How to do winter pruning of green plum? Latest technical methods and key points tutorial

Pruning is an indispensable management task during the growth of green plum, and the most critical pruning for fruit trees is winter pruning. Winter pruning of green plum looks rather complicated, but it can actually be summarized as heading back, renewal pruning, thinning out, and leaving unpruned. Below, follow the editor to take a look at the detailed introduction.

1. Heading back

Heading back means pruning off part of a one-year-old branch and leaving part of it. According to the degree of pruning, heading back can be divided into 3 types: light, medium, and heavy. Cutting off a small section is called light heading back; cutting near the plump buds in the middle of the branch is called medium heading back; cutting off most of the branch is called heavy heading back. Different degrees of heading back produce different effects. The main purpose of heading back is to stimulate the buds below the cut to sprout and to promote shoot growth and extension. Generally, light heading back has the effect of moderating growth vigor and promoting flower bud formation, and many plants with stronger growth vigor use this method. Medium heading back is used to cultivate scaffold branches and shape the tree form of young trees; while heavy heading back is mainly to strengthen growth vigor, and is generally used on plants with weaker growth vigor.

2. Renewal pruning

Renewal pruning means heading back perennial branches. It is used more often when controlling auxiliary branches, cultivating fruiting branches, and renewing old branches. The effect of renewal pruning on branches differs because the wounds left during pruning differ in size and surface. The wound has a strengthening effect on the following year, so when carrying out renewal pruning on green plum, the size of the wound should be decided according to the situation.

Thinning out means cutting a branch off directly from the base. The wound from thinning out has a controlling effect on the part above and a mainly promoting and strengthening effect on the part below. On scaffold branches, thinning out can leave a very small stub at the cut, so that it can weaken the upper part in this way. Thinning out is mainly to remove overly dense branches and water sprouts, which can both increase the air and light penetration of the canopy and save nutrient consumption, increase nutrient accumulation in the fruit, and is relatively good for flower bud differentiation and flowering and fruiting the next year.

4. Leaving unpruned

Leaving unpruned is also called long pruning. It means not heading back a one-year-old branch. After a branch is left unpruned, more medium and short branches can form, which is favorable for flower bud formation. Leaving more branches unpruned has a relatively large effect on early growth, but it cannot be used indiscriminately. At the same time, competing branches, water sprouts, scaffold branches, and upright branches cannot be left unpruned, otherwise it will disrupt the tree form and affect the air and light penetration of the plant, which is extremely unfavorable to plant growth.

The above is an introduction to the key points of winter pruning techniques for green plum. I hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.