Pruning apple trees in spring

Renewal of a well-maintained orchard is typically carried out in early spring. It's crucial to consider the activation of sap flow through the branches to avoid damaging the trees. Spring apple tree pruning itself has a number of mandatory requirements. These primarily involve clearly defining the objectives of the work and shaping the tree crown itself. The most suitable time for pruning apple trees is spring, after the danger of frost has passed, as fall pruning can result in the trees not being able to withstand severe cold and dying.

Basic requirements

First, carefully inspect the trees and identify any branches damaged over the winter. These branches will lack new buds, unlike healthy branches. It's best to choose a bush-like crown shape, with several main (skeletal) branches and additional offshoots. This choice is important because it increases the tree's stability and prevents possible deformation under the weight of the fruit. Another important consideration concerns the ease of harvesting ripe fruit.

An equally important consideration is the timing of the work itself. Pruning should be carried out immediately after the end of spring frosts. This will allow the apple trees to better withstand stress and more effectively resume the process of preparing for fruiting.

Removal of old, damaged, and excess branches should be done at an angle away from the trunk or a skeletal branch. This rule is especially important for columnar apple trees. The resulting cuts must be sealed with oil paint or a special garden mastic. This trick is designed to prevent any sap from leaking out and remain within the main trunk.

Peculiarities of working with young and old apple trees

While pruning young and old apple trees shares a number of common principles, there are also several important differences that are important for all gardeners, especially beginners, to understand. General apple tree care guidelines include the need to:

• trim the apical shoot and then remove the crow's feet;
• remove all crossing branches by pruning;

• eliminate all branches at the forks that are directed downwards;
• cut off young shoots that have appeared near the trunk itself, as well as branches whose growth is directed towards the trunk itself;
• cut out all trailing and thickening branches, as well as those that point downwards;
• remove young shoots from the root part of apple trees.

Pruning young apple trees

The first tree treatment is carried out immediately after planting new seedlings in their permanent location. This is called crown shaping. The most suitable option is a sparse crown with several tiers of healthy, full-fledged branches. For the first 3-4 years, this procedure must be repeated every spring, but after that, pruning young apple trees is necessary every two years. Experienced gardeners recommend carefully pruning the central trunk branch to prevent damage to the crown itself. It's best to leave only five or six large branches on the tree. The trunk height can be around 40-50 cm. It's important to remember that timely and careful spring pruning of apple trees can significantly increase the yield of healthy fruit.

Pruning old apple trees

Gardeners typically begin to consider rejuvenating old trees when they have been unable to produce a full apple harvest for several years in a row. Among the most common causes of apple tree wilting is the presence of numerous superfluous shoots, which not only hinder the development of fruit but also prevent the branches from receiving sufficient sunlight. An improperly shaped crown and the presence of long-dead, unharvested branches also directly impact the tree's ability to produce a good harvest.

The pruning process for old apple trees should begin with clearing the main branches and trunk of excess shoots, which drain the tree's vitality. Branch thinning is performed to restore adequate light and ventilation to the main branches. Careful pruning of excess branches (about a third of the total) can restore active fruiting to even the oldest apple trees, those that have been growing for over 20-30 years. To achieve this, the procedure must be repeated every spring, 2-3 times in a row. However, it's important not to overdo this third of the total number of branches, as this will completely ruin the tree and require cutting it down at the root.

Principles of pruning columnar apple trees

When growing columnar apple trees, during spring pruning, all damaged branches should be pruned and any shoots that are excessively thickening the crown should be removed. All excess side branches should also be removed. The result of this spring pruning should be a columnar tree. The trunk itself should not be pruned. It can only be shortened slightly if the tree itself has stopped growing.

For the first few years after planting, the seedling must be tied to a support. This will prevent it from breaking or dying. At the beginning of the first full spring after planting, the shoots must be shortened to two buds (no more). This is how stronger and denser one-year-old shoots can be grown. A year later, all horizontal branches should be left untouched, and those growing vertically should be shortened again by two buds. A harvest can be expected from existing horizontal branches this year, and the pruned vertical branches will be able to form new healthy shoots. Each subsequent spring, all branches that have borne fruit should be pruned back to the ring.

Features of pruning dwarf apple trees

Low-growing fruit trees also require careful and timely pruning. This is especially true for the crown, whose proper management affects the future harvest. Crown pruning should be done so that strong, healthy branches are positioned below weak ones. Buds located at the very top of branches should be removed. This will allow the mid-sized buds to develop better, ensuring the formation of denser and stronger new shoots.

An important feature of low-growing apple trees is the heavy load of ripening fruits on their branches, which must be harvested in a timely manner, and the crown itself must be supported with additional supports.

Rules for selecting tools

Experienced gardeners often recommend using a sharp saw when pruning dead, diseased, or simply unwanted branches on apple trees. This tool can also be replaced with special pruning shears or a saw. For pruning hard-to-reach branches, a special pruning lopper or a pruning knife can be used.

The only mandatory requirement is sufficient sharpness and cleanliness of the blades used, as rust or other substances can cause damage to the cut areas and sap swell, leading to disease spreading to the entire tree through the sap circulating within. Immediately after pruning, the area must be sealed to prevent sap loss from the tree itself. In addition to special mastic or oil paint, regular children's play dough will also work for this purpose. If you're caring for apple trees for the first time, it's best to entrust all necessary work to a trusted professional and carefully observe their actions so you can repeat the process yourself in a year.

Apple tree pruning scheme

Gardeners have a number of essential rules for successful apple tree pruning. These primarily concern:

1. If there are no branches, the apple tree itself should be cut at a height of one meter from the ground.
2. The formed shoots should be completely removed at a height of up to 60 cm from the ground level.
3. All branches that grow at an acute angle to the trunk must be completely removed, as they break very easily under the influence of ripening fruits.

If you need to make a tiered form of apple trees, then 3-4 main branches are left in the bottom row, and in the second row there should already be two.

 

 

Making mastic for cuts at home

If you can't find a store-bought mastic or oil-based paint for treating apple tree cuts, you can use a homemade solution. This is a special garden varnish, which requires 500 grams each of turpentine and rosin, as well as 250 grams of linseed oil.

The mixture itself will be semi-solid. It needs to be warmed up slightly and applied to the strips, then tightly wrapped around all the cut ends of the trees.