Pruning and caring for peach trees in autumn

One of the most demanding fruit crops is the peach. Growing this tree requires special responsibility and preparation from the gardener. Otherwise, the time, effort, and money spent will not be worth it. And one of the most important procedures for ensuring maximum fruitfulness is pruning the peach in the fall.

Scheme and features of the procedure

Gardeners disagree about how to prune their crops in the fall. Some believe that peach is the only crop that doesn't tolerate any intervention after it goes dormant. Because of this, many perform pruning in the spring.

However, those who grow peaches commercially in warmer climates claim that pruning is more effective in the fall. This is primarily a practical consideration, as gardeners have plenty of time to carry out the task without having to rush.

Proponents of spring pruning argue that the treated tree doesn't have time to heal the wounds before frost sets in, resulting in its death at the first subzero temperature. When choosing whether to prune a peach tree in the fall or spring, gardeners prefer the former. Following certain pruning rules and a consistent schedule makes fall pruning more successful. The following points will contribute to this:

1. With the arrival of autumn, the sap flow inside the peach tree stops.
2. If you manage to complete the procedure before severe cold weather sets in, the tree will have time to heal its wounds and will not be damaged by frost.
3. In the spring, the peach tree won't have to expend much of its life force redistributing sap through other channels after pruning, which will positively impact yield. The new sap will initiate the formation of new buds.
4. It is easier to cover a pruned peach tree completely with its crown.

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Peach trees are considered fast-growing crops, capable of producing 3-meter-long canes in a single summer. For this reason, in the south, they are pruned in the fall, as the arrival of spring makes it difficult to remove these canes from the plantation in the muddy conditions. Properly insulating the seedling for the winter will protect it from frost damage.

Benefits of autumn pruning

Peaches begin to bloom much earlier than other fruit crops, so gardeners often don't have time to begin pruning until the buds begin to bloom. This forces the tree to abruptly redirect its vital energy to other buds. As early as March, sap flow becomes intense, and the tree begins to feel discomfort. This negatively impacts growth productivity and yield.

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If pruning is neglected, the tree will produce a large number of fruits, but their size will be too small. Furthermore, the immature branches, bearing a significant number of leaves and fruits, will begin to split and become damaged. Incorrect pruning of the peach tree causes numerous growth problems.

In the fall, peaches are pruned immediately after harvest, when the sap flow within the branches has ceased. This often occurs in late September or early October. In southern regions, the onset of cold weather occurs in late October or early November, giving gardeners plenty of time for successful pruning. In northern regions, pruning is best done as early as possible. Furthermore, the tree needs to be carefully insulated, otherwise it will not survive the harsh winter.

For successful pruning, it's important to use sharp tools that are free of corrosion. Pruning shears and loppers must be well-sharpened; otherwise, they won't make a clean cut, which can lead to negative consequences. Such tools are only useful for thin branches.

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In addition to basic pruning, crown shaping and sanitation are carried out in the fall. This is another major benefit of fall pruning. This method allows gardeners to remove dead and diseased branches, which can reduce fruiting or even kill the plant.

Types of pruning

There are different types of peach pruning in the fall. They differ in their functions and purposes. For garden crops, they require regular rationing of the number of ovaries, both from the first days of development and later. These trees also require rejuvenation treatments and crown clearing of excess shoots, which reduce fruiting productivity. Among the existing types of pruning are: The following are distinguished:

1. Thinning. This involves the complete removal of a branch, usually one that is old, diseased, or frost-damaged. This procedure has virtually no effect on yield, but rather serves a rejuvenating function.
2. Pruning. There are three types of pruning: light, moderate, and heavy. The first type involves pruning 5% of the tree's branches by 1/4 of their length. The second type involves pruning 10% of the tree's branches by 1/3 of their length. The third type involves pruning 20% ​​of the tree's shoots by 1/2 of their length.

All procedures have a specific goal in mind and are essential for proper peach tree care. Based on this, There are several areas where pruning can be used:

1. Sanitary pruning is designed to remove all frost-damaged and diseased branches. Mechanically damaged branches are also removed at this stage.
2. Rejuvenation pruning involves pruning trees that are two years old. The number of shoots treated per treatment is 20% of the total number. If more branches are removed, the peach tree may not recover.
3. Formative - the principle and scheme of such an event involves the formation of a beautiful crown by removing unnecessary fragments.
4. Differentiated pruning is used to thin the crown at the top to stimulate the development of the upper part of the tree. This method is suitable for peaches aged 4-9 years.
5. Restorative pruning is used to restore peach trees when their crowns are damaged by freezing temperatures, hail, or wind. This type of pruning is considered the most radical, as it involves severely pruning all branches back to three-year-old wood and removing damaged parts of the peach tree.

Formation of a new seedling

Peach is a heat-loving plant, so gardeners in temperate climates prefer the bush method of growing the crop. This involves training two or three trunks on a single seedling, allowing the peach to recover after frost damage to one shoot.

If you're growing a peach tree as a bush, it's best to use a bowl-shaped crown formation. This should be done immediately after planting the seedling. It's important to pinch off the shoots as quickly as possible, leaving 5-8 shoots on the tree. This type of tree is grown with a flat crown.

To simplify future care of a young tree, it's important to plant the sapling correctly. This type of tree is often grown on a rootstock—in this case, the annual plant is planted at a depth such that the grafted area is five centimeters above ground level. This approach allows for the timely identification and removal of rootstock shoots, which can drain valuable life force and absorb significant amounts of nutrients from the soil.

After completing planting, you should leave about two or three strong shoots on the young sapling, shortening them to two pairs of buds. As for the leader and other branches, it's best to cut them off completely. To ensure that the peach tree has 7-8 meter-long shoots by fall, It is necessary to take care of the following types of care:

1. Watering.
2. Top dressing.
3. Protection from cold and wind.

With the arrival of the second season, the formation of a tierless crown begins. It is carried out in the following way:

1. In early spring, before the sap begins to flow, three or four shoots are shortened by a quarter. These are strong shoots, on which seven to eight buds are left. The remaining shoots, particularly horizontal ones, are cut back to the ring, preventing the normal passage of oxygen and light.
2. In late spring, the remaining shoots are tied to bricks for secure support at a 45-degree angle to the ground. Also during this period, the shoot tips should be pinched to stimulate new buds.

Processing of young trees

Once the young plant reaches 50 centimeters in height, it should be pruned to leave no more than 4-6 strong shoots. The main shoot is cut out, and the lower branches are removed. The following spring, the strongest branches, spaced in a circle, should be left from the remaining shoots, and then shortened by 4 buds. The remaining branches are pruned completely. If this procedure is performed correctly, each branch will produce approximately 7-8 full-fledged shoots with fruiting buds.

In early May, using the same method, secure the branches at a 45-degree angle to the ground. This is necessary to form a well-groomed "bowl" and give the tree a decorative appearance.

It's no secret that peach trees begin bearing fruit in their third year. Formative pruning is designed to ensure favorable conditions for the productive development of fruiting buds and a high yield.

When pruning the tree during its development, it's important to ensure adequate light within the canopy and manage fruit production. By the eighth year of its life, a tree can produce around 1,000 fruits on its branches, but nutrients are supplied to only 300-400 fruits.

When servicing young fruit-bearing trees The following types of pruning are used:

1. Thinning - consists of differentiating the top of the crown and displacing the fruits.
2. Replacement pruning involves pruning half of the shoots that have flower buds, approximately a quarter of their length. This procedure is repeated every other year.

This type of fall pruning of peach trees is effective in southern regions. If the tree is grown in the north, it's best to carry out the procedure in the spring, in the second half of March.

Anti-aging procedures

To properly prune a peach tree in the fall, don't forget about rejuvenation procedures. These are performed annually on grafted trees aged eight years and older, as well as on 10-year-old, homegrown trees. At the beginning of pruning, it's necessary to remove damaged and diseased shoots, and then shorten 3-4-year-old branches. It's important to remove branches that are unproductive, otherwise they will negatively impact fruiting.

In the case of 12-year-old peach trees that have never been pruned for rejuvenation, immediate restorative pruning is necessary. Otherwise, the tree will simply stop growing and die. During restorative pruning, two to three of the strongest branches are left. These are shortened by a third of their length; the rest are pruned into a ring.

Once pruning is complete, shoots located near the root or above the graft will begin to form a skeletal branch. Within a few years, this will fully mature and completely replace the old trunk.