- apple tree health;
- it is required to make it convenient to pick apples;
- for the growth of strong young shoots in the required direction;
- For good penetration oxygen and illumination of the tree;
- cutting dry and damaged branches.
A tree that has a dense crown produces small apples, their number is significantly less than that of a well-groomed tree. It is especially important how to prune an apple tree in the spring for beginners.
The crown shape can be different:
- medium-standard;
- fusiform;
- combined;
- sparsely tiered.
Important! It is easiest to form a sparsely tiered crown. To do this, you need to leave 5 skeletal branches at a distance of 35-40 cm from one another, and cut off the excess ones.
Medium-standard crown It is also easy to form if you cut off all the branches located at a height of 0.8-1.1 m from the ground surface. All remaining branches develop on their own.
Required tools and materials, when executed correct pruning apple trees in spring:
- garden hacksaw;
- lopper;
- saw;
- garden var;
- pruner
Pruning an apple tree 2-3 years in the spring: diagram and video
It already has a trunk and branches extending from it. In trees that have not yet produced apples, shoots are cut off at an acute angle, which prevent the main branches from growing.
If you want to have an idea of how to prune an apple tree in the spring, the diagram is standard for everyone fruit trees. Next, spring pruning of apple trees will be presented in the video.
The correct pruning of apple trees in spring is as follows:
- Leave 3-5 strong branches, those extending from the trunk at almost right angles, and cut off the rest, which extend at sharp angles. This should be done because branches located at an acute angle from the trunk may break off under the weight of the apples.
By the way, you can stretch the shoots so that they stand horizontally, replacing the spacers. Make the central conductor above the largest bud; a vertical shoot will grow from it. It should be 4-5 buds higher than all shoots.
- The branches remaining after pruning are trimmed so that those growing from below are 30 cm longer, and the upper ones are shorter.
So, who is 2 years old, when she grows up, she will be round.
Advice: Do not prune shoots for 3-5 years. Otherwise they will not be able to bear fruit. Only diseased, frostbitten, cracked branches at the base are pruned.
Watch how to prune apple trees in the spring, a video about pruning before fruiting:
Pruning old and young apple trees
Pruning young annual apple trees
An annual seedling usually does not yet have branches. But pruning is done to restore balance between roots damaged by transplantation and an undamaged trunk.
Step back 1 m up the trunk, then cut, then new shoots will grow.
See how to prune an apple tree in spring. Video experienced gardener about working with seedlings:
Pruning old apple trees
The yield decreases for several reasons:
- lack of lighting;
- growth of excess growth;
- incorrectly formed crown;
- dried branches.
Before you start basic pruning, it is necessary to cut off the internal shoots from the main branches and trunk. Then the top of the branches is cut off to improve light and oxygen access.
To achieve the desired result, you need to cut off 1/3 of the shoots and branches. They are not cut off immediately, but over the course of several years.
Trim those shoots that grow at an acute angle to the trunk.
Branches that are more than 3 years old need to be cut off, leaving 6 cm. If shoots appear on them, then leave the strongest one.
Detailed instructions for caring for an apple tree in spring: pruning on a video about procedures after rejuvenation:
Caring for an apple tree after pruning in spring
After cutting the branches and forming the crown, you need to cover the cuts so that the wood does not rot.
Small sections with a diameter of 1 cm you don’t have to cover them up, but large ones need to be cleaned of sawdust, sanded with a knife, and then greased with garden varnish or painted over oil paint with drying oil.
The sections can also be greased with a mixture of 1 part clay and 1 part mullein.
How to prune apple trees in spring: video training
Watch a detailed video lesson on pruning an apple tree in spring for beginners:
Master class from the gardening club on how to properly prune an apple tree in the spring on video:
Mosses will not harm the tree if there are few of them, but when they spread along the trunk, they will limit the access of air to it, after which all the branches will dry out.
To eliminate lichens make a composition of 1 part clay and 1 part slaked lime, mix, pour in water until the thickness of regular sour cream.
Apply the mixture to the lichen, leave for a while to dry, then carefully scrape off. Next, wait for the bark to dry, cover it with garden varnish, and lubricate the tree trunk with iron sulfate 3%.
Recipes for preparing garden varnish:
Var Zhukovsky
His used exclusively for warm weather , since in frosts it is hard.
Place in a bowl 1 part rosin, 1 part yellowish wax and 1 part melted warm beef fat. Stir gently until smooth.
Wait for the mixture to cool.
Treatment of an apple tree after pruning with Zhukovsky's var. Pour into a deep saucepan cold water, pour in the composition, wait a while for it to curdle. Take it out and mold it into a ball.
You can wrap the composition in several layers of oiled paper and store. When you apply the varnish to the wounds, cover it with a cloth so as not to attract pollinating insects.
Var Pashkevich
Made from 1 part wax, 1 part turpentine, ½ part rosin and ¼ part fat.
Choose metal utensils that can be placed on the fire.
Place the wax in it and melt it until it becomes liquid. Do not remove the cookware from the heat. Add to it the same part of turpentine and half of the purified rosin. When the composition is homogeneous, add ¼ of the fat.
Also fill a container with cold water and place the brew in it.
Watch a useful video on how to make rosin:
Var is stored in oiled paper.
To use, spread a thin layer of varnish on a cotton cloth and wrap the cloth over the wound.
Advice! Varis that can be used in winter: Gaug, Reshetnikov, Raevsky.
Var Gauta
Place 400 g pine resin Heat it in a metal container and pour in 60 ml of pure medical alcohol. Add 1 teaspoon baking soda and 4 g of gum in water, then pour the composition into a bowl with resin and alcohol, mix everything, cool.
Apply with a brush to cracks and cuts.
Reshetnikov ointment
Place 10 pieces in a metal bowl fir resin, 1 part yellow wax, place over low heat, leave until melted, stirring continuously.
After cooling the ointment, but so that it remains warm, pour in 1 part of wine alcohol.
Use a brush to lubricate the wounds.
The ointment can be used even in frosty conditions. It does not allow water to pass through, and no cracks appear on it.
Var Raevsky
Melt half a kilo tree resin, stir constantly, pour in 60 ml of medical alcohol and 2 tbsp. spoons of flax oil.
Stir, store in a tin jar.
Conclusion
So that the tree has sparsely tiered crown, leave the 5 strongest branches so that the space between them is 35-40 cm, and trim the rest.
And so that medium-standard crown– trim branches that grow at a height of 0.8-1.1 m from the soil level.
Don't forget to cover the wounds with garden varnish.
The apple tree is a fruit tree beloved by all gardeners. In order for apple trees to develop properly and produce a high yield of tasty fruits, it is necessary to prune apple trees in the spring.
It is better to prune apple trees in the spring; natural renewal occurs, and fruit trees tolerate pruning of branches well.
Let's consider in detail: when to prune apple trees in the spring, patterns for pruning branches, how to properly prune young and old trees, and how to process the cuts.
Pruning apple trees in the spring is a labor-intensive process that requires the attention and patience of the gardener, but the work fresh air will bring pleasure and good harvest apples
Spring pruning apple trees needed to form the crown and improve fruiting of young and old trees. Trees are rejuvenated and old and diseased branches are removed.
The crown of the tree grows over time, becomes dense, and does not receive fruits required amount Light when ripening, they lose their taste.
The dense crown is a home for pests that destroy leaves and bark on trees.
Falling fruit is another reason to prune apple trees in the spring. In the dense crown, apples are damaged by birds and insects and begin to rot.
Unharvested and unripe fruits become a home for pests and diseases, which, after overwintering, infect nearby trees.
Gardening specialists believe that pruning apple trees in the spring is a mandatory and annual procedure. A properly formed crown is the key to long fruiting and a high yield of apples.
Apple tree pruning It is worth starting as early as possible, before active sap flow begins; the main sign is dormant buds.
If you trim the branches at the wrong time, you will harm the apple tree. Pruning carried out in March, will not cause much harm, the apple tree will quickly recover.
The timing of pruning depends on the region in which the tree grows: in the northern regions, pruning is shifted to April, and in the southern regions - to the end of February.
Apple trees are pruned in the first half of the day, choosing sunny days for pruning. If you did not have time to prune the branches before the buds swell, better trees do not touch. Remove unnecessary branches: diseased and withered ones can be removed, regardless of weather conditions.
To prune apple trees in spring, you will need a special tool. Instruments must be clean (no rust), sharp, preferably treated with a 5% formaldehyde solution. Depending on the thickness of the shoot, the tool for the upcoming pruning is selected.
The gardener should have at hand: pruning shears for trimming the tops of shoots, a curved knife for thicker branches, a saw for removing the thickest branches.
The gardener will need a brush to seal wounds caused by pruning branches, which will prevent sap from leaking out and causing tree diseases.
Video - Apple tree. Learning to prune, crown formation
Tree pruning is done in 2 ways:
When thinning, part of the branches is completely removed, increasing access sunlight the remaining branches. Leave a small branch when pruning (do not cut right to the trunk and do not leave a long branch).
- when shortening, they cut off part of the shoot that has grown over the year. The most used option when pruning. The pruned branches will become thicker and will develop many side shoots.
When thinning The apple tree grows in height and width, but there is no lateral branching in the crown.
When shortening tree growth slows down in height and width, and the growth of side shoots increases below the cutting point.
Carry out pruning of apple trees, adhering to the given scheme, so the trees will look well-groomed.
The first pruning occurs in the nursery, at the seedling stage. Leave the central trunk and 3-5 skeletal branches;
- next spring, on the site, shorten the apical shoots to form lateral branches;
-- to form the crown, select several skeletal branches located evenly in a circle, at an angle of 45 degrees from the trunk;
- apple trees with a crown that is forming, and already bearing fruit, are thinned out, getting rid of thickening. Branches that extend beyond the crown line are also shortened;
-- every 2 years, remove low-fruiting and weak branches, thereby increasing the formation of fruits on the remaining ones. The rubbing parts directed towards the middle of the crown, intertwined with each other, are cut off.
Pruning young apple trees in spring
Young trees require more attention and care. Young apple trees are pruned annually. When forming a crown, remove unnecessary branches and shorten all the main ones, increasing lateral branching. The conductor trunk should be 20-25 cm higher than the skeletal branches.
Let there be 3 skeletal branches left on the young apple tree, but they will meet all the parameters. Fitting the desired height skeletal branches, cut off the side shoots.
In the next 2 years of growth, pruning remains the same - the shoots are shortened, observing the principle of hierarchy. Side shoots are being pruned. Be sure to maintain the distance when making a cut between the buds - it should not be too low and not high.
Video - Apple tree. We form seedlings
Pruning old apple trees in spring
In old trees, the movement of sap slows down, the growth of branches and the formation of new shoots stops. As a result, fruiting decreases, skeletal branches dry out from the tips, no matter how you care for the apple tree.
Anti-aging pruning will stop the aging process - shorten the skeletal branches by half or 1/3. Only increments will bear fruit. If during rejuvenating pruning more than 30% of the mass of the entire tree is eliminated, then it is better to completely cut it down and plant a new one than to wait for the harvest to no avail.
Video - Rejuvenating pruning of old trees
Be sure to treat the cut areas remaining after pruning apple trees. by special means, using a brush.
The treatment will protect the tree from diseases and infections that can penetrate a fresh cut, stop the leakage of sap, and the tree will quickly recover after pruning.
Depending on weather conditions, use the following formulations:
At above-zero temperatures, treat with garden varnish;
-- in case of light frost, treat with oil paint; sections with a diameter of less than 1 cm are easier to treat with aerosol paint.
Garden var made from wax with the addition vegetable oil. Warm composition cover up the cuts. When cooling, the garden pitch is heated.
There are also special pastes and putties for trees on sale.
Video - a product for sealing cuts after pruning fruit trees
Age characteristics of apple trees
At the age of 12 years, the apple tree begins to decline in fruiting. Old branches gradually die off, young shoots become short. The fruits become smaller in size and can only be seen at the ends of some branches.
For rejuvenation, light, medium and heavy pruning is necessary. In time, remove the upper side shoots located from the central conductor at an acute angle.
When pruning, take into account the permeability of the crown to ultraviolet rays. If the crown is thickened, there is not enough light, fruit buds are not formed, and photosynthesis of the crown is disrupted.
Video - Spring pruning of an apple tree in detail
By learning how to properly prune apple trees in the spring, you will correctly form the crown and set the correct direction of growth.
Proper pruning will give aesthetic appearance your tree and will allow you to achieve high yields with healthy and tasty fruits.
Take care of your apple trees in the garden!
Almost every gardener has fruit plants growing on his property. different varieties, but not many people know when it is better to prune apple trees, what goals are being pursued and how to correctly perform this procedure. Therefore, it is worth understanding all of the above points in more detail so that the event has a positive result.
What is achieved by pruning?
The main goal that a gardener should adhere to when pruning fruit trees is, and this must be done correctly with an understanding of which branch can be trimmed and which cannot and why. If a large number of branches or an old skeletal branch is removed, this will stimulate the growth of young shoots and reduce yield. If the tree is not thinned out enough, then there is a high probability of developing diseases as a result of thickening of the crown. Only with the correct removal of unnecessary branches can the development of the skeleton and additional shoots be promoted, the crop yield increased, and the height of the tree reduced to the required values.
The main goals pursued when pruning:
- formation of a comfortable and beautiful crown;
- removal of competing branches, strengthening of young branches;
- increasing the number of shoots that will later produce a harvest;
- removal of dry and diseased branches;
- ensure better penetration of sunlight and air;
- prepare the tree for winter.
Having found out why the procedure in question is necessary, it is worth deciding when it is better to prune an apple tree - in spring or autumn?
Choosing the time of year to prune
When to remove branches depends both on the region, the age of the tree, and on the goals being pursued. So, in the spring, apple trees are pruned immediately after winter, removing branches damaged by frost to form a crown, which will help increase productivity. Formative pruning is carried out in autumn. If you perform this procedure in the spring, then as a result of damage to the bark, a significant amount of sap will leak out, which can lead to drying out of the branches.
Pruning in spring
The first thing you should know is when is the best time to prune an apple tree in the spring. The procedure is carried out before the start of sap flow, the appearance of buds and new shoots, i.e. The tree must still be dormant. As a rule, the event is held in late March - early April, and the following are subject to removal:
- shoots whose growth is directed inside the crown;
- twigs and broken branches;
- branches rubbing and touching each other;
- weak shoots on which fruits are not formed.
In the spring, as a rule, thinning and shortening are carried out. When thinning, first open the center of the tree, for which the central branch with its branches is shortened. As a result, the crown will be illuminated evenly. Then they begin to thin out the thickened parts of the apple tree. It is recommended to start the procedure by removing thick branches, which will facilitate the process and speed up wound healing. When the shoots are shortened, the buds are saturated with nutrients and moisture. If the crown is too thick, then the procedure should be divided into several stages so that the wounds heal faster. IN summer period The pruning procedure is carried out quite rarely and only in case of prevention. When the tree is covered with leaves, it is convenient to correct the crown, since it is clearly visible which branch is growing incorrectly and what needs to be removed to prevent thickening of the crown.
Pruning in autumn
If you plan to remove dry branches, it is better to prune the apple tree in the fall. The event is held after the leaves fall at the moment when the tree is preparing for winter. In this case, rotten, diseased, old branches are removed, which will help better preparation apple trees for cold weather. When frost occurs, pruning is not recommended, due to the long healing of the wound at the cut site. The procedure will be appropriate only in the southern regions.
The basic rules for pruning are as follows:
- first remove damaged large branches;
- if the crown is thickened, it should be thinned out, leaving healthy and well-developed shoots directed outward;
- branches that extend from the trunk at an acute angle must be removed, which will prevent future breakage under the load of the crop;
- the cut sites are treated after the event or in any other way to protect the wounds;
- After pruning, all material is burned to prevent the spread of diseases and pests.
IN autumn period You can perform several pruning options, the choice of which depends on the age of the tree:
- Light pruning is suitable for young trees. In this case, ¼ of the length of the shoot that grew from spring to autumn is removed.
- Medium pruning is applied to trees 5-7 years old. A third of the branch that has grown in one season must be removed.
- Heavy pruning is carried out on old apple trees or in case of crown thinning. In this case, half the length of the branches that have grown during the season is removed.
Attention should be focused on pruning dry branches from an apple tree to avoid mistakes. Branch removal should not be carried out directly near the trunk. Otherwise, the twig will dry out and fall out, subsequently forming a hollow, which can lead to the death of the tree. The branch must be cut down to the area where the first bud is located. Next, using a saw with small tooth make an undercut to the remaining part of the branch so that it goes in its direction. After pruning, the wound should be treated with garden varnish.
To find out when it is better to prune an apple tree, in spring or autumn, you need to decide what your goals are. Taking into account the age of the trees, the method of removing branches and the tool used are also selected. The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise, instead of helping the tree, there will be the opposite effect, which will cause the growth of young shoots to the detriment of the harvest.
