Pruning A Young Garden

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

At the end of March and beginning of April, the weather sets in that delicate balance, when frosts are a thing of the past along with winter, but the trees are still dormant and pruning can be done. How to do it? Each tree should have its own approach. Pruning depends not only on the genus and family to which the plant belongs, but also on the age and planting time

Pruning annual seedlings

For new pets introduced to your garden last fall or early spring, the center conductor is pruned along with the side branches. If a one-year-old was planted without branching, it is important to choose the correct pruning height. It should be borne in mind that the first tier of branches on your pet is formed approximately at the height of the palm below the cut level. When it is planned to create a bole with a length of about 0.5 m, pruning is performed above ground level at a height of no more than 70 cm.

If, by the time of planting, side branches have already grown in 1-year-old seedlings, the following rules apply to them:

• those that appeared too low and close to each other are removed completely;

• the remaining are shortened by only one third of the length;

• the closer the lateral shoot is to the top of the seedling, the shorter the branch is made.

The height of the central conductor is determined by the growth of skeletal branches. It should be no closer than 30 cm from the nearest upper lateral shoot. In the paniculate form, the tops of the central conductor are cut off completely.

Pruning a biennial tree

A two-year-old tree, in which full-fledged 5-7 lateral branches have already formed before planting, the upper ones, whose position forms an acute angle with the tree trunk, are removed. You cannot cut off the branches right at the trunk - a small stump is kept on it.

The lower branches, as a rule, tend to a right angle, are shortened by half. The cut is made over the kidney slightly obliquely. A sharp corner is the wrong pruning technique. The central conductor is shortened so that its length to the upper lateral branch is about 30-40 cm.

The next year after planting, thinning pruning is performed in order to form the crown. To do this, remove only those shoots that are too close to each other in the middle. At the same time, first of all, they get rid of those that show signs of illness, as well as dried and broken ones.

Those shoots that remain on the trunk, but their direction forms too sharp an angle in relation to the trunk, need to be helped to take the correct position. To do this, they are slowly folded back and fixed in the desired position, tying them to the trunk. Make sure that these actions do not leave marks, cuts or other injuries on the bark.

The guide is also shortened. If the tip takes a fork-like shape, one upper shoot is cut out completely, and a third of the length is removed from the remaining one.

Pruning in the third year

Three-year-old trees need to thin out the crown. The branches are removed, which over the year have begun to intersect with each other. You also need to cut out those that grow too close and parallel to each other. Dry and broken twigs should also be removed. Shoots, whose purpose is to become skeletal branches, are helped to take a horizontal position, pointing slightly downward.

Sometimes the gardener is faced with the opposite problem: a young tree branches poorly. In this case, such an agricultural technique will help: every year you need to shorten the guide by a third, as well as the two highest shoots.

Each family has its own crown

In order for the trees in the garden to grow well and bear fruit generously, experts recommend giving the crown the following shape:

• apple trees, pears - close to natural, flat crown is also suitable;

• plums, apricots, cherries - close to natural on a low stem;

• sweet cherries - free-tiered.