cracks.
- Increase in the ovaries on the tree.
The summer pruning is carried out according to certain rules:
- Competitive branches, tops, growing deep into the crown of apple trees and thickening branches are removed during the work.
- Subject to pruning shoots that depart from the skeletal branch or trunk at an acute angle.
- The rate of ripening of apples will depend on the arrangement of the branches, so horizontal will give fruits earlier and in greater quantities.
Differences in pruning of old and young trees
There are some nuances in pruning an apple tree in the summer, the scheme will be different for trees of different age.
For young
Trees that have not yet yielded a crop, it is necessary to subject only gentle pruning, the main goal is to ensure active growth. The basis are skeletal branches. The scheme removes processes that interfere with the vital activity of an apple tree, it is necessary to cut it at a sharp angle. Actively remove the branches that prevent the growth of the main. Repeat the procedure after 2-3 years.
A properly formed crown will provide comfort when harvesting and its good maturation in the sun. You can’t do without summer pruning if you don’t want to collect small, tasteless apples from your tree in the garden. At the same time cut off the sick, dry appendages. If this is not done, they will take away nutrients from healthy branches.
In order for the apple tree not to suffer from a bountiful harvest, it is necessary to remove part of the flower ovaries.
For old
You need to know how to properly prune an apple tree in adulthood. The main sign that the tree needs rejuvenating pruning is a reduction in the growth of shoots( less than 30 cm) and poor-quality harvest. The branches located at an acute angle to a trunk are subject to removal. For those that grow vertically, cut off the growth for 2 years.
Experienced gardeners insist that an adult tree should not be allowed to grow upwards. This impairs the quality of the tree and the crop. Branches that are more than 3 years old must be cut down to a height of 6 cm. When shoots appear on them, the most powerful branch is selected, which can replace the remote branch. This procedure will ensure the harvest of quality fruit on the obsolete tree.
Wood sections with a diameter of more than 1 cm must be smoothed with a knife and painted over with oil paint on linseed oil. This will prevent loose wood from rotting.
Summer pruning will improve your apple trees and increase the yield in your garden.
Summer Pruning of Fruit Trees - Video
Part One
Part Two
