When to start spring tree pruning? Very often, this question is asked by both experienced gardeners and amateurs who are faced with the need to care for the garden for the first time. It is believed that best time for pruning - the end of winter or early spring, when the trees have not yet begun to go into new growth. In this article, we will help advice for beginner garden lovers on how to properly prune trees, when is the best time to do this and why.

Proper pruning of garden trees - when is it best to do it?

Experienced gardeners know that high-quality and timely pruning of fruit trees, including berry trees, as well as various ornamental or fruit shrubs, helps to increase fertility, fruit quality and maintain the health and beauty of the plant. However, in order to trim correctly, you need to know a few techniques and rules, as well as choose the right time and use the right tools for this.

You can start the process of pruning trees with the onset of the first cold weather. As you know, at this time, trees and shrubs fall into winter "hibernation". The main condition is to observe the temperature regime. In no case should pruning be carried out in frosty weather, the air temperature must be above 2-3 degrees. In addition, winter pruning affects the tree in a completely different way than spring pruning, especially for fruit bearing fruits such as cherries, sweet cherries and apricots.

Gardening practice shows that uncut trees tolerate winter frosts much better, especially in the northern part of the country, so experts recommend taking a hacksaw or other tool with the onset of the first sunny days of spring, regardless of the type of tree and its age. During this period, the kidneys are still very young and not swollen, while quite comfortable weather is established for the successful conduct of the "operation".

Cut off first fruitful trees, such as apple trees ( autumn-winter varieties), apricots, cherries and plums. A later period should start pruning stone fruits, pears and peaches. As for the latter, the best time for pruning is the moment when the buds are just forming on young branches.

The best pruning time directly depends on the region where the fruit tree grows. In the southern regions, heat comes much earlier, more harvest, which means you can start various types pruning early, while the northern trees are still wintering at this time. That is why there is no clearly defined seasonal schedule, and every gardener focuses on the weather and the trees themselves, which can often be used to understand whether it is time for pruning.

Types of pruning - when do trees need it?

Depending on which month the tree is pruned, it is usually carried out for a specific purpose, each of which contributes to the formation or maintenance of a certain process during the period of tree growth and fruitfulness. Thus, they distinguish:

1. 1. Formative. This type of pruning is most often needed for young shoots and shrubs that are in a state of constant growth. This type of pruning allows you to form the desired size of the crown and helps to give a silhouette, which makes it easier for trees to endure various loads. At the same time, the yield of each large and small branch is also regulated. It is best to start forming pruning in March-April, for greater growth intensity. Pruning this type in winter, on the contrary, slows down the intensity, making growth slower.
2. 2. Regulating fruiting. This type of pruning allows you to keep the crown in the right condition, and stop too high growth of young shoots, which can overload the tree. With this technique, you can also extend the fruiting period or regulate the frequency of the appearance of fruits. Such pruning is recommended to be carried out in autumn or at the end of winter; for the spring period, it is usually not typical.
3. 3. Updating. Needed to rejuvenate an old tree, this type of pruning shortens the top of the crown to give the rest more sunlight and stimulate the growth of new shoots. It is recommended to resort to renewing pruning in early spring, especially if the annual growth of new branches is from 10 to 15 centimeters. In this case, the branches must be shortened for the appearance of adnexal buds during the flowering period.
4. 4. Restoring. Pruning in this case is not aimed at improving the properties of the tree, but at returning to it the lost abilities for growth, development and fruiting, which were lost as a result of diseases or not. proper care.
5. 5. Sanitary. This pruning can be done all year round, and it is aimed at removing dry, diseased or broken branches that must be removed from the crown. However, even the driest branches are not recommended to be cut in frosty weather. It is also important to take into account the age and size of the tree - too intensive pruning can lead to high crown thickening.

Regardless of the type of pruning, it is necessary to choose and prepare the right tools, as well as know exactly how to prune a tree in a given calendar period. Next, we will talk about cutting techniques and the features of their implementation in spring, autumn and winter.

Choosing a tool and cutting technique - doing everything right

Trimming trees should only be done with tools such as pruning shears or garden saws. To cut branches at a hard-to-reach distance, a scheme or device called an "air pruner" is used. It is a long telescopic stick, on which a standard pruner is attached, and is set in motion with the help of ropes attached to it.

It is better to use a secateurs ordinary, without ratchet, with sharp blades. This will allow you to delete branches with a single click. When choosing a hacksaw, pay attention to the presence of gaps in the teeth that prevent the accumulation of sawdust. Do not under any circumstances use construction tool so as not to damage the tree.

All tools must be clean and sharp to avoid the formation of ragged surfaces on small and large branches, through which unwanted microorganisms enter the tree. Additionally, it is recommended to use natural oil paint or a special garden ointment based on petroleum products. With their help, it is necessary to cover up the emerging small and large wounds on the tree.

Cutting techniques - application features

Pruning can be done in several ways. The most common and effective methods are:

• Kidney cut. This technique allows you to change the direction of growth of a branch, especially young shoots. The cut should be clear and even, with an indent from the bud up to 1 centimeter. The cut must be made at an angle of 45 degrees, while not leaving too much "stump" above the kidney and not damaging it itself.
• Ring cut. This technique is used when it is necessary to remove a branch completely, for example, if it does not grow correctly. You can cut either with a garden saw or a pruner, in this case it all depends on the thickness of the branch itself. The cut must be carried out carefully and always along the outer edge of the ring.

"Ring" in the language of gardeners is a junction of branches, which is characterized by a corresponding compaction or influx of bark.

• Non-selective pruning. In this case, it is possible to carry out a new course of shoot growth, that is, to transfer growth from one to another. For this, using suitable tool, make a cut at any point on the branch. It is assumed that new top shoots will begin to grow in the place of the cut, which will subsequently improve the splendor of the tree crown.

Features of pruning fruit trees - useful tips

Different types of trees need different types pruning. If we are talking about an apple or pear tree, then with any pruning, the most important thing is to keep the central guide trunk, while it is necessary to observe the deadlines and make sure that the branches move away from it at a large angle. If the angle shortens, the branches should be cut, especially if they interfere with the others.

Plum trees, unlike others, have the shape of a bush, so when caring for them, it is necessary to ensure that the crown retains a cup-shaped shape. Some varieties of plums, for example, "American" grow much faster than European ones, so they will have to be cut several times more often. Also, when caring for a plum, it is important to always leave the top of the crown open to ensure constant lighting.

Peach and apricot trees from the garden grow even faster than plum, apple or pear trees, so every year gardeners carry out massive crown pruning. It is important to remove those branches that are too low to the ground in time. At the same time, remember that the best time to work on stone fruits is the beginning or middle of spring, during the period when they begin to bloom. It is strictly not recommended to prune these varieties. fruit trees in winter.

For the normal growth and development of cherries in the garden, in the process of pruning, it is necessary to designate a clear central crown-guide like an apple tree and make sure that the main crown is, as it were, a tiered type. Unlike peach or apricot, cherries should not be cut too often, as this heat-loving tree can suffer more than others from frost.

Regardless of the type of fruit tree, it is necessary to systematically remove old, diseased or dry branches as they appear and make sure that the branches grow more horizontally relative to the ground, since vertical shoots are less fruitful.

Pruning fruit trees is a rather voluminous issue, 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.

On initial stage acquiring gardening experience 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 agrarian 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 active growth tree, the annual growth of branches, the correct formation of the crown, winter hardiness, an increase in life and fruiting, productivity and excellent fruit quality 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 the life of 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, 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 of a 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 last resort-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 removed completely, similar way 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 a special term for such a case - removal or pruning “on a ring”, 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 cropping are applied simultaneously, both methods are effective when combined use. 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 - 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 to the main skeletal branches on the outer buds, which will give more efficient branching, awakening more buds, and 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 since they are professionals in this matter, their methods are, accordingly, rather 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.

In a fruit tree, the angles of departure of the main skeletal branches directly from the central conductor play an important role. 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 the capture of free space, it 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 pruning fruit trees, there are many factors to consider - age, biological features varieties and 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 the complete removal of overall perennial branches, the removal of which is performed 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 time, it makes sense to think about whether there is enough time and energy to grow an orchard a second time or is it better to limit it to rejuvenating pruning.

There is another idea that is very rational to implement when rejuvenating the garden. In the span of years that fruit trees have reached the age when they need to be radically rejuvenated, many new apple varieties, favorably surpassing the former taste characteristics and other important qualities, such as frost resistance or long-term 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. Revaccination is carried out in early spring using the spin or butt method.

Sanitary pruning of fruit trees.

If for some reason a fruit tree was deprived of proper care for some reason, they say that it is neglected, and in order to revive it to a normal productive and functional life, to revive fruiting that has almost come to naught, sanitary pruning is used. 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 listed conditions, alternating them with timely measures aimed at protecting against garden pests and diseases inherent in these varieties, fruit plantations will bring abundant harvests of fruits of the highest quality for decades.

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 the pruning is to be grandiose, for example, rejuvenating or fruit trees have not been touched by the gardener's hand for a long time, it makes sense to prepare a 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.

The main function of fruit trees in the garden is their fruiting. A rich harvest is possible only if they are pruned, which is carried out in autumn, winter, and more often in spring.

This procedure allows the crown to form rationally so that each shoot receives as much air and light as possible. In addition, pruning contributes to the rehabilitation of trees, protecting them from various diseases that occur during the active growth of plants.

Required Tools

Pruning is perceived by many gardeners as one of the important elements in the proper care of fruit trees. To carry out this process, special tools are needed:

After purchasing a tool, you must keep it clean and make sure that it is always sharp.

Only in this case no torn cuts, which can easily penetrate a variety of infections and microorganisms. After each trimming procedure, the tool must be cleaned and lubricated with a cloth soaked in machine oil.

When to prune trees

Many gardeners do not pay attention to the timing when fruit trees should be pruned, which is completely wrong.

It is important not to harm the plants, so it is best to do this in the spring. Optimal period - end of February or beginning of March when severe frosts are no longer expected.

Trim first:

• apple tree
• pear.

The remaining fruit trees and shrubs are subjected to this procedure at the end of the first month of spring or the beginning of the second. Cut first pome crops, and only after that - plants with stone fruits.

If the trees are not yet strong, then it is necessary to do this before the sap begins to flow, as this will subsequently weaken them and they will begin to hurt.

If necessary, early June pruned fully grown blooming trees and shrubs that will normally tolerate this procedure even after the sap circulation has ended.

How to carry out cutting technology correctly

Pruning of fruit crops is carried out different ways. Let's consider the most basic ones.

Carrying out a cut on the kidney. This method allows you to choose the direction of growth of branches in the direction that the gardener needs. For these purposes, only one-year-old growth shoots are used, on which a bud is chosen that grows in the right direction.

The secateurs are positioned in such a way that its cutting part is near the remaining part of the branch, and not near its cut end. slice performed at an angle so that this kidney remains untouched. If the cut is too sharp, the kidney will lose its supply required amount nutrients and dry out.

Annular cut. In this case, a complete pruning of a branch growing in the wrong direction is carried out. It not only takes food from fruit-bearing shoots, but is completely useless.

With a small thickness of the cut branch, it is best to use a pruner. The cut is carried out along the outer edge of the rings, which form an influx on the bark in the place where the branches are connected.

A cut to form a side branch. It is carried out in the case when a transition of growth from one branch to another is required. In this case, unnecessary thread is completely deleted.. The resulting cut, as it were, continues the left branch, as a result of which the side becomes the main one.

Types of spring pruning of fruit trees

Carrying out such a procedure, the gardener usually pursues very specific goals. Let's consider the most basic ones.

Regardless of what type of trimming has been done, it is necessary consider age and size fruit plants. With excessive pruning, young shoots begin to grow rapidly, due to which a too dense crown is formed.

The specifics of spring pruning

Many gardeners prune trees at a time before the sap flow has begun. But it is best to carry it out at a time when the juice has not yet begun its movement, but is already fully prepared for this.

In this case, the wounds that the tree will receive as a result of such a procedure, tighten very quickly, since the wood fabric is already ready for this.

If after cutting treat wounds with the help of yellow clay and garden pitch mixed with cow dung, then two weeks after the start of the juice movement, callus will grow at the cut site.

Forbidden to crop fruit crops that will soon begin their flowering. This is especially true for plants in which flower buds appear only on last year's shoots. Otherwise, not only the flowers will be lost, but the entire crop.

Features of spring pruning of old trees

Old fruit trees, especially pear and apple, have a pronounced periodicity of fruiting and a significant decrease in the crown, which occurs due to the death of skeletal branches.

If carried out light rejuvenation such plants, these manifestations are significantly reduced, which provides further good harvest. In this case, you should know the rules for trimming old garden trees.

To restore the normal state of old plants that are in a very neglected form, it is necessary deep rejuvenation, consisting in pruning dried branches 1-2 meters from the top. Further than two meters it is not recommended to cut very heavily, because the tree may die.

This process should be performed only on fruit branches or growth shoots so as not to leave the trimmed branches completely bare.

If the branches began to die off, and fatty shoots appeared in the lower parts, then pruning is carried out to the very tops. The more neglected the tree is, the more they are pruned. With the onset of March, the soil under the cut plants should be well fertilized for the rapid growth of new shoots.

As soon as growth appears, all hemp formations should be finally cut out, and paint cuts oil based.

Rejuvenation perennials should be done gradually over many years. In this case, the upper branches and branches are cut much stronger than the lower ones.

Thus, spring pruning plants in your backyard is a rather painstaking and troublesome business. But thanks to this process trees are better prepared to the fruiting period.

If the branches are not cut, they will begin to break under the weight of the fruit. Therefore, pruning trees in the spring contributes not only to increasing productivity, but also ensures their safety.

Properly caring for the trees and shrubs in your garden will ensure that they grow quickly and produce abundant fruit. The gardener is required to prune the trees in the garden every year, which will not only allow the formation of the correct crown, but also prevent the crown from thickening, which can lead to the development of various kinds of fungal and infectious diseases. We will tell you in more detail how to properly prune trees in the fall, which will greatly simplify the care of plantings in the garden.

What is pruning for?

Fruit trees should be pruned in autumn in two ways.: thinning and shortening. This improves the growth of perennials by preventing them from mechanical damage snow, strong wind, forms the correct growth of the crown, and also allows you to remove branches that no longer bear fruit, but are able to take food from the tree, which in turn worsens the yield.

Such works are not particularly difficult, so everyone, even a novice gardener, can handle them. It is only necessary to correctly determine the time when this work is performed, as well as correctly determine those branches and shoots that need to be removed and shortened. Having understood the principles of this work, you can easily carry out such an annual autumn pruning of trees and shrubs in the garden, simplifying your garden care and improving its fruiting rates.

Varieties of the procedure

To date It is customary to distinguish three types of pruning perennial plantings in the garden:

• Sanitary.
• Formative.
• Anti-aging.

Sanitary pruning involves the removal of broken, dried and diseased branches. Such pruning can be carried out in spring and autumn or at the beginning of winter.

Formative pruning of trees and shrubs in autumn is necessary for young and adult plantations, especially during the period of active growth. Such work involves thinning and shortening of shoots, which in turn improves the penetration of light inside the crown, the gardener gets the opportunity to control growth, stimulates the development of side shoots and fruit formation. Most often, formative pruning is carried out in the spring, but such work is allowed to be done in the fall, which allows you to remove all incorrectly growing shoots and form the correct crown.

Anti-aging pruning is performed on old trees that are beginning to bear fruit poorly and require special attention. When performing this work, the top of the tree is cut off, the crown opens, old shoots and branches are removed. All this allows to improve fruiting rates, which in turn prolongs the life of garden trees.

Tool used

To do this job, you will need the following tool:

You should also take care of the presence of a garden pitch, which is used to process and disinfect the cut site. You can buy such a garden var in most specialized stores or make it yourself on the basis of drying oil.

Step-by-step instructions for pruning young trees

For correct pruning necessary:

Scheme for beginners

Pruning mature trees in autumn for beginners is not particularly difficult and is performed using the following technology:

Rules for caring for old trees

Usually, by 15–20 years after planting trees, their yield indicators are significantly reduced. You can solve this problem by carrying out appropriate rejuvenating pruning of the garden. Such work is carried out in September or October, after the leaves have completely fallen. With such anti-aging pruning, the top is cut off and removed lateral processes who are five or more years old.

Extra shoots inside the crown are removed, which can interfere with the growth of young shoots. Also, when performing such work, all broken, dry and diseased branches should be removed. Proper implementation of such rejuvenating pruning will allow you to get excellent yields in a year and a half, which will last for 4-5 seasons.

Common Mistakes

Common mistakes include the following:

Such spring and autumn pruning is performed and fruit trees in temperate regions. But in the northern regions in the fall, when there is already a possibility of frost, it is not recommended to carry out such manipulations with trees and shrubs.

The timing of the autumn pruning will directly depend on the climatic features in your area. It is best to do this work in October, when the trees will shed their leaves, the harvest will be harvested, but there will be another 2-3 weeks before frost.

It is necessary to carry out autumn pruning of apple trees after the foliage has completely fallen off and harvested. Usually this work is done by gardeners in October and November. All broken, rotten and old branches are removed. Experienced gardeners recommend removing shoots that grow close to each other, which leads to a significant thickening of the crown. All shoots that grow at an acute angle or are directed inside the crown are removed.

All cuts after such pruning of the apple tree should be treated with paint based on drying oil or garden varnish. Existing wounds on dry branches should be treated immediately, but hemp from young shoots is covered with var only a day later.

At right choice the time of this procedure, the apple tree will easily endure such pruning, and next year growth will improve significantly, numerous new shoots will appear, the correct crown will be formed, and subsequently the gardener will be able to get with an apple orchard excellent harvest.

One of the features of pear trimming is that it is recommended to perform such work in a year. Sanitary autumn pruning of such fruit trees is allowed only with a stable plus and no danger of frost in the coming weeks. Remember that in cold weather pears should not be pruned, since such trees do not tolerate frost well, subsequently they get sick a lot and bear fruit poorly.

With formative pruning, the top is shortened and no more than five main lateral skeletal branches are left, forming a pyramidal crown. Every five years, it is worth performing a rejuvenating pruning, which avoids thickening and maintains yields at the proper level.

Correct autumn pruning plum

Plum and other stone fruit trees will require appropriate attention from the gardener. Proper autumn pruning will ensure high-quality preparation for winter sleep, and subsequently such trees grow actively and bear excellent fruit. This work should be performed immediately after the leaves fall no later than the first days of November.

Pruning plums in the fall is not particularly difficult:

pruning fruit trees

autumn pruning fruit trees will significantly improve the fruiting of the garden. It is necessary to perform such work with cherry plum, shadberry, sea buckthorn, quince and viburnum only after the leaves have fallen. We can recommend that you limit yourself to only necessary measures, remove damaged branches and shoots growing at right angles to the main crown.

If rejuvenating pruning of fruit trees is necessary, then one or two skeletal branches are allowed to be removed, and all branches that are already 5 years old and which practically do not bear fruit are cut off. In the subsequent planting, after performing such a rejuvenating pruning, they quickly restore their yield indicators, which persist for 5-7 years.

Shrub pruning technology will depend on the specific type of planting in the garden. So, for example, two-three-year-old raspberries should be cut to the very bush, leaving only the rhizome in the ground, after which the soil is mulched and high-quality thermal insulation is performed. But red and black currants should be cut in winter using a different technology, removing only old two-three-year-old branches, while forming a powerful bush with several skeletal shoots.

When it is necessary to remove not only the old fruit-bearing branches, but also the young shoots that appeared in spring and autumn can reach a height of 2-3 centimeters. Such young shoots will subsequently bear fruit poorly, so they should also be removed, leaving only one rhizome. A strong raspberry, even after such a serious pruning, will be able to quickly increase its green mass next year, delighting the gardener with a magnificent harvest of delicious berries.

Trimming methods

Pruning fruit trees has a variety of purposes. Gardeners distinguish several main methods of pruning:

1. Formative. considered the most important. Promotes the correct formation of the crown and determines general form trees in the area. It is carried out in early spring, before the start of the movement of juice.
2. Regulatory. Needed to correct an already formed crown. Extra shoots are removed, overloading the tree and preventing good lighting. The period is during the summer.
3. Recovery. It is carried out if the plant needs rehabilitation. Dry, damaged branches are removed. Thus, the flow of nutrients to the updated shoots is enhanced.
4. Anti-aging. Allows old trees to renew, increase the growth of young fruit-bearing shoots. Promotes the awakening of dormant buds, activates flowering. Held in early spring.
5. Sanitary. It is intended for the prevention of diseases and the improvement of trees damaged by exposure to external factors. Plants can be infected with a fungus. The branches begin to dry, the bark turns black and flakes off. To prevent the tree from dying completely, all diseased shoots are removed. Some branches are broken by the weather and begin to die off, they should also be removed.

Wood processing after pruning

In order not to weaken the vital functions of the plant, after pruning, it is necessary to immediately treat the wounds. On healthy trees cut points, especially large ones, can be covered with garden pitch. It prevents cracking and remains on wood for 2 years.

Small sections up to 3 cm in diameter can be coated with water-based acrylic paint. Also suitable for this purpose Oil paint on natural drying oil or groundhog. In the absence of such funds, you can use ordinary clay. When cutting diseased plants, treat the tools with alcohol or a solution of manganese.

The surface to be treated must be dry, smooth and even. All protruding particles must be removed. Overgrowing of the wound starts from the bark, it should not exfoliate.

Tightly adhering to the cut surface, the putty provides protection against leakage of juice and drying of the branch. It is necessary to process even small sections, since the juice flowing down them is a favorable environment for the reproduction of harmful microbes.

Tree pruning. How it's done? Why is tree pruning necessary? This is what we will consider.

pruning fruit and berry trees is a complex and responsible undertaking. If pruned incorrectly, this can lead to a reduction in the fruiting period, as well as a decrease in frost resistance.

Trim garden trees for several purposes.

Pruning to form a plant. This type of pruning is necessary for young plants. It aims to regulate the load of the crop on each branch.

Pruning to regulate fruiting. This type of pruning is needed for fruit trees. Thus, it is possible to extend the fruiting period, as well as regulate the frequency of fruiting.

Cropping to improve lighting conditions. This pruning is done to shorten the canopy of the trees so that more sunlight falls on the rest of the canopy. This can influence the yield.

Pruning to shorten the pathway of nutrient metabolism. Fruit and berry trees need rejuvenating and sanitary pruning. Rejuvenating pruning is used to eliminate the signs of aging of the tree. It also helps to extend the life of the plant and the fruiting period. Sanitary pruning is necessary for trees to remove dead or dying branches so that they do not interfere with the penetration of light to the fruiting branches and do not delay the internal circulation of nutrients.

Pruning of garden trees is carried out, as a rule, in spring and autumn.. IN spring period this is done even before the leaves open and the process of juice movement begins. In autumn, pruning is needed so that the trees easily overwinter.

To increase the effect of pruning, it is necessary to properly care for the land, as well as carry out preventive measures to combat pests and various diseases.

You can regulate the growth and quantity of the crop not only by pruning trees, but also by changing the position of the branches. Pruning helps gardeners grow fruit trees to the right height, with a strong trunk that can support the weight of the crop. If pruning is done incorrectly, then as a result you can get a thickening of the crown, a late entry into the fruiting period, as well as a decrease in winter hardiness.

There are two main ways to prune fruit trees: pruning and thinning.

The stronger the branches of trees are shortened, the more the tree is rejuvenated. This method of shortening stimulates the growth of shoots, the development of buds, as well as the thickening of the branches.

Thinning, i.e. complete removal of shoots, improves the flow of sunlight to the fruits, which in turn stimulates their growth and development.

Tree pruning technique

When shortening an annual shoot, you need to make an oblique cut above the kidney. The kidney should be on the opposite side of the cut. Such shortening should be carried out with a garden knife or pruner. If the branch is very thick, then you can use a saw.

When thinning, the branch must be cut into a ring. The cut should be parallel to the influx at the base of the branch. Pay attention to the fact that there is no hemp left near the influx - this will make it difficult for the wound to heal. Also, do not cut the branch below the ring - in this case, the wound area will be larger. If the branch is very thick, you should use a saw. After removing the branch, the saw cut must be cleaned with a sharp knife so that the saw cut surface becomes even.

When should trees be pruned? Pruning timing

In the middle part of Russia, fruit trees are best pruned in spring and summer. In spring, pruning should be carried out in March-April, until the trees have entered the vegetative phase.

The breed of fruit trees and their condition play important role when cutting. Pruning should begin with apple trees - the most resistant trees to adverse conditions. If the trees are very young (for example, planted in the previous autumn), then their pruning must be carried out before the start of the sap flow process.

As for stone fruit trees, they should be pruned before bud break.

If the trees did not survive the winter well, they look weak and damaged, then such trees should not be rushed to cut.

In summer, you can pinch. This is a type of pruning in which the tops of growing shoots are removed. Pinching is usually done with nails, without using garden tools. Branches are cut with pruners only if most of the shoot is removed.

Pinching carried out in different time, has different effects on trees. If you pinch in June, when the trees are actively growing, then this can have an adverse effect on the condition of the trees as a whole.

Pinching, done during the period of stagnation of shoot growth, improves the formation of axillary buds, has a positive effect on the growth of shoots, and also improves fruit ripening.

Tree age also plays a role in pruning. IN different ages fruit trees have different patterns of growth and fruiting. When the trees are young, there is an active growth of the crown. And in older trees, crown growth slows down, and the processes associated with the formation and ripening of fruits come to the fore.

Types of tree pruning

There are several types of pruning fruit trees. The main and most common are two of them: whorled-longline (or five-bunch) and combined.

When forming a whorled-tiered crown, 4-5 branches remain in the lower tier of the tree. In the second tier - 2-3 branches. Between the first and second tier there should be a distance of about 50-70 cm.

In total, there should be about 8-12 branches on the trunk of an apple tree. It is not difficult to form the crown of a tree according to the whorled-tiered system, since the choice of branches is not difficult.

❧ In no case should spontaneously growing crowns of fruit trees be allowed. If young tree do not form a crown from the very beginning, then in the future this may lead to intertwining branches, the load on different branches during the ripening of the crop will be different, which will lead to breakage of individual branches. The conductor may even break, which will accelerate the death of the tree as a whole.

The combined crown is formed differently. The lower (first) tier forms three branches, depending on the variety, 2-3 buds from each other (about 15 cm). Sometimes gardeners leave two more branches from adjacent buds, but this is only if they grow in different directions. It happens that a spare shoot is left in the tier, which is used when one of the skeletal branches breaks.

The fourth skeletal branch is laid about 40 cm from the lower tier, and each subsequent one - at a distance of 30-40 cm. In total, there are about 6-8 skeletal branches on the tree. In the figure side branches 2, 6, 8 and 10 are left as skeletal branches of the first order; branches 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 11 are shortened for overgrowing wood; branches 1 and 12 are cut into a ring.

Drawing. Pruning according to the combined scheme: a - seedling before pruning (dashes show the places of pruning); b - seedling after pruning

The bushy crown is suitable for those gardeners who prefer trees of low stature.

Fruit trees with a bushy crown reach a height of about 4 m, it is convenient to take care of such trees, collect fruits, etc. After you have planted a seedling in your garden plot, you need to choose 5-6 skeletal branches on it, the distance between them should be about 10-15 cm, and cut the rest of the shoots.

Seedlings planted in spring are pruned immediately. Annual branches are shortened by half or one third of their length, and the conductor is removed just above the last lateral branch at the time when this branch takes a steady direction of growth.

This type of crown is well suited to trees with highly branched crowns.

Young trees should be pruned every year, but in moderation, being careful not to cut or shorten large branches. If it is necessary to obtain a slowdown in the growth of any branches, then this should be done gradually, year after year. Do not immediately cut the branches of the tree strongly - this will adversely affect the growth and development of the crown in the future.

Different varieties of fruit trees react differently to pruning, in this regard, you need to pay attention to their ability to form shoots, as well as the degree of excitability of the kidneys. For example, apple varieties can be divided into three groups according to these characteristics:

The first group includes varieties with weak excitability of buds and low ability to form shoots (Brown striped, Korobovka, Kitayka golden early, Titovka).

On the apple trees of these varieties, long thin branches are formed. Their yield is not very high. Such trees should be severely pruned, i.e. cut from 1/2 to 2/3 of the shoots. Such pruning will ensure good branching, thickening of the branches, which in turn will lead to the formation of a large number of fruits.

Young trees have strong one-year-old shoots about 70 cm long, moderately growing ones - up to 35 cm. Strong shoots are shortened to 40-50 cm, and moderate ones are left as they are.

Many cultivars of pears also have weak shoot-forming abilities. As a rule, terminal shoots grow strongly, forming ankle branches. Therefore, pears are cut in the same way as apple trees of the first group.

The second group includes trees with good bud excitability and weak shoot-forming ability (Moscow Grushovka, Arkad yellow, Borovinka). These apple trees have a moderate branching and an abundant bookmark of short fruit formations. Apple trees of these varieties usually have a frequency of fruiting.

Such trees should be pruned moderately - by 1/2-1/3 of the length of annual shoots. This type of pruning will ensure the emergence of growth shoots, as well as enhance the development of weak fruit branches.

The third group includes varieties with high bud excitability and good shoot-forming ability (Autumn striped, Suislepskoe, Antonovka, Melba, Pepin saffron, Riga dove, Anis). All trees of these varieties have good branching and high level fruiting. When pruning shoots on trees of these varieties, care must be taken not to shorten the shoots too much. It is better to thin out shoots growing inside the crown, since it often happens that in trees of these varieties, shoots can intertwine with each other.

Old trees need to be pruned to prolong their life and fruiting. If the trees are heavily neglected and have not been pruned for a long time, then it is recommended to immediately carry out a strong rejuvenation. The branches of such trees are shortened by 1/2-2/3 of their length, which is from 0.5 to 2 m from their top. Do not cut branches more than 2 m, as this can lead to the death of trees.

Pruning must be carried out above the growth shoot or fruit branch. Cut branches should not be left completely bare. If the tree has dying branches with top shoots on the lower parts, then such branches must be cut to these tops.

Carrying out the rejuvenation of trees, it is necessary in the spring to fertilize the soil abundantly under the rejuvenated trees. This is done in order to stimulate the active growth of new shoots in the first year after pruning.

After the old trees, after rejuvenation, give an abundant growth of new shoots, it is necessary to cut out all the stumps, and cover the cuts with oil paint.

It is better to stretch the process of rejuvenating old trees for two years. In the first year, cut off the upper branches, and in the second - the lower ones. In this case, the upper branches should be cut more than the lower ones. The upper branches are cut to 2/3, the middle ones to 1/2, and the lower ones to 1/3 of their length.

If the pruning of old fruit trees is carried out in accordance with all the rules, then soon the rejuvenated trees will quickly grow, begin to bear fruit and will produce a rich harvest for about 10 more years.

Stone fruit trees are fast-growing. In this regard, their crown is formed much faster than that of apple or pear trees. The complete crown of stone fruit trees is formed within 5-6 years. Such trees are also pruned, as it helps the tree to develop as soon as possible. But when pruning stone fruit trees, care must be taken to ensure that they grow on fertilized soil. Pruning carried out on a poor agricultural background can cause diseases in trees and stunted growth.

❧ An interesting and complex process is olive pruning. It is carried out after the fruit has been harvested. It is important to correctly determine which branches need to be cut, since fruits are formed only on two-year-old branches. For olive pruning, a specialist is invited - an olive “pruner”, who trims trees. Often the crowns of olives are cup-shaped. So Sun rays can freely penetrate to each branch of the tree.

Cherry and plum trees are pruned in a combined or bush pattern. Branches are placed on the trunk singly or in groups of 2-3. Between branches in tiers there should be a distance of 8-10 cm, between groups - 25-35 cm. Mature trees should have 8-15 branches. On the branches of the first order, branches of the second order are placed at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other, trying to ensure that the secondary branches are located on both sides of the skeletal branch.

Young seedlings in the first year after planting (cut to general rules pruning fruit trees. Skeletal branches must be shortened, and the top of the conductor should be 15-25 cm higher than the tops of the upper side branches.