In order for the apple trees to reach their maximum productivity and bring a good harvest, they need proper care. One of the points of such care is the autumn pruning of the apple tree, which is carried out to maintain the tree in a healthy state and positively affect the crown.
Why do you need to prune an apple tree in the fall?
Carrying out timely and correct autumn crop trimmed with fertilizers ensures a high level of yield and longevity of the apple tree. Also, pruning in the fall is necessary for:
- giving a beautiful shape to the crown of an apple tree - it begins even from the seedling period and continues throughout the entire life cycle of the tree;
- reinforce new branches;
- maintain the strength that the branches will need in the winter;
- so that young branches can replace old ones;
- with the advent of spring, tree growth has improved.
If the tree pruning was performed incorrectly in the fall, this is fraught with consequences - the plant begins to eat poorly, which affects the quality and quantity of fruits.
If you do not observe the timing of trimming, damage to the bark and wood during freezing is possible, which can lead to the death of trees.
Recommended Dates
When pruning an apple tree in the fall, two rules are followed:
- Start pruning until the leaves fall completely.
- Finish up to the first frost.
It is also very important to consider the regions in which the trees grow. For example, to grow apple trees in the Urals, late-growing apple trees are needed, which are considered frost-resistant, because the climate is harsh and cold. Choose local varieties, as they are already adapted to a specific climate. In the Moscow region, the tree pruning scheme is standard, it starts with the formation of a tree crown and the varieties planted just those that should be pruned in autumn are dwarf and column-shaped apple trees.
Some gardeners, to determine the timing of pruning, resort to the values of the lunar calendar. Lunar cycles have an effect on all biological processes, and fruit trees are no exception - sap flow becomes more active during the waning of the moon, as well as under all signs of the zodiac, except Pisces, Cancer and Aquarius.
The days of the rising moon are considered to be unfavorable days - sap flow moves upwards and tree sections become too sensitive, and also when the moon changes its cycle - the full moon and the new moon.
Pruning
Before you start pruning, you should be a little prepared - to learn the process of pruning, select the necessary garden tools and buy or prepare tools for processing cuts.
From this video you can learn about the correct process of pruning an apple tree:
Tools and materials
To carry out this type of work you will need special tools:
- Garden hacksaw - a tool in the form of a saber, which tapers towards the end of the panel. In the teeth of the hacksaw there are special holes that prevent sawdust from accumulating. For wood pruning, garden tools with a special profile and a corner of the blade are used for ease of work.
- Secateurs - the tool should be as simple and convenient to use as possible - do not take it with a ratchet mechanism, as you will have to click on it several times when cutting.
- Air pruner - The pruner is secured to a long bar and is driven by ropes and levers. This tool can be trimmed in hard-to-reach locations of branches.
And also need inventory:
- special clothes;
- gloves
- ladder;
- comfortable shoes.
Thin twigs can be cut with a pruner, but for strong ones it is better to take a saw. An important point in the preparation of the tool is that it should be as sharp as a razor and clean so that the tree does not suffer and torn sections do not form, due to which the healing process will take a long time, since blunt tools will greatly break up the bark.
Understanding Cropping Rules
Pruning an apple tree in the fall is considered a rare procedure, because if the wrong approach or bad weather, the trees risk either freezing or dying. But, since there are positive aspects, it is important to just have time to get into a certain period, so that everything goes smoothly and take into account several points.
In the fall, pruning rules are as follows:
- Use a stepladder or lay the ground around the tree with planks. This must be done so that you do not block the oxygen to the roots of the tree, stomping around it on wet ground and ramming it.
- First, large broken or dry branches are removed.
- Next, the weakest branches are removed among those that are too close to each other.
- Branches that grow at an too sharp angle are cut.
- All damage that was caused during trimming must be treated with special tools.
- All cut branches need to be collected or burned.
Slicer Tools
The process of restoration of the apple tree after pruning will occur faster if you use special solutions for processing slices.
Garden Var - sold ready-made, but you can make it yourself. To do this, you will need:
- beeswax;
- fat;
- vegetable-based oil;
- drying oil;
- alcohol;
- agrotechnical compositions;
- resin;
Wax does not allow water to pass to the wood, and also does not allow the putty to drain from the wound. The rosin is sticky, which allows the var to stick well with the wood, and the fat prevents cracking of the putty.
Fat can be taken any unsalted and can be replaced with oil or linseed oil, and turpentine can be taken instead of wax.
Garden var is warm and liquid:
- Warm var - Heat 250 grams of rosin, 5 grams of resin and 10 grams of melted fat from beef or lamb, and wood resin over medium heat. After heating the composition, add half a liter of alcohol to it in small portions.
- Cold var - Take 500 grams of turpentine and rosin and 250 grams of linseed oil and mix. It turns out a semi-solid composition that needs to be applied to the tapes, and they wrap the slice and other damaged places.
Other means for processing the slice include:
- Paint - Use ocher on olive or dilute it with 500 grams of flaxseed oil. Do not use white and nitro enamel.
- Clay talker - Take 2 parts of clay, 1 part of mullein and some shredded hay or straw. Add water and stir until sour cream.
- Cement mortar - take one part of cement, 3 parts of fine sand, mix with water and add a little drying oil. Suitable for covering deep wounds and cracks.
- Disinfectant solution - from lime and copper sulfate taken in a ratio of 10: 1.
Only old dry branches should be processed immediately, and before processing new sections, you should wait at least 24 hours.
Trim classification
Pruning apple trees has a beneficial effect on their development process and subsequent productivity. There is a list of classifications by which the pruning process is carried out.
Depending on type
There are two types of pruning process, depending on its type:
- Shortening - when performing this type of pruning, only part of the branch is shortened, and attention should be focused on the fruit-bearing branches, especially when the tree is overloaded. This type of pruning helps to develop the appearance of new buds, strengthen branching and change the nature of branch growth - in some places the branches will begin to grow more intensively than others.
- Thinning - shoots at the base are removed completely, especially dried or deformed ones.
By trim
In the fall, several types of pruning are possible, depending on the age of the apple tree:
- Weak - applies to young trees. Only new branches that grow during the year are cut. Their length is shortened by 1/4.
- Average - It is used for trees aged 5 to 7 years and on old trees to increase the number of productive branches, as well as for the formation of crowns. Their length is shortened by 1/3.
- Strong - It is used to thin out tree branches, so that the sun better falls on them for quick ripening. Their length is shortened by half.
Separate pruning of dried tree branches. The most important thing in this procedure is not to cut the branch directly at the trunk of the apple tree, as this will lead to the formation of a hollow and, subsequently, to the death of the tree. You need to cut the branch to the place where the first kidney appears. Then file a stump with a fine saw with small teeth so that the file from the trunk goes to the side of the branch being cut. Treat the cut only with garden varieties, and in case of precipitation, repeat the treatment again.
Depending on the purpose
Depending on the purpose of cropping, there are different types of cropping:
- Formative - Helps to create a certain shape of the crown and subsequently maintain it, so that the skeletal part becomes resistant to stress.
- Fruit bearing - Helps maintain the shape of the crown, maintain illumination of branches and not overload the skeletal part of the tree with young branches.
- Sanitary - remove all diseased, dry, broken branches to form a crown that is evenly translucent and well-processed by air. This type of procedure can be carried out year-round, with the exception of frosty days. After trimming the tree, all used tools must be wiped with alcohol. Spend it throughout the growing season.
- Restorative - returns the affected plants (for various reasons) the ability to grow, bloom and bear fruit.
- Anti-aging - stimulates the growth of new branches (suitable for old trees that lose their decorativeness). If the annual growth is 10-15 cm, then you need to shorten the branches to awaken the accessory and sleeping buds. This should be done in early autumn.
- Structural - branches that interfere with the main ones are removed - they cross with them, grow incorrectly, make the crown too thick or make it difficult for other trees to grow.
Ways of pruning an apple tree in the fall
It is important to pay attention to the correct execution of the slice of the branch, so this will only benefit or harm him if the slices were performed incorrectly. There are several apple pruning techniques.
On the side branch
This type of cut is used if you want to transfer the growth course from one branch to another. One branch is deleted - in relation to the left branch, the slice will be like its continuation, thus the side branch will become the main one.
On the ring
It is used in situations where you need to cut a large branch completely - dried, weak or non-bearing. If you look at the branch, then at its base you can see the influx of a ring-shaped form, which contains cells that are capable of rapid reproduction. Thanks to these cells, the wounds from the tool are healed faster, so the branch is cut off along the upper edge of this ring.
First, the branch is filed with a hacksaw from the bottom to a third of the thickness, while departing from the ring by 25-30 cm. Then the hacksaw is shifted to the side by 2-3 cm and sawed from above. After trimming the branches, the stump is sawn off at the top of the ring. If an uneven cut is obtained, then it must be cleaned with a knife, because with a smooth cut, healing is faster.
You can’t cut the branch above to leave a stump or cut it with the ring. The consequence of such errors is the appearance of a hollow, cracking of wood or drying out of a branch. In cases where the ring is not visible, but you need to cut the branch, it is recommended to draw a line along the branch from which the deleted one grows, and the second line - perpendicular to the removed one. Divide the resulting angle in half - the bisector and will be the direction of the cut.
On the kidney
This pruning technology is considered important, although the procedure is not very difficult. The goal is to shorten the branches to stimulate branching. Apply to young trees. If the plant has a thickened center and the crown needs to be cut, then circumcision takes place on the “external bud” - the branch is shortened to the bud, which is facing out and directed outward from the center.
If the tree is too spreading or you need to raise the lower branches and strengthen the center, then resort to pruning to the "inner bud" - directed to the center of the crown.
As in the case of trimming on the ring, it is important to make the correct cut - oblique, not higher than one and a half centimeters from the kidney. If the cut was made above, then it will interfere with the healing of wounds, and if lower, damage to the kidney is possible.
If brown wood appeared at the cutting site, then the branch began to die, so you need to shorten to a healthy part or completely remove it.
Pruning process
Pruning is done situationally depending on in which region the tree grows and in what condition it is. Pruning begins in the first year of a tree's life in order to restore equilibrium between the reduced root system and the sprawling aerial part of the tree, which will require more water and nutrients. And in the next 3-5 years, the trees do not prune, but simply remove the broken and dried branches.
Before pruning, pay attention to such factors:
- Degree of development.
- The size.
- Age.
- Is the wood healthy?
- How developed is the crown of the tree.
- What is the recovery period.
After landing
Based on all pruning rules, the upper branches of trees are cut by 2/3 if they are young and by 3/4 if they are already adults, and the lower ones by 1/3 of the total length. Seedlings that were poorly formed - with a one-sided crown or other pathology, need to focus on shortening the side shoots so that they grow away from the middle of the crown.
The internal branches should not thicken, because then the branches cease to receive the necessary amount of sunlight and begin to physically lag behind in development, therefore, to prevent these processes, the branches should be correctly guided in the process of pruning.
Young apple tree
If a young apple tree grows in a constant place, then pruning should take place carefully so that the tree can save more foliage and restore its root system faster.
The rules for the first pruning of a young apple tree:
- Competitive branches are removed completely, without hemp, so that spinning tops or kidneys do not form.
- Too long main branches shorten. With the pyramidal shape of the crown, pruning is performed on the outer kidney (in relation to the central conductor), and if the crown is sprawling, then on the inner kidney. The height of the central conductor in a tree with a spreading crown should be within 10-15 cm, and with a pyramidal shape - 20 cm.
- Weights are hung on the lower branches so that they take a horizontal position.
- Trimming is carried out only if necessary: thin and weak twigs can be attached to the conductor so that they are arranged vertically. Strong and powerful branches bend to the ground so that they are horizontal.
- The lowest branches can be located at a height of 50 cm from the ground, but it must not be allowed to be placed at the height of the last quarter, otherwise the tree will grow too large, which will create a lot of inconvenience when harvesting and caring for the tree. This problem is solved radically - at a height of 70-80 cm the seedling is cut off, leaving only the bare trunk - later new branches will begin to grow from it, which will form the crown.
Rules for the formation of the crown:
- The main position is occupied by the central conductor;
- It should not have competitors;
- The main branches are distributed evenly and they should also develop approximately the same.
Fruiting apple tree
Pruning is carried out regularly, because after a year or two, if there are gaps, there will be a need to remove large branches, which activates the growth of small ones.
The trimming scheme is as follows: thinning the crown in moderation and blocking strong growth up. If you find tops - cut into a ring. As the apple tree ages, the fruiting frequency increases, and to rejuvenate the tree, you need to use chasing - the process of pruning branches at which the ends have slowed down.
Old apple tree (rejuvenation)
An old tree (over 20 years old) is no longer able to withstand sharp and strong pruning, so the procedure is performed in several stages over several years. Before you begin pruning, check that the trunk and skeletal branches of the tree are still viable, that there is no rot and wood disease.
The crown needs to be conditionally divided into several zones, where they will be trimmed for several years according to the following scheme:
- In the fall, pruning is performed over the external buds on the south side.
- The next year, they do the same pruning, but from the opposite side, and also cut the vertically growing shoots formed during the year.
The pruning process begins with the removal of branches growing inward and vertically, as well as all dry, sick and non-bearing. During rejuvenation of a tree, it is better to remove a large branch immediately than many small ones. Then open the center of the crown.
- Shorten the trunk at a height of 3-3.5 meters from the stem.
- Cut off all branches and knots that are located above the young shoots.
- Remove the spinning tops (about 10 pieces) growing towards the center.
Such a scheme provides the tree with successful restoration, gradual growth of the crown and an increase in fruiting.
Rejuvenation of old apple trees is carried out every 5 years
Columnar apple tree
Only competitive shoots with apical buds are pruned to these apple trees, since their main shoot cannot be pruned. In the future, they can be used for pinching. An old tree is trimmed with a trunk at a height of 70-80 cm.
The main mistake of the gardener is to prune the branches of a tree 2-3 years old. New shoots of such trees will never be able to produce crops and will grow vertically, thickening the crown. Apples on such trees will grow small, and in color they will not match the color of the variety.
Dwarf apple tree
During the autumn planting of a dwarf apple tree, it is necessary to cut the branches of the crown 1/3 or 1/4 of the length, depending on what size the root system has - the smaller the roots, the more you need to cut. Next year, branches of the first order are cut at the apple tree 30-35 cm from the stem above the selected buds. Later, second-order branches will develop from them and it must be ensured that they are placed in the outer part of the crown without forming forks at sharp angles. Those branches that remained unsuitable for the second order should be cut 25-30 cm from the stem.
Later, when fouling of branches and fruit shoots occurs, the crown of the tree is formed. The main task of pruning during this period is to remove diseased and thickening branches.
During active fruiting, dwarf apple trees are cut off annual shoots on skeletal branches by a quarter, if it grew more than 20 cm. This is done so that fruiting does not deplete the tree. If after 5 years a drop in the fruiting level is observed, and the fruits themselves become small, then you need to carry out the rejuvenation procedure.
Caring for the apple after pruning
As already mentioned above - after cutting, lubricate the slices with special tools. Before winter, the heat can sometimes return, due to which the trees come to life and can please the gardener with a large number of tops - they are not needed and it is better to remove them as well. An important nuance of care is to protect the tree bark from external influences. Cover them with whitewash and a special protective fiber. Read more about whitewashing apple trees here.
Also take care of protection against parasites, insects and rodents - use special solutions and preparations, as well as protective nets that are worn on the tree trunk and guaranteed to protect it from damage that can be caused by various kinds of pests.
The next step is top dressing. If it was carried out on time and correctly, then this can increase the immunity and winter hardiness of the tree. If the site is not the most enriched soil, then up to 8 kg of organic fertilizers, up to 10 g of nitrogen, potassium and 6 g of phosphorus should be applied to the trunk circle. As a substitute for phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, you can take 150-250 grams of wood ash.
After the fertilizers have been decomposed, they are pressed into the ground to a depth of 15 cm. If the soil has very few nutrients, then the fertilizers are placed in special wells or cut grooves. The number of wells for a tree about 30 years old needs at least 20 and fertilizers are poured in them in dissolved form.
If you know about the presence of weak branches, then establish support under them for winter time and for the period of harvest ripening - this will not allow the branches to break off either because of the large amount of snow on them or because of heavy fruits.
Newbie Common Mistakes
Pruning an apple tree in the fall is not an easy task for beginners, so mistakes are possible. It should be understood that in autumn only a weak forming or regulating pruning is possible.
We recommend watching a video where the gardener talks about his mistake of incorrect pruning of the apple tree:
Below are the errors:
- If you go too far with shortening the branches of a young apple tree, then the grown shoots will begin to grow vertically and will thicken the crown. Fruits on such apple trees grow small and the level of productivity falls.
- Inexperienced gardeners, during periods of abundant fruiting, replace the main fruit-bearing branches in the crown every 3-4 years. When a large number of shoots grow in the central part, this not only thickens the crown, but also increases the susceptibility to diseases and pests and reduces the yield and quality of the fruit.
To make it easier for a beginner to figure out what is worth trimming and what is not, he can use multi-colored ribbons. Define your color for each category of branches:
- non-fruiting branches or with a small number of fruits;
- branches abundantly fruitful;
- young branches.
From how the pruning procedure was correctly performed, not only the amount of the crop received will depend, but also the well-being of the tree throughout the next year. If you run the apple tree and do not perform the procedure for several years, it will be very difficult to return the tree to life and the volume of pruning will be very large.
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