Fruit tree pruning mistakes made by inexperienced gardeners – you can lose half of your harvest

“Spring pruning is directly related to the future autumn harvest. If it is done incorrectly, you can lose most of the harvest. Here are the basic rules for pruning fruit trees correctly.

 

Fruit trees are usually pruned twice a year – in autumn and spring. Spring pruning is best done when the severe frosts have already passed, but the trees are still “sleeping” and the buds have not started to swell. Here are the basic rules for pruning.

Basic rules for spring pruning

 

Clean tools. Use only sharp tools that have been disinfected with an antiseptic solution. After finishing work, clean them again so as not to spread diseases to other plants.

 

Suitable weather. Avoid pruning in humid weather, after rain or when there is dew, as moisture promotes the spread of infections.

 

Priority for old branches. Remove old branches first. They are less productive and take energy away from young, promising shoots.

 

Cut above the bud. Cut the branch diagonally above the bud on the outside of the branch. The slanted cut will prevent water from accumulating, and a new shoot will grow from the bud.

 

Vertical branches. Remove branches that grow straight up or straight down - they are usually unproductive.

 

Leave a stump. When shortening side branches, leave about 1 cm of stump. This will protect the trunk from damage and the formation of cankers. Leaving a stump larger than 1 cm is not recommended, as it can become a hotbed of disease.

 

Cutting thick branches. Before cutting thick branches, cut the bark around the trunk so that the branch does not tear off the bark of the main trunk when it falls. Be sure to apply garden pitch to the areas of large diameter cuts.

Types of pruning

 

Formative (shortening) pruning. Applied to young trees. The goal is to form a strong, branched crown and stop the rapid growth of old branches. It is important to cut so that a bud remains at the end, but there is no long empty part of the branch that can start to rot.

 

Thinning pruning. Performed on adult trees with a formed crown. Weak branches growing into the crown or downwards are removed. This strengthens the tree's skeleton, improves the penetration of light into the interior and ensures high-quality fruit ripening.

 

Pruning after planting. Performed so that the tree can grow faster and begin to form a regular crown.

 

Sanitary pruning. Branches damaged by diseases, rot or pests are removed. Such branches cannot be used for compost - they must be burned to prevent the disease from spreading in the garden.

 

Differences in pruning fruit trees

 

Apple and pear trees. The main rule is to maintain the central trunk. The side branches are shortened. The central trunk should be 20–25 cm higher than the upper branches, and the upper branches should be shorter than the lower ones. If the top bends after a heavy harvest, it should be shortened.

 

Plums. It is important to maintain the natural shape of the bush. The technique for apple trees is not suitable here. It is necessary to periodically cut out branches that are close to each other, remove branches that are too long or drooping, but maintain the general structure of the bush.

 

Peaches and apricots. These fruit trees grow very quickly, so they need to be pruned annually. Remove branches that are close to the ground and that are drooping downwards. To maintain a comfortable height for harvesting, do not forget to shorten the top as well.”