How to prune a young apple tree in the fall: instructions for beginners

Pruning a young apple tree (one, two, or three years old) is essential in the fall. This procedure ensures the tree fully develops its crown, grows, and eventually bears fruit. To ensure the process is beneficial and does not harm the young plant, carefully review the recommended procedures for beginning gardeners. It's also worth watching the video and familiarizing yourself with the recommended timeframes for completing the work.

Why do autumn pruning?

Pruning fruit trees is a necessary procedure performed annually throughout their life cycle. This process ensures the formation of a dense, massive crown and the production of a large number of fruits. The goals and principles of pruning are similar for all trees, but there are certain nuances. The technique varies depending on the tree's age, time of year, and life cycle stage.

The procedure is carried out in the fall to achieve the following results:

• formation of the correct crown of a garden tree;
• setting a certain height;
• strengthening the main branches;
• increased yield (the tree will not waste nutritional resources on extra branches);
• optimization of light flux distribution in the array;
• removal of old, damaged and non-fruit-bearing shoots (sanitation);
• increasing the size and improving the quality of fruits;
• restoration of natural air exchange in the crown;
• simplification of work on crop care and harvesting;
• prevention of fungal and bacterial infections;
• increasing winter hardiness;
• extending the lifespan of the crop and its ability to bear fruit.

A proper apple tree crown should be conical. The lower branches are the longest, and the top tier is shorter than the previous one. This is the most important rule and must be followed regardless of the timing of pruning (fall or spring). Ignoring this rule will result in the tree growing wider, taking up too much space, and casting a shadow on the property.

Optimal timing for work

If you decide to prune a young apple tree in the fall, wait until the leaves have fallen. The day should be clear and dry, with temperatures above freezing. If temperatures reach -5°C, postpone the work until the following season. Pruning is not recommended in this case. After the cut, the sap will begin to flow in the tree trunk, and the tree will die from frost. Pruning after frost is also unacceptable, as the apple tree branches become more brittle and fragile.

In southern and central Russia, the procedure is performed from mid-September to the end of October. However, it's important to check weather forecasts and assess the risk of early frosts. After pruning, the plant needs time to recover; the cuts are like wounds that need time to heal. In colder regions, pruning is more often performed in the spring, after the risk of recurrent frosts has passed.

Key rules of execution

Incorrect pruning of a young apple tree can cause damage to the tree, so before starting any work, it's important to determine its primary goals. It's important to remember that pruning can be formative, sanitary, rejuvenating, and regulating. For young fruit trees, formative pruning is most often used, as it helps establish the correct crown shape.

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You can prune a young apple tree seedling correctly using the following algorithm:

• diseased and dried branches are removed completely, down to living tissue;
• directed into the depth of the crown or down the tree - are removed;
• crossing and touching - one is cut off, leaving a large shoot;
• Water sprouts - large branches whose growth is directed upwards, do not produce fruit, so it is also advisable to remove them.

Shaping a one-year-old tree

Proper pruning of a one-year-old apple tree is the key to its full development and growth next year. The sapling needs to strengthen and receive a boost for further growth. The procedure is carried out according to all the rules. However, it's important to remember that a young tree is more sensitive to low temperatures, so pruning is carried out earlier. The upper branches of a young tree are shortened by 2/3 to 3/4 of their total length. If the sapling is initially poorly formed, has a lopsided crown, or is otherwise malformed, attention should be paid to straightening it. To achieve this, side shoots are pruned by 2/3 so that they begin to grow, filling the center of the crown.

The main (inner) branches shouldn't be overcrowded, as this will deprive them of adequate sunlight and may cause them to stop growing and lag behind in development. This can easily be corrected at the next stage, when the tree is two years old. Simply pruning will straighten any crooked branches.

How to properly prune a two-year-old apple tree

A two-year-old apple tree develops numerous lateral branches over the summer, and if these aren't removed in the fall, the crown will become dense the following summer. Three to five strong branches that grow at a right angle to the main trunk are left on the tree. Don't spare the rest; they will only make the young tree look unattractive and won't be of any use.

Two-year-old apple trees are still developing their crowns, the quality of which depends greatly on the angle of the shoots relative to the main trunk. To achieve the desired shape, branches must be bent sharply and frequently tied. They can be easily secured with twine and a peg or a simple weight.

Experienced gardeners also recommend cutting off the central shoot at this stage. Its height should be 4-5 buds longer than the other shoots. The lower branches should be longer than the upper ones to achieve a round shape.

Pruning a three-year-old tree

Pruning the crown of a young three-year-old apple tree is not much different from the procedure performed last year on a two-year-old plant. The key is to thin the crown thoroughly, removing any overhanging shoots and branches growing upward and downward. Carefully inspect the lateral branches. If any new growth has formed, remove it. This procedure will be physically difficult to perform next year if the young growth becomes dense.

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Basic methods of performing work

Care must be taken not only in determining the correct pruning type and the precise method of branch shortening. Beginners can use three basic methods for pruning apple trees in the fall: ring pruning, bud pruning, and lateral pruning. These techniques are simple and can be performed without any difficulty if you follow the basic rules.

This beginner's video will help simplify pruning young apple trees in the fall. It will clearly demonstrate all the nuances of the work and help avoid common mistakes made at different stages. The key is to follow these basic guidelines: thin branches are easier to remove with pruning shears, while older branches can be removed with a sharp saw. The procedure is best performed in dry weather. Care should be taken not to damage the tree's bark, as the cut can become a breeding ground for infection. Lifting the bark will delay healing of the damaged tissue.

Pruning methods

The pruning method is determined depending on the purpose:

1. Formative. Helps establish and maintain a specific crown shape. Strengthens the tree's skeletal structure and increases stress resistance.
2. Regulatory. Conducted on mature, fruit-bearing trees to maintain crown shape while maintaining natural light levels on the branches.
3. Sanitary pruning. This involves removing damaged, dead, and old shoots. It is necessary for apple trees of any age and should be performed regardless of the season, following the rules.
4. Rejuvenating. Stimulates new growth by awakening dormant buds. To be effective, it must be applied in the fall.
5. Structural. This is used to remove small and medium-sized branches when they interfere with the main branches.

Therefore, only formative pruning is applicable for young trees.

Degree of pruning

Three types of pruning can be performed in the fall season for garden trees. The appropriate pruning method is recommended based on the age of the apple tree. For young trees, only light pruning is used. This involves pruning, or rather, simply shortening, the young shoots that have formed during the year. This involves removing about a quarter of the total length.

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Medium pruning is applied to apple trees that are at least five years old. This is used on older trees to increase yield in the coming season. Young shoots are shortened by one-third using pruning shears. Severe pruning is performed only on older trees, with large branches removed using a saw to thin out the crown.

Clearing dead branches from the tree is a special procedure. The most important part of this procedure is to cut off the branch from the apple tree trunk, otherwise a hollow may form and lead to the tree's death.

Preparation of tools and materials

Proper preparation is essential for pruning garden trees. To prune apple trees in the garden, you'll need certain materials and tools:

• sharpened pruning shears;
• sharp knife;
• garden saw;
• stepladder (if the tree is tall);
• long-handled garden pruner;
• garden varnish or paint.

Before starting gardening, tools should be soaked. You can use warm water or add a disinfectant. It's also important to evaluate the sharpness of the tool; blunt tools will be impossible to use. The cuts will be rough, which will affect the quality of the pruning and the condition of the tree afterward.

To the side branch

This type of pruning is performed when there is a need to direct the growth direction from one branch to another. This need often arises when a large branch is not developing, while a neighboring one is growing. The branch is removed relative to the desired branch, so that the cut becomes a continuation of the branch. In this case, the branch becomes the main branch. It is important not to disturb the growth point during this procedure.

On the ring

This technique is used when a large branch needs to be completely removed: it's weak, dried out, and not bearing fruit. To understand how to perform this procedure, carefully inspect the area where it attaches to the trunk: there's a ring-shaped swelling at the base. Within this swelling are cells that facilitate rapid reproduction, and through their division, the "wound" in the trunk will quickly heal.

First, the branch is cut from below with a garden saw, 25 cm from the ring. Then, the saw is moved 2-3 cm to the side and continued upward. The resulting stump is then removed flush with the ring, and any unevenness is removed with a knife.

On the kidney

This technique is considered complex. The main goal is to shorten branches to stimulate branching. This method is often applied to young trees. If the apple tree's center is dense, it is necessary to thin the crown: pruning is done to an outer bud. If the tree is spreading, the cut is made to an inner bud, extending toward the center of the crown. In all cases, it is important to make an angled cut, no higher than 1.5 cm from the bud.

Caring for a garden apple tree in autumn

Gardeners are accustomed to performing basic apple tree care in early spring, but this is incorrect. To ensure a good harvest, the tree must be properly prepared for winter. There are no specific deadlines for such work; the main thing is to complete everything before the onset of frost.

List of basic recommendations:

1. Treat the trunk. Remove moss and lichen with a plastic trowel and apply copper sulfate.
2. Treat the apple tree before winter with insecticides, such as Aktara or Actellic. Folk remedies can also be used for this purpose, but they are less effective than specialized products.
3. Whitewash the trunk of the plant to protect it from rodents, pests and exposure to sunlight.
4. Cultivate the soil under the fruit crop, remove fallen leaves, dig, and mulch.
5. Perform moisture-recharging irrigation, which is the key to abundant flowering and fruiting.
6. Apply fertilizer at the rate of: 5 kg of rotted manure, 100 g of superphosphate and potassium fertilizers.

Carrying out these procedures is a necessary part of caring for both young and mature trees. These steps ensure the tree will be problem-free in the coming season and help improve fruiting and winter hardiness. In the spring, the tree will surely delight the gardener with lush blooms and noticeable growth, and in the summer, it will reward the tree with juicy fruits.

Young apple trees must be pruned. This procedure not only improves the condition of the visible (above-ground) part of the tree but also improves root formation. If pruning is ignored, the plant will develop abnormally and will be vulnerable to winter and strong winds. Pruning is also necessary for mature trees; without it, they will become stunted and stop bearing fruit.