Key Points and Methods of Apple Tree Pruning Techniques Explained
The apple tree is a variety with strong vitality, able to survive even in cold climates. Apple trees have a dormant period each year that lasts until the second month of the year, and this is the best time to prune the miscellaneous branches on the apple tree. When pruning, there are also many small tips.
Apple Tree Pruning Techniques
1. If the apple tree grows too vigorously, branch growth dominates, which is not conducive to flower bud formation. When pruning, focus on “slowing” the growth, increase the branching angle of the main branches, thin out the branch groups on the upper side of the limb, keep more lateral and lower branch groups, leave the extension branches unpruned, and use measures such as ringing on the scaffold branches to control the transport of nutrients and promote flower formation.
2. If the apple tree grows too weakly, on the basis of fertilizer and water management, carry out heavy pruning to stimulate vigorous growth. The extension branches should be cut at a plump bud in the middle, with a strong branch leading, gradually raising the extension angle, keeping few branch groups on the underside of the limb and more branch groups on the upper side and both sides.
3. If one side of the apple tree has large branches and the other side has small branches, resulting in lopsided crown growth, first, thin branches at the lower part of the limb and thin flowers at the upper part of the small branches; second, widen the angle of the large branches and raise the angle of the small branches. Leave more fruit on large branches and less fruit on small branches. Apply less fertilizer in the direction of the large branches and more fertilizer in the direction of the small branches. It is strictly forbidden to reshape the tree form by heavy chopping and heavy cutting.
4. Some branches of the apple tree are not pruned for years and often extend on a single axis, rarely sending out branches, forming long bare sections. Such branches have poor flower-forming ability and the fruit develops poorly. When pruning, if there is space, ring them to stimulate bud sprouting, or promptly cut them back to stimulate branch growth and cultivate good branch groups. If there is no space, they should be thinned out immediately to improve the ventilation and light conditions of the tree.
Pruning of Young Apple Trees
1. After planting, head the tree at a plump bud, and shorten the central leader and the extension branches of the main branches at plump buds to promote vigorous branches. Leave the remaining branches unpruned, and thin out branches below 1.0 m on the trunk.
2. According to the tree form requirements, starting from 1.0 m above the ground, following the principle of spiral arrangement and at a spacing of about 40 cm, select and keep branches with a relatively large base angle and robust growth as permanent main branches, and support them to boost their vigor, accelerating extension growth to meet the requirements of an open-center framework.
3. Thin out competing branches, upper-side branches, overly dense branches, overlapping branches, and diseased and pest-damaged branches. Train the lateral branches and drooping branches of the main branches into drooping branch groups to promote early fruiting.
4. On the premise of not affecting the growth of the scaffold branches, temporary branches not selected as main branches should be retained as much as possible to promote their rapid transformation, form flower buds, and bear fruit as early as possible.
Ten Common Mistakes in Apple Tree Pruning
1. The angles cannot be opened up, yet branches are pruned randomly on the tree.
2. The trunk cannot be raised, yet the top is not headed back in time.
3. Temporary and permanent branches are not distinguished.
4. Thickness is not regulated, and primary and secondary branches are not distinguished.
5. Roots and branches are unbalanced, and tree vigor recovers slowly.
6. Nutrition and fruiting: pruning does not regulate branches.
7. New branches are removed every year, and old branches are kept every year.
8. All upper-side branches are cut away, leaving no restraining branches.
9. Weak branches are not rejuvenated, and strong branches are not controlled.
10. Whenever a branch is seen, it is cut back, and the original leader is never retained.
Precautions for Apple Tree Pruning
1. Focus on light pruning, simplify pruning, slow the whole tree, and adjust in all four seasons.
2. Suit measures to the tree and regulate comprehensively. Winter pruning is a highly technical practical operation with relatively flexible methods. But to truly master it accurately and use it with ease: first, one must fully understand the pruning physiology of fruit trees and correctly use the characteristics of apple branch phase patterns and the heterogeneity of branches and buds; then, combined with the site conditions, planted varieties, planting density, growth status, and cultivation management level of different orchards, adopt flexible and appropriate pruning methods to achieve correct pruning and reasonable vigor regulation.
3. Identify flower buds accurately and prune finely. For trees in the initial full-bearing stage in an on-year, branch group pruning must be carried out year after year. This can not only increase yield and promote quality, but also, by controlling the number of flower buds retained, make them match the tree vigor and planned yield. Its effect is more obvious than flower thinning and fruit thinning. In addition, because sufficient reserve branches and buds are retained, flower buds can be formed abundantly while fruiting, which plays an extremely important role in preventing and eliminating the “alternate bearing” phenomenon.
When pruning apple trees, the principles of precision, accuracy, and fineness should be followed. The main purpose of pruning apple trees is to increase the economic life of the apple tree. If the branches are messy, they will shade the fruit on the apple tree, and if the fruit receives insufficient sunlight for a long time, it will affect their later taste.