It is naive to believe that by planting a seedling of a fruit tree (even if all agricultural practices are observed), you can wait idly for it to begin to bear fruit. Without proper pruning, apple and pear trees will soon turn into thickened trees, overloaded with tops and competing branches that prevent the seedling from developing, and therefore actively bearing fruit.
In the first three years after planting, the formation of crowns should be an important concern for the gardener. fruit trees. Along with pruning, this is one of the most important jobs in gardening. The fate of the crop and the further condition of the tree itself largely depend on it.
When pruning and forming the crown of apple and pear trees, one should take into account the breed, varietal and individual characteristics of the plant, as well as the natural conditions of the area.
How to properly prune apple and pear trees, depending on the age of the trees, is described in detail in this article.
Pruning apple and pear trees: the correct formation of fruit trees
The first thing that novice gardeners need to consider when pruning apple and pear trees is that the strength of the crown of a fruit tree is achieved primarily by the correct ratio in the strength of the development of the central conductor and the main skeletal branches (branches of the first order). The conductor should be significantly ahead of the skeletal branches in terms of development.
As branches of the second order, lateral branches growing in a horizontal direction are most suitable. When pruning apple and pear trees, those branches that are directed towards the conductor or upwards are cut into a ring, because they thicken the crown. Shoots developed from external buds (with outside branches) are also unsuitable as skeletal branches of the second order, because they easily sag under the weight of the crop and often break off.
For the formation of the crown of apple and pear trees, it is necessary to correctly leave branches with angles of departure and divergence. The divergence angle is the angle between the skeletal branch and the central conductor, and the divergence angle is the angle between two adjacent skeletal branches in the crown in horizontal section.
To prune apples and pears correctly, remember that branches with a small angle of departure do not give a strong connection with the trunk and easily break off under the weight of the crop. Branches with departure angles from 40° to 90° at their base form a very strong connection with the leader due to the annular influx at the point of departure of the skeletal branch from the central conductor.
It has been established that the strength of the fusion is achieved if the thickness of the branch of the first tier does not exceed half the diameter of the trunk and the angle of departure is not less than 45°. Therefore, when forming the crown of most varieties, branches with an angle of departure less than 40 ° are not left as skeletal branches. The best departure angles are from 45° to 65°.
The angle of departure in the crown of the skeletal branch can be changed not only by pruning: in pears and apple trees, it is advisable to bend the overgrowing branches on the main skeletal branches and the central conductor between tiers in a leafy state in late June - early July, when growth in thickness continues with subsequent lignification. This will make it easier to fix them at a given angle after preliminary bending and holding in this position for a while. Branches with an acute angle of departure are pulled to the ground, and with an angle of 90 °, on the contrary, they are pulled up, tied to the central conductor.
At the same time, there is an opinion that the method of pulling in order to give the branch a more inclined position is ambiguous, because in this case only the angle of inclination of the entire branch will change, but not the angle of departure from the trunk. However, when the upper side branch is rejected and the leader is cut down above it, the angle of departure from 70-80 ° changes to 0 °, and after a few years it can be very difficult to find a place to remove the old top of the trunk. Thick branches are difficult to bend. It is recommended to pre-file them slightly from below before bending.
Various schemes for pruning branches of apple and pear trees (with photo)
In order for the crown to always be translucent, it is necessary to strictly maintain the number of skeletal branches in accordance with the selected type of crown. The branches of the second tier should be tried to be placed in the middle of the angle of divergence of the branches of the first tier. The sparsely tiered crown is the most widespread.
Such a crown combines tiered and single placement of skeletal branches. The height of the trunk is standard -60-80 cm.
For the strength of the crown, it is important that, with proper pruning of apple and pear trees, over each tier of single branches there should be no less than the number of branches in the tier. The distance between adjacent tiers or between a tier and a single branch should be 40-70 cm. With strong tree growth, one single branch or a tier of two branches is laid annually. They are evenly placed in space to avoid shading the lower branches with the upper ones, and so that the crown does not turn out to be one-sided. The uppermost skeletal branch must be single. Above it, the conductor of the trunk is cut out if he himself does not deviate to the side by this time. This is done in order to limit the growth of the tree in height.
Some gardeners offer the following scheme for forming the crown of a pear tree. The entire crown should consist of 4-5 branches of the first order, and the height of the trunk should be left in the range of 50-70 cm. The lower tier, as a rule, consists of two adjacent opposite branches. The distance between the lower tier and the third skeletal branch is about 60 cm. The rest (fourth and fifth) are placed along the trunk at intervals of 25-30 cm.
Thus, the upper branch is laid at a height of 1.8-2.2 m. After creating five skeletal branches of the first order in the crown, the formation of skeletal branches of the second order is allowed on the lower tier, but not more than two. They are placed no closer than 50-60 cm from the trunk and 30-40 cm from each other. They should occupy a lateral position along the axis of the pine branch. On all skeletal branches (both the first and second orders of branching), semi-skeletal branches 1-2 m long are formed, depending on the location in the crown and orientation.
See how pear and apple pruning is done in this video for beginner gardeners:
In some cases (for example, when a fruit tree has grown near a building), one of the sides has to be cut out, and a crown is obtained when the branches are directed only to three cardinal points.
Some gardeners are interested in pruning apple trees, the crowns of which are formed in a flat shape (palmette). Each tier for an oblique palmette is formed from two skeletal branches on opposite sides of the trunk. For the strength of the crown, the branches are removed at a distance of 5-10 cm from one another, and not from adjacent buds. A free palmette differs from an oblique one in that it is formed without the use of stakes and garters of branches, but exclusively with the help of one pruning.
You can also form a vase-shaped crown. How to prune an apple tree in this case? This crown does not have a leader (central conductor). It is cut out after the laying of the lower tier from 3-4 skeletal branches, which take over all the functions of the trunk. The vase-shaped crown can be displayed on a stem 20-40 cm high. . A big advantage of vase-shaped crowns is the increased winter hardiness of the tree. The disadvantage of such a scheme for the formation of the crown of a pear or apple tree is the lower mechanical strength compared to the leader. However, it is easily eliminated by internally attaching the boughs-trunks to each other or to a ring in the center of the crown.
When pruning and forming the crown of an apple or pear tree, sufficient subordination of the skeletal branches to the leader, large angles of departure of these branches from it, as well as large angles of divergence between the branches in the tier are the main conditions for the strength of the fastening of the crown parts.
These photos of apple and pear pruning show various crown formation patterns:
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Crown formation when pruning young apple and pear trees: video instruction for beginners
Since during their development fruit trees change the nature and ratio of growth and fruiting processes, approaches to pruning branches of apple and pear trees at different stages of their life should be different.
There are two main methods of pruning: shortening, in which part of the branch is removed, and thinning, when the entire branch is removed. Shortening is carried out in cases where it is necessary to weaken any branch so that it does not develop into a strong skeletal, but turns into a semi-skeletal or overgrowing. If one-year growths are shortened, pruning is called regulating, and if perennial branches are rejuvenating. When less than 1/3 of the annual shoot is pruned, the shortening is considered weak, when up to half of it is removed, it is medium, and more than half is strong.
Beginners should pay special attention to pruning young apple and pear trees, because the period of the first three to five years is the most responsible in crown formation.
In young trees, only strong annual shoots are shortened, reaching a length of 45 cm or more, the continuation shoots on semi-skeletal branches are not touched.
Young apple and pear trees that have not yet begun to bear fruit, and non-flowering mature trees can be cut not only in March and April, but also in May and June, after bud break.
When pruning pear and apple trees, shortening the end parts of branches causes increased growth of shoots from lateral buds, which leads to thickening of the crown. To prevent this from happening, during the growing season, part of the growing shoots should be broken out or cut out without waiting for their strong growth. More fast growth the shoot comes from a kidney located directly near the cut site. The more the branch is cut, the more buds will awaken on the remaining part, and the more growth they will give. Therefore, a strong shortening when pruning a young apple or pear tree should be done only as a last resort.
Due to the fact that the buds on the branches are arranged in a spiral, they are cut to the one that “looks” into a more advantageous space for future escape. Shorten the branch above the selected kidney so that the cut line is just above it. If the cut is made lower, then the bud may dry out, but if a longer part is left, then after the shoot grows from the bud, the remaining part of the branch above the bud dries up, and diseases and pests can develop on it. In which direction the bud is directed, over which the branch was cut, in that direction the shoot will grow.
If the branches of the tree are drooping, although this rarely happens, then when forming the crown of pears and apple trees, the growth is shortened by the inner bud (or branch), and if the crown is raised, narrow (compressed) - by the outer bud (or branch). In other words: a branch with an angle of departure of 80-90° is shortened above the bud, directed upwards and inside the crown, and a branch with an angle of departure of less than 40° above the bud, directed outward of the crown.
When forming the crown of a young apple or pear tree, by thinning, all extra branches are removed to the base (thickening, crossing, extending from the trunk at an acute angle, growing inside the crown), cutting them into a ring, that is, under the edge of the annular influx. Cutting even a large number of branches does not increase the branching and growth of shoots, but, on the contrary, contributes to the laying of short fruit formations on the remaining branches. If there is a competitor, it is also cut into a ring. It happens that a competitor is located more successfully - in such cases they leave it, removing the conductor.
Often, not the entire branch is cut, but only part of it on the side branch. This technique, when pruning the crown of a pear or apple tree, is used to turn a strong skeletal branch into weaker semi-skeletal or overgrowing ones, as well as to expand the crown of trees with a pyramidal or broom-like structure. In pear, many varieties have such crowns, and in apple trees, these are anises, Arkad Tenkovsky, Moscow Grushovka, Papirovka's Daughter, Zhigulevskoye, Kazanskoye, Cinnamon Striped, Medunitsa, Papirovka, Northern Sinap, Spartan, Terentyevka, Welsey.
Strong unnecessary ramifications middle length with wide angles of discharge, not to mention the small branches on the trunk, do not thin out or shorten. They gradually become semi-skeletal and overgrown with branches. They host the crop in the first years of fruiting.
When pruning, it is important to consider the type of fruiting, bud awakening and shoot-forming ability (branching ability). In trees with a sparse crown, weakly forming new shoots, shortening of the shoots is mainly used, and in plants with a dense crown, thinning is used. Most often, you have to apply both shortening and thinning.
In apple and pear trees, conductors of semi-skeletal branches, in contrast to skeletal branches, are almost annually shortened by about 1/2 of the growth. Horizontal shoots are not shortened if they have enough space. Branch pruning is mainly used to reduce the height of a tree.
In trees of such varieties as Anis striped, Antonovka ordinary, Iyulskoye Chernenko, Papirovka, Northern synapse, which have undergone thirty-five-degree frosts, autumn wounds heal as well as when pruning in spring. Only during autumn and winter pruning, the cuts should be of high quality, without bark burrs and cracks in the wood.
Here you can find a video instruction for pruning young apple and pear trees for beginner gardeners:
Tips on how to properly prune adult apple and pear trees
Mature, well-growing and abundantly fruiting trees can be pruned after the opening of the buds, but not later than the beginning of flowering. Infertile young trees in the summer can only be thinned out, since shortening the branches during this period greatly depresses them.
At the end of May - the first half of June, all reserve nutrients are concentrated at the end points of growth. If at this time the tops of the shoots are shortened, that is, chasing, then instead of long shoots, which usually happens after early spring or winter pruning, short, or even just ringlets and spears grow. Chasing promotes earlier and more abundant fruiting of well-formed young trees.
Thin branches and shoots (up to 2 cm) are cut with a garden knife or pruner. With a knife, cuts are made with one quick movement of the blade. When pruning pruning of adult apple trees is performed with a secateurs, the counter-cutting part of it is placed on top of the cut branch. In this case, the cut is even, the bark around it remains intact and there is no hemp left on the bearing branch. When a branch is cut with a small angle of departure, the pruner is brought to it from below, and not from the side.
When cutting branches, do not rotate the pruner around the axis of the branch being cut. From this, the bark on the branch will be torn off, and the wound will not heal well. Good advice on how to properly prune a pear or apple tree - when removing a branch or shoot with a pruner, it is necessary to leave a spike 1.5-2 cm long above the kidney. Large branches should be removed carefully. From the base of the branch intended for cutting, 30-35 cm recede and file from the bottom to about half of its thickness. Then, stepping back above the notch along the branch 10-15 cm, they saw it from above, and the branch breaks off along the line of both cuts. The rest of the branch, holding it with a hand from below, is cut down in the usual way into a ring.
Using a quality garden saw and pruner when pruning the formation of apple and pear trees, the cuts are so smooth that they do not require additional cleaning. Cuts made with bad or blunt saws and pruners must be cleaned with a sharp garden knife or chisel to a depth of 1-1.5 mm to a healthy tissue.
This video shows the pruning of apple and pear trees in adulthood:
Rejuvenating pruning of old apple and pear trees (with video)
Often, gardeners are asked to help prune very tall apple trees that are 50 years old or more. As a rule, it is difficult, it is easier to completely destroy an old tree, having previously grown a young one. But you can understand an elderly person who finds it hard to part with his beloved apple tree. The sapling was planted in youth, and uprooting a tree is tantamount to cutting out a piece of one's own life. So you have to pore over pruning for 2-3 years to bring the tree into a divine form.
About a year before the anti-aging pruning of old apple and pear trees, all dry, dead and extra branches are cut out. The essence of rejuvenation is the periodic shortening of old branches for perennial wood, but it must be carried out more than one year. Severe pruning can lead to the death of the tree.
Rejuvenation begins with thinning to ensure good illumination of the inside of the crown. At the same time, the hanging ends of all branches are cut off so that between the soil and the lower part of the crown there is a space free from branches 80-100 cm high.
Then the crown is reduced, cutting off its upper part and conductor by 1-2 m, and skeletal branches - into lateral branches directed to the periphery of the crown. If during thinning and lowering the crown was removed a large number of branches, rejuvenation is postponed for the next year. If few branches were removed, then it is carried out immediately. All cuts are made for translation to the side branch. Even if it is a weak branch of a fruiting type.
Light anti-aging pruning is used on an apple tree at the age of 18-20 years, and earlier on early-growing varieties. At the same time, the ends of all branches are cut off with an increase of the last 2-3 years. Annual increments are determined by the annular influx on the branches. The average anti-aging pruning is carried out on an apple tree at the age of about 25 years, if this crown has not been rejuvenated. Cut off all growths of 4-7 last years. The lower branches are cut into branches oriented upwards, and the upper branches are cut to the sides in order to reduce the diameter and raise the lower edge of the crown, as well as reduce the height of the tree. The rule of subordination is observed: the main branch must be longer and thicker than its branches.
The main techniques for anti-aging pruning of apple and pear trees are presented in this video:
Apple trees at the age of 30-40 years need strong pruning with the removal of growths of 10-12 years and older. The diameter of the crown with strong anti-aging pruning decreases by about 1.5 m, and the height by 1 m. It is carried out according to the same rules as the average anti-aging pruning.
After pruning, especially if it was associated with a sharp decrease in the crown, many tops will appear. They usually grow very strongly, growing up to 1.5-2 m per year. All season they pull "juice" from the tree. And cut them out next spring. In order not to waste the food resources that the tree has, the growth of tops must be prevented.
With a hand or a hook on a stick, they simply break them out to the ground. They begin to work when the length of the tops is about 7-10 cm (up to 15-20 cm is possible if they did not have time). The break is fast. It is only necessary to sharply bend the shoot down or to the side, pressing it at the base. If such a top remains connected with a tree by a narrow strip of bark, it does not matter. Even good. It will not grow, but some of the synthesized substances can give to the tree.
Before you prune old apple and pear trees, watch this video:
fat girl growing slowly and her appearance makes the plant suitable for bonsai formation.
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Over time, she can become frail and naked. If this happens, then the following are recommendations on how to form a fat woman with a thick trunk and a dense crown.
Formation of the crown and trunk of the fat woman. Trimming and pinching
How to form a crown? How to form the trunk of a fat woman? How to prune a money tree in a pot at home? How to pinch a fat woman? Let's answer these questions.
If you need to make the trunk of a fat woman thicker and the crown thicker, cut and pinch the tips of the shoots. If the branch has grown too long, do not be afraid to cut it. Make an incision 2.5 cm below where you want new leaves to grow. Regular pruning of branches gives excess energy to the trunk, and it gradually thickens.
Is it possible to cut a fat woman? How to cut the branches of a money tree so that it grows into a stem? Trim the jaggery just above one of the brown rings around the stem, called a leaf scar, a sharp pruner, or a knife. New shoots will grow where the cut is, so choose the stem you want to cut carefully.
Your choice will depend on where you want to make the trunk thicker and the foliage thicker. This method is good for older plants that have a strong stem and little foliage.
Cut off bulky branches with pruning shears or small sharp-edged scissors to achieve the desired shape of the tree. Do it step by step if necessary. giving the plant a chance to rest between prunings. In this way, you can better imagine the shape of the crown.
Remove large leaves to allow light to reach the inner parts of the crown where you want to grow new leaves. The cuts should be neat and straight. Pits and scars can cause decay.
Lightly trim once or twice a week to control the size and density of leaf buds. Pinch off leaves that are too large or leaf buds growing in unwanted places, such as the bottom of the trunk. Use long tweezers to remove cut pieces.
Photo of how to form the crown of a money tree (an example of formation).
Do not use garden pitch. Instead, give the cut pieces dry and form a film. Pathogenic bacteria can enter through the garden var and cause rot. Sterilize tool blades after each cut with alcohol to prevent disease development, especially if you are working with multiple plants.
Pinch the tip of the stem with your thumbs and forefinger to remove it. Decide on how you want the fat woman to look in the future in order to choose the right area. Two new stems will appear where you pinched. This method is good for young plants or short stems if you want a fuller crown.
Put a fat girl in sunny place , best to the south window, where she will receive at least four hours sunlight everyday. The temperature during the day should be between 18 and 23 degrees during the day and between 10 and 13 degrees at night. Protect from drafts. The leaves should not touch the glass and window frame. If you provide the plant with these conditions, its crown will be dense.
Plant a fat girl in well drained soil in a pot with drainage holes. once every few years, if the need arises. If possible, do not transplant at all. Worries such as transplanting can slow down growth.
Water the plant in spring and summer often enough to keep the soil moist. but not wet. Let it dry out between waterings in winter. Water the soil and do not let water get on the leaves of the plant. Ensuring proper, regular watering helps the trunk and branches to thicken naturally.
Photo of how to form a fat woman (money tree) with a tree.
Fertilize every three or four months with liquid fertilizer and the crown will become dense.
Bonsai
Buy a healthy jade tree with a thick stem and compact branches. Crassula ovata and Crassula arborescens species that make excellent bonsai include varieties such as California Red Tip, Hobbit, Bronze Beauty and Tricolor.
Container preparation
Choose a container that fits well with the size of your future bonsai. Deep containers are good for plants with thick stems and leaves.
Cut pieces of cellular vinyl mesh slightly larger than the drainage holes to so that the soil does not wash out of the container. Cut a piece of wire about 7 centimeters long and make loops at each end.
Make the distance between the loops equal to the size of the drainage hole. Place the loops on the sides of the drain hole, and thread the ends of the wire into it. Leave loops on both sides of the drainage hole. Lay the mesh on top of the hole and secure it by bending the ends of the wire. Fasten the support wire in the same way to secure the tree itself.
Photo of a bonsai from a fat woman (crassula, money tree).
Plant preparation and planting
Prepare potting mix for bonsai or purchase from a store. The soil must be well permeable.
Take the fat woman out of the pot. Remove soil from roots, Carefully untangle them and straighten them using a hook.
cut the roots so that they are the right size for the selected container. Remove any dead roots and large roots growing down.
Remove weak and bare branches with sharp scissors. Remove each opposite branch with a concave pruner to create alternating branches.
Distribute a small amount of soil in a container. Place the tree in the container, spreading the roots carefully. Anchor the tree with support wire. Fill the container with soil, leaving 1.25 cm between the soil and the rim of the container.
Spread over the surface of the soil granular fertilizer by following the instructions on the package. Place moss or small stones on top of the soil.
Pour thoroughly until water appears on the pan. Place in a sunny location with some afternoon shade.
Tree creation
How to make a bonsai from a money tree (fat woman)? How to grow? Form a compact tree, according to the shape you want to get. First carefully study the tree and only then remove the branches that do not match the shape you have chosen. When removing small branches, make cuts along the trunk or stem back to back. Do not leave unaesthetic cuts. Do not make concave cuts. Leaving holes where rot can settle.
Determine the stems you want to develop into bonsai branches by pinching off leaves and leaf buds along the stem. Let the miniature leaves grow at the ends and remove the rest of the leaves. Repeated pruning helps encourage the development of more closely spaced buds, and the crassula becomes more tree-like each time.
Let the incisions dry out and stretch. Cuts do not need to be covered. This can cause rot to develop.
Remove cut leaves and branches carefully from the inside of the Crassula crown with long tongs or tweezers. Using tweezers instead of hands gives you more visibility and better control when working in small spaces.
Trim the pudding weekly. With each successful pruning, the leaves become smaller and the tree takes on an ancient look. There are strict rules for forming bonsai from ordinary trees, but in the case of succulents, they are not needed.
bonsai trees cannot be forced to experience a lack of nutrients, to keep them small. They need to be regularly watered and fertilized, and their branches and roots cut off. This is what keeps them in shape. By pruning during transplantation, the formation of thin roots is stimulated.
Roots grow more densely after pruning and can get everything they need to live in a small container. Only thick roots are trimmed. Thus, fibrous tissue is formed root system.
Cut the roots at the time of transplanting. Crassula roots can be very sensitive to pruning, so when the plant is young, repot only once every two years and once every three to five years as it gets older. Do not remove more than one third of the root mass and try to disturb the new roots as little as possible.
Wire wrapping
Teach long branches to the shapes and directions you need using soft copper wire. The wrapping should not be tight. Gently bend the wire for a week to get the shape you want.
The fat woman responds to wrapping quickly and can form the desired shape in three weeks.
If the wire has left marks on the branches, they will disappear as soon as water fills their tissue after removing the wire.
Watering
Most bonsai should be watered for a long time to keep the soil moist. When watering a fat woman, make sure that the soil is dry.
If the soil is too wet, the tree will not develop a large enough root system to support its own weight, as water pools in the succulent's leaves. Watering can be delayed until the leaves are slightly wrinkled.
Problems
The roots of a fat woman bonsai can rot if there is no good drainage and the soil does not pass water well. This problem can lead to the death of the plant. Too much water forces the air out of the soil and kills the roots. If pathogenic bacteria are present in the soil, they can penetrate the dead roots and harm the tree. When transplanting, if you find dark, soft roots, cut them off and replace the soil.
Trees with thick trunks do not grow at night. You need to be sure that your plant is well watered, fertilized and has the right size pot. big trees do not grow in small pots. It is a myth. Most bonsaists grow their trees in large pots or greenhouses in open field before putting them in a container.
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135. IS TREE CUTTING AN ESSENTIAL IN GARDENING?
With the help of pruning, fruit trees form a strong crown that can bear the weight of a bountiful harvest. If after planting the trees are not pruned at all, they form dense broom-shaped crowns. The inner part of such crowns does not receive sufficient sunlight. This, on the one hand, contributes to the development of diseases and pests, and on the other hand, adversely affects the quality of the fruit. Pruning regulates the growth and fruiting of fruit trees.
136. HOW DOES THE CUTTING OF A FRUIT-TREE INFLUENCE ON ITS ENTERING INTO BEARING?
Weak thinning of the crowns of young fruit trees to a certain extent accelerates the onset of fruiting. With strong thinning and shortening of the one-year growth, the onset of fruiting is delayed by 1-2 years.
Usually pruning enhances the growth of shoots near the cut points. When it is used, the ratio between the above-ground and root systems of fruit trees changes dramatically. Nutrients coming from the root system are distributed among a smaller number of growth points, as a result of which the length of the increments increases.
137. HOW TO FORCE STRONGLY GROWING YOUNG FRUIT TREES TO BEAR FRUIT?
Very often, gardeners complain that their fruit trees grow very strongly, but do not bear fruit. There are many reasons for the late entry of fruit trees into fruiting. The duration of the unproductive infant period in fruit plants is a varietal feature, but also depends on growing conditions. With the development of fruit trees in exceptionally favorable conditions of mineral and especially nitrogen nutrition, flower buds often do not form. In such cases, it is necessary to prevent the outflow of assimilates from the aerial parts to the roots of the tree. The easiest way to achieve this is by bending a part of the branches and fixing them in a horizontal or drooping position with rubber bands and wire or twine (Fig. 52). This operation is carried out at the end of June. About 25% of the overgrown (non-skeletal and semi-skeletal) tree branches are bent.
138. WHAT IS THE FORMATION OF FRUIT TREES?
The formation of a fruit tree is understood as a system of operations carried out after planting it in the garden, with the help of which the crown of the tree is given a certain shape. With the help of the first pruning after planting, the height of the bole is determined, and in subsequent years, skeletal branches and ramifications are formed from the shoots appearing on the tree.
139. UNTIL WHAT AGE SHOULD I FORM THE CROWN OF FRUIT TREES?
The formation of crowns of fruit trees continues for several years after planting. The duration of the formation period depends on the fruit species, the vigor of the trees and the perceived crown type. Palmets form in 3-4 years, and an improved longline and cupped crown in 7-8 years.
140. WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT THE DEVICE OF FRUIT TREES IN CONNECTION WITH THEIR CUTTING?
A fruit tree consists of an aerial part and a root system. The aerial part is subdivided into the trunk, skeletal branches and branches, overgrown branches, shoots and buds (Fig. 53). All these parts together make up the crown of the tree. The root system consists of skeletal and semi-skeletal roots of horizontal and vertical direction and of overgrowing roots covered with active, absorbing roots.
141. WHAT IS A FRUIT-TREE STONE?
Shtamb - part of the trunk between the root neck and the first skeletal branch. Depending on the height of the trunk, fruit trees are low-stem (40-60 cm), medium-stem (90-110 cm) and high-stem (over 130 cm). In amateur gardens, low-stem fruit trees should be preferred.
142. WHAT IS A FRUIT-TREE BODY?
The trunk is the central aerial part of the fruit tree from the root collar to the top.
143. WHICH PART OF THE FRUIT-TREE IS THE CENTRAL CONDUCTOR AND WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE?
The central conductor or leader is a part of the trunk from the first (lower) skeletal branch to the top of the tree, on which the skeletal branches are located (Fig. 53). The strength of the crown largely depends on the strength of the central conductor.
144. WHICH PART OF THE TREE IS THE SHOOTING?
Shoot - a growing stem part that develops from buds on the growth of the previous year or from dormant buds. After the formation of the apical bud and the fall of the leaves, the shoot is called an annual branch or twig.
145. WHAT IS FRUIT-TREE GROWING WOOD?
Overgrowing wood is called short-lived branches that remain on the tree for 2-8 years, covering the central conductor, skeletal branches and skeletal branches. Flower buds form on overgrown wood.
146. WHAT TYPES OF BRANCHES ARE DIFFERENT IN FRUIT PLANTS?
Short branches (ringlets and spears)- short annual increments from 2-3 mm to 5-6 cm long (Fig. 54).
Weak twigs (fruit twigs)- annual growths up to 25 cm long, usually ending in a flower bud (Fig. 55).
growth twigs have a greater length and thickness than weak branches. The apical and lateral buds of growth branches are most often leafy, but sometimes there are also flowers (Fig. 56).
Bouquet branches (May bouquets)- short annual growths 0.5-6 cm long. The buds are collected on them like a bouquet or slightly separated from one another. The lateral buds are floral, and the apical bud is most often growth (Fig. 57).
Tops- vertically growing increments up to 2 m long. They develop from dormant buds along skeletal branches and ramifications.
flower twigs- annual growths, covered along the entire length only with flower buds. Leaf buds are present only at the end and in the lowest part of the branch (Fig. 58).
mixed twigs differ in average force of growth. The apical and several buds in the lower part of the growth are leafy. In the rest of the branch, flower and leaf buds are interspersed (Fig. 59).
premature twigs- increments formed from the buds of strong shoots.
147. WHAT IS THE BUND OF A FRUIT PLANTS?
A kidney is a greatly shortened, underdeveloped growth or fruiting organ.
148. WHAT TYPES OF KIDNEYS ARE DIFFERENT IN FRUIT PLANTS?
Depending on the location on the branch, the following buds are distinguished:
lower- a kidney located in the lowest part of the growth; apical- which ends the branch; external- located on the outside of the branch; internal- located on the inside of the branch; lateral- located on the side of the branch.
Depending on the function they perform, the kidneys are of the following types:
growth (leaf, vegetative)(Fig. 60) - from which leaves develop; floral (fruit) from which flowers and fruits develop.
For their part, flower buds are mixed - which give rise to leaves and flowers, and simple - from which only flowers and fruits develop. Sleeping (hidden) kidneys are called those that do not develop in a timely manner and swim in the bark, remaining in a dormant state. When shortening the branch on which they are located, they are able to develop into shoots. Adventive kidneys- formed under the bark of branches and roots. Stipular (accessory) kidneys- are formed on strong growths on both sides of leaf buds (Fig. 61).
149. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FLOWER BUDS AND GROWTH BUDS?
Flower buds are larger, rounded, wider in the middle than at the base. Growth buds are conical, without expansion in the middle part. Under a magnifying glass (8-10x magnification) in winter, flower buds can be observed to conceive flowers.
150. WHAT TYPES OF CUTTING ARE USED FOR FRUIT TREES?
Depending on the age period of the fruit plant, the following types of pruning are distinguished:
a) Formative pruning (shaping)- applied immediately after planting and continues until the final formation of the crown.
b) Pruning for fruiting- it is applied after the fruit tree enters fruiting and continues until the growth weakens and the fruits become small.
in) Anti-aging pruning- carried out after growth stops and the upper parts of the crown of the fruit tree dry out.
By the nature of the impact, the following types of pruning are distinguished: a) Thinning (cutting) (Fig. 62) - used when thickening the crowns of fruit trees and during formation. When thinning, mostly annual branches are removed entirely at the base (bottom of the ring). With regular pruning, the removal of older branches is carried out as an exception.
b) Shortening (cutting)(Fig. 63) - carried out in aging and young, but with weak growth of trees, as well as in order to turn annual growths into fruit branches. When pruning, branches, twigs, twigs and shoots are shortened.
Depending on the season, the following types of pruning are distinguished:
a) winter pruning- carried out after the leaves fall in the fall until new leaves appear in the spring.
b) summer pruning- carried out during the growing season of fruit plants. Depending on the operation used, summer pruning is called "filisene" or pinching (tweezing). When filisen, young shoots are removed entirely, and when tweezing, the shoots are shortened.
151. WHAT IS A COMPETITOR ESCAPE AND SHOULD I REMOVE IT?
A competitor shoot is a strong shoot developed from a lateral bud located directly below the top bud on last year's growth. This shoot develops very strongly, which leads to a weakening of the guide shoot. In some crowns, such as improved longline, fusiform and others, the center conductor must be very strong. In such cases, the competitor must be removed in the year of its development in the first half of summer. If a competitor is left, its fusion with the central conductor is very fragile and breaks off easily.
152. WHEN SHOULD WINTER CUTTING SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT?
It is best to carry out winter pruning in early spring after the danger of a significant drop in temperature has passed. Amateur gardens are small, so pruning in them should be carried out at the most suitable time for this. The best healing of wounds caused by pruning is observed at the beginning of the growing season (with the appearance of sap flow). In Bulgaria, this period coincides with the first half of March, before the buds swell.
153. WHICH TREES SHOULD BE WINTER CUTTING EARLIER?
Winter pruning should begin with older fruit-bearing trees. Their flower buds begin to develop earlier, so late pruning can cause damage and removal. a large number flower buds. After the pruning of fruit-bearing trees is completed, they proceed to young trees.
The apple tree is pruned the earliest, as it is less damaged by winter frosts and frosts.
154. WHAT CUTTING IS LOW, MEDIUM AND STRONG?
When the annual growth is shortened to 1/4 of its length, pruning is called weak, up to 1/3 of the length is called medium, and from 1/3 to 1/2 of the length is called strong.
155. WHEN IS STRONG AND WHEN WEAK PRUNING IS USED IN YOUNG TREES?
Strong pruning of young trees is used when it is necessary to strengthen the growth, branching and thickening of the bases of the branches. If young trees show very poor growth(growth of skeletal branches less than 30 cm), also resort to a strong pruning of one-year growth. With a growth length of less than 15 cm, skeletal branches should be shortened to 2-year-old wood. Weak pruning of young trees is used when they want to speed up their fruiting. If the trees have a strong one-year growth (over 50 cm), they resort to weak pruning so as not to cause the formation of new strong shoots.
The degree of pruning also depends on the type of crown on which the fruit tree is formed, and on the role played by individual branches in the crown of the tree. So, for example, a skeletal branch is pruned weaker than an overgrown one.
156. WHY IS IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ALLOW THE CROWN THICKENING IN FRUIT TREES?
Amateur gardeners most often leave fruit trees to grow freely, as a result of which crown thickening is observed. Due to the lack of light inside the thickened crown, the fruit branches located in this zone of the tree die off early. Few flower buds are formed on the shaded fruit branches, the ovaries almost do not linger, the fruits are of poor quality and with a very weak color. In thickened crowns, favorable conditions are created for the development of diseases and pests, since when spraying solutions of pesticides it is difficult to penetrate into the crown. With the help of proper formative pruning, all the adverse effects of crown thickening of fruit trees can be prevented.
157. IS IT POSSIBLE TO TURN STRONG GROWTHS INTO FRUIT BRANCHES WITHOUT CUTTING?
It is possible to turn strong growths into fruit branches not only by pruning, but also by bending them and fixing them in a horizontal or drooping position. As a result, their apical growth weakens, numerous short and weak branches develop from the side, on which flower buds gradually form (Fig. 64). Bent strong growths turn into fruit branches 1-2 years earlier than growths of the same strength that are pruned.
Bending branches begin in early July and continue until the buds swell in the spring of next year. In the coldest winter months, this operation is suspended, since in severe frosts the branches are more difficult to bend and break easily.
There are also other ways of turning strong branches into fruit ones - by twisting, banding, tweezing (pinching), incisions over a branch, etc. - but these techniques are used less frequently.
158. IS IT NECESSARY TO PUT FRUIT TREES IN THE PERIOD OF FULL BEARING?
During the period of full fruiting of fruit trees, pruning is necessary to maintain growth, regulate fruiting and delay the aging process.
159. DOES PRUNING DURING THE FERTILIZING PERIOD IMPROVE THE NUTRITIONAL CONDITIONS OF A TREE?
When pruning for fruiting, part of the fruit-bearing wood is removed and thus the ratio between the above-ground and root systems of the tree is changed. In addition, due to pruning, the light and air conditions of the crown are significantly improved. Since the number of growth points in the crown decreases, and the root system remains the same size, the growth points are better supplied with water and nutrients dissolved in it, resulting in increased shoot growth. With the help of pruning for fruiting, you can regulate the nutritional conditions in all parts of the crown of the fruit tree.
160. IS IT POSSIBLE TO TRANSFORM A STRONG ANNUAL GROWTH INTO A SEMI-SKELETON BRANCH WITH THE HELP OF PRUNING?
To turn a strong annual branch into a weak semi-skeletal one, it is shortened by 1/3 to 2/3 of its length, leaving 4-6 buds (Fig. 65). Thus cause the awakening of the lower kidneys.
During next summer one or more strong lateral shoots develop from the upper buds of a shortened branch, and several weak growths develop from the underlying buds. When pruning in the spring of next year, the branch is shortened above the lowest strong growth of the growth type (Fig. 65).
161. WHICH BRANCHES ARE CALLED SKELETAL AND WHAT IS THEIR PURPOSE?
Skeletal called the largest branches in the crown, located on the central conductor. Together with him, they make up the skeleton of the crown. The ramifications of skeletal branches are called semi-skeletal branches or skeletal ramifications. Through skeletal branches and branches, nutrients are exchanged between the crown and the root system and the crown is supplied with water. In winter, reserve nutrients are deposited in them.
162. WHAT ARE CRICLE CUTS AND HOW ARE THEY MADE?
In order to strengthen any branch or cause a bud to grow, a sickle-shaped incision is made above them, cutting out a small layer of wood along with the bark (Fig. 66). The crescent incision should be about 5 mm away from the branch or bud over which it is made and have a width of 2-3 mm. To weaken the growth of any branch, a similar sickle-shaped incision is made at the same distance from the bottom of the branch. The widest application of sickle-shaped incisions is found in the cultivation of apple, pear and peach trees using the palmet system. Thanks to their use, the desired ratio between the skeletal branches and the central conductor is maintained without resorting to shortening their continuation shoots.
163. WHAT ONE-YEAR GROWTH OF YOUNG TREES SHOULD NOT BE PUT?
To accelerate the completion of the formation of the fruit tree and earlier fruiting, do not shorten all weak branches less than 25 cm long and strong branches that occupy a horizontal or drooping position. All other strong branches should not be pruned, if they are not competitors of the shoots of the continuation of the central conductor and skeletal branches, but by bending and tying them, bring them to a horizontal or downward-curved position.
164. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THINNING (CUTTING) AND SHORTENING (CUTTING)?
Under cutting is understood the removal of the entire branch at the base ("on the ring") (see Fig. 62), and under pruning or shortening - the removal of the upper part of the branch, as a result of which its length decreases (see Fig. 63).
The cutting of individual branches is carried out when thinning the crowns of fruit trees. After the removal of branches, growths that replace them, as a rule, are not formed, due to which the conditions for the development of the branches remaining on the tree are improved. This contributes to the faster formation of crowns of fruit trees.
Fewer buds remain on a shortened branch, but the total number of strong shoots developing from them increases. Many of them are undesirable, as they thicken the crown.
Strong thinning becomes necessary, which has a retarding effect on the growth of the tree.
165. HOW SHOULD YOU REDUCE THE ANNUAL GROWTH OF YOUNG TREES?
In order for the wounds caused by pruning to heal quickly, their size should be as small as possible. Wounds with a diameter of 1 cm overgrow in 1 year, 2 cm - in 2 years, 3 cm - in 3 years, and wounds with a diameter of more than 1-8 cm do not heal at all. Therefore, the removal or shortening of branches should be carried out at a young age of fruit trees, when the thickness of the branches is still small.
166. IN WHAT PLACE SHOULD THE ONE-YEAR GROWTH BE CUT WHEN CUTTING?
Pruning of annual growths must be done in such a way that the wounds made at the same time heal faster. Best of all, wounds heal when the cut is made directly over the kidney without leaving stumps. Such a cut "on the kidney" should begin 3-4 mm above the base of the kidney on the opposite side of the shoot and end above the very top of the kidney. The slope of the cut should be about 45° to the axis of the shoot. A cut too close to the kidney, as well as a very oblique cut, is incorrect (Fig. 67).
Rice. 67. Cut "on the kidney": 1 - correct; 2 - wrong
167. IN WHAT CASES IS CUTTING APPLIED AND IN WHAT CASES SHOULD BE USED?
Cutting and shortening of branches is used in cases where the crown of the fruit tree is too thick. Through these operations, growth and fruiting are regulated during internal parts crowns. The bare branches are prevented, the light and air conditions of the crown are improved, as a result of which the quality of the fruits is also improved.
Pruning is the main method of forming young fruit trees, especially in cases where it is necessary to cause buds to grow to form branches or weaken one and strengthen another branch in the crown.
With anti-aging pruning, shortening is performed on older wood.
168. HOW IS THE BRANCH (BRANCH) "INTO A RING" CUT?
It is necessary to resort to cutting branches and branches "on a ring" when correcting malformed crowns, when thinning and when pruning rejuvenates. For branches extending at a large angle, a cut is made along the top of the annular influx, which is located at the base of the branch (Fig. 68).
The cut is carried out almost parallel to the axis of the branch on which the cutting is made. At sharp angles of discharge, the annular influx is well expressed only on the upper side at the base of the branch and is absent around its lower part. In this case, for a correct cut, two lines are mentally drawn from the upper part of the annular influx, one is parallel to the axis of the branch on which the cut is made, and the other is perpendicular to the axis of the branch to be removed. The cut should pass along the line that divides the angle formed by the mentally drawn lines, exactly in the middle (Fig. 69).
169. WHAT IS THE ANGLE OF BRANCHES AND THE ANGLE OF DIVISION OF BRANCHES?
The branch angle is the angle at which it departs from the branch that carries it at its base. The wider the branch branch angle, the better its fusion with the uterine branch (Fig. 70).
The divergence angle of the branches is the angle between the projections of the branches onto a horizontal plane (Fig. 71).
170. WHAT DOES IT MEAN BY THE SUBJECTION OF BRANCHES IN THE CROWN OF A FRUIT TREE
The subordination of branches in the crown of a fruit tree is understood as such differences in their strength of growth, when the branches of the previous orders are thicker than the branches of the subsequent orders. The crown can be considered correctly formed when the length and thickness of the branches and ramifications of various orders is in strict subordination. For example, the central conductor should be more developed than the skeletal branches extending from it, and the skeletal branches, for their part, should be thicker and longer than the skeletal branches, etc. If there is no such subordination, the crown will be fragile and breakage of branches may occur with abundant fruiting .
171. IS IT POSSIBLE TO GIVE BRANCHES THE NECESSARY DIRECTION OF GROWTH WITH THE HELP OF CUTTING?
Pruning can change the direction of the branches. To do this, the annual growth is cut off over the kidney, directed in the desired direction. When pruning a one-year growth on the inner bud, the branch will be directed inside the crown (Fig. 72), and when pruning on the outer bud - out of the crown (Fig. 73).
To change the direction of growth of a perennial branch, it should be cut off above a lateral branch growing in the desired direction (Fig. 74). The direction of growth of a branch can also be changed by tying (Fig. 75) and installing props and struts (Fig. 76).
172. HOW DOES BENDING INFLUENCE ON THE FORCE OF GROWTH, BRANCHING, AND FOUNDING OF A BRANCH WITH FRUIT-BEARING WOOD?
The skeletal and overgrowing parts of the fruit tree have a different position - vertical, tilted to varying degrees, horizontal, arcuate and drooping (with the top directed towards the soil). In the infertile infant period, most of the branches take an elevated position, but gradually with the age of the trees and under the influence of the product of the fruits, the branches and ramifications begin to bend. The strength of growth and fouling of skeletal branches and branches largely depends on their slope. The distribution of nutrients between growth points also depends on the slope of the branch that carries them.
With the vertical position of the branch, the strongest growth is observed in its upper part. The greater the slope of the branch, the more growth moves to its base. In a horizontal position, the weakest growth is observed in the upper part of the branch, and the strongest at its base (see Fig. 64). This pattern of growth and branching depending on the slope is used in the formation of fruit trees, avoiding, if possible, shortening the branches and branches. It is also used to accelerate the entry into fruiting of strongly growing fruit trees.
173. WHAT IS THE CUTTING CALLED "TRANSFER TO A SIDE FORK"?
Pruning over a lateral branch ("transition to a lateral branch") is understood as shortening a skeletal branch or a skeletal branch above a side branch (Fig. 77). Most often, this operation is applied to obsolete branches and branches on which they want to cause the formation of a new growth, or when replacing fruit-bearing wood. Shortening over the lateral branching is also carried out with rejuvenating pruning of fruit trees and berry bushes.
174. WHAT IS A PLUG (PINTING) AND IN WHAT CASES IS IT USED?
Pinching is an operation used to stop the growth of a shoot. The grassy top of the growing shoot with 2-3 leaves is plucked off with the nails of the thumb and forefinger (Fig. 78).
The timing of pinching can be different and depend on the goal pursued. To turn shoots into semi-skeletal and overgrowing branches, pinching should be carried out 10-15 days before growth stops (in the second half of June). Strong fatty shoots (tops) that arise in the inner parts of the crown are pinched 10-12 days after the start of their growth. If this period is missed, they are cut out "on the ring".
If you want to speed up the end of shoot growth and the ripening of wood in young trees, pinching is carried out later, a little before the end of growth.
175. WHEN DO GROUNDS APPEAR NEAR FRUIT TREES AND HOW TO DO WITH THEM?
In young barren trees, tops appear only as a result of cutting large branches. The place of their growth is directly near the inflicted wounds.
If these tops are located inside the crown, they should be removed. If the fatty shoot appeared in the vicinity of a broken branch, then with the help of a garter they give it the desired position, trying to replace the broken branch with it.
Most often tops appear on aging branches and branches, in the upper parts of which growth has stopped. Tops also occur with various damage to the branches, for example, in the case of freezing of wood.
When a large number of tops appear, rejuvenating pruning is done to the trees. The presence of tops indicates that the trees are outdated and in need of rejuvenation.
176. HOW TO CUT WEAKLY AND STRONGLY FROZEN FRUIT TREES?
In Bulgaria, although rarely, there are cases of freezing of annual and perennial wood. The nature and strength of pruning affected trees depends on the degree of freezing. Pruning of frozen trees in all cases should be stronger than that of undamaged trees of the same age. Before you start pruning frozen fruit trees, you should determine the age of the damaged wood. Checking is done by cross sections of branches and branches of various thicknesses. Damaged wood is brown or black in color. When pruning, first remove all completely dead parts of the crown. Partially frozen branches and branches are cut to healthy wood. With such pruning, one should not strive to necessarily preserve the shape of the crown. When it is carried out, they rely on the growth of shoots from dormant buds.
177. IS IT POSSIBLE TO ALLOW THE FORMATION OF FORKS IN THE FORMATION OF FRUIT TREES?
Forks occur when there are acute angles of origin (less than 40°) if the lateral branch (skeletal branch or skeletal branch) is almost the same thickness as the main branch (central conductor or skeletal branch). The fusion of the branches that make up the fork is fragile, which leads to its breaking during the fruiting period (Fig. 79). To avoid the occurrence of forks, when forming the crown, skeletal branches and branches with an acute angle of departure should not be left. All side branches extending from the main branch or the central conductor at an acute angle must be cut "into a ring" or turned into fruit-bearing branches.
178. WHICH BRANCHES SHOULD NOT BE LEFT AS SKELETAL AND SEMI-SKELETON?
You should not leave as skeletal and semi-skeletal all those branches that thicken the crown, worsen the condition of other branches, grow inside the crown or are located on the inside of the skeletal branches and branches. Cross-growing branches should also be avoided. If such branches are not cut in a timely manner, a weak frame of the tree is formed, which is not able to withstand a bountiful harvest of fruits.
179. HOW TO CUT LARGE BRANCHES TO PREVENT BARKETS?
When cutting large branches, stumps should not be left, since in this case the wounds do not heal, the wood rots, as a result of which hollows are formed, which adversely affect the life expectancy of fruit trees. In order to avoid peeling off the bark when cutting large branches, proceed as follows. First, the branch is sawn at a short distance from the annular influx from below by about 1/3 of its thickness, then they begin to saw the branch from above, retreating 6-7 cm from the trunk, until it falls. After that, the remaining stump is sawn off, observing the necessary rules (Fig. 80).
180. IS IT NECESSARY TO REMOVE GROWTH UNDER FRUIT TREES AND HOW TO DO IT?
Weeds near tree trunks must be removed. In autumn, they carefully dig out the thick roots of the tree and find places for the growth of coppice shoots. After that, coppice shoots are cut to the base, and the roots are buried again (Fig. 81). When removing coppice shoots, long stumps should not be left, since next year new shoots form on them and the condition of the tree, instead of improving, worsens.
181. IS IT NEEDED TO SMOOTH AND GASTER THE SURFACE OF SECTIONS AFTER CUTTING?
Most often, pruning is carried out with secateurs and a saw. The cuts made with a saw, and sometimes with a pruner, have a rough surface. To protect the wood from decay, the surface of the wounds is smoothed with a sharp knife and covered with white oil paint made on natural or mineral drying oil. Wounds with a diameter of less than 1 cm should not be covered. Large wounds heal slowly and, if they are not covered up, wood decay is observed. It is useful to cover up especially large wounds again after 3-4 months.
182. WHAT TOOLS ARE USED IN FORMING YOUNG FRUIT TREES?
Wounds inflicted on a fruit tree during pruning heal faster, the smoother their surface. Therefore, the formation of young fruit trees should be carried out with a garden knife. When pruning is carried out regularly, it is almost not necessary to use a saw. The saw is used only in cases where it is necessary to correct shortcomings in the structure of the crown core. The secateurs also make rough cuts and often compress the wood, which is why they should be used as an exception when pruning young trees.
On fruit-bearing trees, mostly overgrown branches are cut. In this case, the quality of the cut does not matter much. Therefore, adult fruit-bearing trees should be cut with a well-honed pruner.
