In order for the tree to grow strong and bear fruit well, it must be cut in time and correctly.
Circumcision of the apple tree should be done in the spring, when the tree has not yet begun to open buds after the winter cold.
Every experienced gardener knows how to do it right.
In order for the tree to grow healthy and give juicy fruits, it must be pruned.
What is pruning for?
The totality of all branches of the apple tree form a crown. If apple pruning is not performed in the spring, the crown grows much faster compared to apple trees, which are under constant care.
The main function of pruning an apple tree, like other fruit trees, is to form the desired shape of the crown. Trimming should be done so that long branches are located lower, and shorter ones are higher. That is, the higher the branch is located, the shorter it needs to be cut.
The correct shape of the crown will make the apple tree not only more attractive in appearance, but also make its trunk more stable. If you do not do timely pruning of the tree, branches overloaded with fruits, or even the trunk itself will begin to bend and break much. The correct shape of the crown is the key to maximum comfort for the tree and when harvesting for the gardener.
Thus, pruning an apple tree is necessary in order to:
rejuvenate the tree;
to give the crown the desired and comfortable shape when harvesting;
get rid of insects that harm the tree;
remove weak and dead branches;
open the tree to better access to sunlight;
lower the crown.
The process of cutting seedlings
Often, two-year-old apple tree seedlings are purchased for the garden, which must be cut for the first time after planting. Unfortunately, no matter how carefully a seedling has been dug, its root system will still be disturbed. The pruning process will help the tree evenly distribute the exchange of nutrients and moisture between the root system and the part located above the ground. Do not forget that pruning is the key to determining the future formation of the crown.
The subsequent pruning will need to be carried out exactly one year later, in the spring. It will be necessary to leave 4-5 of the strongest branches extending from the trunk at a wide angle. In a few years, these branches will be fundamental elements in the structure of the apple tree. These shoots must be cut to form their placement in the form of a tier: wide should remain below, shorter - above. The main trunk should be cut so that it is 25 cm higher than the other branches. If the trunk is bifurcated, one of the parts must be completely cut or let out horizontally.
Shoots growing at an acute angle from the trunk must be cut so that in the future they do not break off under the load of fruits and do not harm the tree.
How to prune an apple tree in spring: the best time
Pruning should begin in the early spring of the first year after planting, regardless of what time of year the apple tree was planted - in spring or autumn. Such pruning in the spring will help to balance the tree between the aboveground part, which has grown, and weakened after transplantation by the root system.
If this pruning is not carried out correctly, then the root system will not be able to fully provide the aerial part with nutrients and moisture. Pruning the apple tree contributes to the formation of the skeleton of the crown, and also prevents the development of defects in the structure of the tree. Pruning trees is done like this:
Annuals
Annual seedlings, as a rule, do not have time to branch. They need to be cut at a level of 80-100 cm above the surface. This approach will allow the apple tree to start preparing lateral shoots throughout the year, which will form the crown. Sometimes it happens that they also give branches. In this case, it is necessary to eliminate all shoots at a level of 50-75 cm from the surface of the earth.
You should also trim higher growing shoots growing at an acute angle from the trunk. Shoots growing at a wide angle must be shortened so that they go away from the trunk. The upper part of the trunk should also be shortened so that it rises above other shoots by 20-25 cm.
Biennial
As for two-year-old seedlings, they are pruned almost the same as annuals. Two-year-old seedlings need to leave up to the five strongest shoots with a wide angle, in the future they will be able to become the basis for the formation of apple trees. All other shoots must be removed. The remaining 4-5 strongest shoots need to be shortened by a short flight of stairs: leave the lower 30-35 cm, and gradually reduce the length as you increase. This version of the crown is the most popular because it is the most effective.
How to prune an apple tree in spring: thinning
Any process of pruning trees begins with thinning. First you need to open the center correctly. To do this, you need to cut off the upper part on the branch, on which various branches are located. This will reduce the height of the apple tree and open access for sunlight into the crown.
Then you need to thin out the most branching areas on the tree. An important point: start the thinning process with the largest branches. This will make your work easier and show you where to go further so that you can better open the access of sunlight to the crown. In addition, a tree will be much easier to transfer a couple of large cuts than many small wounds.
While working, try to trim under the very trunk without leaving stumps, because after a while they will begin to drive out and eventually a hollow will appear. Cutting branches too close to the trunk is also not recommended, since such a wound will drag on for a very long time. The optimal solution will be to make a cut on the ring, that is, so that its line passes along the influx ring. It is better to cut the thickest branches of a tree a little further, and then eliminate the stump itself: this will do without breakages and tears. To cut such branches, you can use a narrow hacksaw with small teeth, it is better to impose it from below. After cuts, the wounds on the apple tree will need to be covered with paint or varnish to prevent moisture and harmful insects from getting into them, this will allow the tree to recover faster.
How to prune an apple tree in spring: shortening
The process of shortening in the spring season allows you to improve the flow of moisture and nutrition to the kidneys, which will eventually result in many new shoots. Shortening the tree branches makes the crown as compact as possible and improves the entry of sunlight into it. The upper branches need to be cut off from the side branches directed outward from the crown. As for the lower branches, they need to be cut under upward branches.
If the crown of the tree is very thickened, its pruning should be carried out not in 1 year, but to divide the work process into several years, so it will be easier for the apple tree to recover from numerous wounds. Pruning should be done annually, and the best time for this is spring.
How is pruning done for the third to fifth year after planting
After the first two years after planting, a crown begins to form near the tree, so each spring pruning should be done correctly and in a timely manner.
You also need to know that in a given period of time pruning an apple tree is pointwise, that is, minimally, so as not to harm the fruitfulness of the apple tree.
Do not forget to monitor the growth of the conductor every spring and not allow it to fork.
In the third year, the conductor must be cut off at the level of the second tier of the branches. The growth of the largest branches must be cut so that a system of tiers is formed. To prune trees in different years, you need to, as shown below:
On a young tree, cutting is not recommended:
fruit twigs;
gloves
rings
bouquet or mixed twigs;
spur.
In the fifth year after disembarkation, crown formation is completed.
Do not forget that the working tools for pruning the apple tree should be well sharpened, otherwise the bark of the tree can be severely damaged. For work, it is best to use sharpened garden shears (for thin branches) or a hacksaw (for thicker branches).
How to prune an apple tree in spring: processing
In order for the apple tree to spend a minimum of energy on healing the slice and not be disturbed by harmful insects, it is necessary to properly process it, as shown in this image:
To do this, use oil paint on drying oil or any other for burning bark. Alternatively, you can use a solution of lime and copper sulfate, diluting it in a ratio of 10 to 1, this will make it possible to disinfect the wounds.
Processing of old apple trees with paint or var should be done immediately after cutting. As for young trees, then after a saw cut, it is worth processing them no earlier than after one or two days.
How to prune an apple tree in the spring during fruiting?
We should also talk about the process of pruning trees that have already begun to bear fruit. This process is primarily needed in order to support and rejuvenate the apple tree.
1. When the tree begins to bear fruit, annual growths greatly weaken and begin to interfere with the apple tree. They can thicken the crown so much that practically no sunlight gets inside it, and this is fraught with a slowdown in metabolic processes, that is, the fruits begin to sing for a long time or even begin to deteriorate.
2. Cutting of thickening branches going inside the crown or crossing with fruit-bearing branches is mandatory, this will allow the apple tree to feel better and give the maximum number of fruits.
3. Removing the largest thickening branches is much more effective than cutting several small ones.
Circumcision of the apple tree in the spring is a very important point in ensuring its proper growth and development. For beginning gardeners it may seem that you can do without pruning, but in this case the crown of the apple tree will not develop correctly, and the branches will begin to break. An uncircumcised tree is incapable of yielding a consistently high yield every year, in practice it often happens like this: in one year a huge number of small fruits grow, in the other - there are no fruits at all.
In the end, I would like to note that pruning an apple tree in spring is necessary not only to form a crown, but also to ensure the correct metabolism of nutrients, which will allow the tree to bear fruit every year.
Take care of the trees in your garden and don't forget to prune them in time. For this, the apple trees will annually delight you with large and ripe fruits.
