One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is pruning their fruit trees while the fruit and leaves are still present. This creates additional openings in the tree's vascular system through which deadly diseases can enter. Too many beautiful fruit trees fall victim to late blight and other diseases because they were pruned at the wrong time. When and how should you prune fruit trees? Read on!
What is the purpose of pruning trees?
Pruning promotes growth:By pruning yourFruit trees in summer have important leaves removed that collect vitamin-rich sunlight for growth. It also slows the ripening process of the fruit and exposes it to potential sun damage. Pruning the tree before winter dormancy is also a signal to the tree: “Start growing!” before winter comes. It's like stepping on the accelerator at a red light: it's dangerous!
Fruit trees must be completely dormant before pruning. If fruit or leaves are still hanging on the trees, it is too early to prune. It's best to wait to prune until we've had a good season with temperatures below freezing. This forces the trees into hibernation and protects them from an unwanted growth spurt before winter.
When are fruit trees pruned?
The best time to prune fruit trees is mid-winter, after a long period of frost. Then all the leaves and fruits are gone and you can clearly see the branch structure of the tree. Short, small branches are called “stolons” and bear most of the flowers, which eventually produce fruit. You can prune fruit trees in the spring before your tree produces its first leaves.
Pruning young fruit trees
The best time to prune fruit trees is at planting and in subsequent years in early spring, before the buds break and the trees are still in the dormant phase. Pruning should be done at the time of planting, cutting the new trunk 24-30 inchescut off above the groundand remove all side shoots. This causes the new tree to form low branches and balance the growth and root system so that the plant does not become top heavy as it establishes.
You cannot expect many fruits in the first two to three years as the plant develops low branches for better fruiting. This form of training for young trees can take many forms, but the most common is central leader training. With this form of training, the tree has a strong trunk and laterally branched shoots that start about 76 cm above the ground. The framework is created by selecting a framework whorl, four to five balanced branches that form the basic shape of the tree.
Tree pruning after the first year
It is important to know how to prune a fruit tree in the first three years. The goal is to increase the strength of the framework, encourage fruit-bearing branches, and minimize rubbing and crossing. The best time to prune newly planted fruit trees is in the summer, after new growth has established following the initial cuts. After the new growth reaches 7.5 to 10 cm, select the main stem and remove all other branches 10 cm below it.
The side branches are spread so that they form an angle of 45 to 60 degrees to the main shoot. In this way, maximum light and air are supplied and strong branches are produced that are not prone to splitting and can bear a lot of heavy fruit. After five to six weeks you should remove these branches.
Pruning a tree after three years
In the first three years it is about caring for the framework, removing crossing branches, side trunks, water shoots and downward-pointing shoots and side shoots to a quarterto cut back their length. This last step pushes back the side branches. In addition, the side branches of mature trees are kept in shape by cutting them back to at least two-year-old wood with approximately the same diameter. Dormant pruning in early spring is also the right time to remove dead wood and unwanted growth that affects fruit production. When the tree is mature and properly trained, pruning is almost not necessary except to reduce weak branches and remove dead wood.
Neglected fruit trees may require drastic rejuvenation pruning, revitalizing the framework but minimizing fruit production for several years. It is necessary to know how to prune a neglected fruit tree, otherwise the wood will become weak and breakage and splitting will occur. Additionally, trees that are too close together have poor fruit production, making canopy maintenance a problem for older plants.
To produce high-quality fruit, fruit trees such as apples, pears, cherries and plums need regular pruning in the first few years to develop healthy growth and well-spaced branches, and light pruning again and again in subsequent years. You can prune fruit trees in many different wayslead to high quality trees, such as B. the training methods of the middle rod, the multiple rod, the open middle, the espalier and the cordon. It is important that you are willing to sacrifice maximum fruit production in the first few years to find the right shape for your fruit tree. This ensures higher fruit production in later years. When pruning fruit trees, the following growth forms should be removed:
A. Water saplings and suckers
B. Broken branches or stumps
C. Branches growing downward
D. Crossing or rubbing branches (remove the weaker branch)
E. Shaded or interior branches
F. Competing leading branches
G. Long, slender growth inside the tree
H. Whorls (branches that lie in exactly the same plane as another branch)
