When to Prune Jujube Trees? Latest Timing and Methods Explained

The jujube tree is a small tree-form fruit tree. In production, to coordinate the relationship between vegetative growth and reproductive growth, the tree body often needs pruning, but pruning also has other benefits. Pruning generally also has its timing and periods, and it cannot be pruned at will; there are certain methods, mainly methods that are better for the tree body. Now let us take a look together at reasonable pruning methods.

1. Pruning young trees

In the first year, young trees are planted as fixed, and are only small saplings, but pruning requirements still apply. Generally, after planting, the trunk should first be headed. Usually the trunk is headed at 70 cm above the ground, side branches within the headed trunk should be removed, and branches should be kept on the upper part, about 4 to 5 branches kept. The top is cut off at the heading point to promote new branches, which serve as main branches. In addition, side branches can also be shortened to make the plant grow more vigorously. Afterward, shaping should be carried out. Generally, main branches are shortened leaving 50 cm, secondary branches should be pinched, excess branches removed, branches kept staggered, and increased level by level.

2. Pruning before flowering

Is the flower quantity high and the fruit set high, but with a lot of fruit drop? Therefore, reasonable pruning should be done before flowering to improve tree nutrition and protect flowers and fruit. In May, remove excess leaf buds and newly drawn shoots. Mainly prune before flower buds appear. It is necessary to remove vigorously growing jujube heads, mainly keep scaffold branches and fruiting branches, and some auxiliary nutrient branches can be removed, for ventilation and light penetration, to promote nutrient accumulation and avoid flower and fruit drop.

3. Pruning during the fruiting period

For fruiting trees, which have generally grown for several years, the canopy is relatively full and there are many branches, but old branches can be shortened to promote new branches, and strong new shoots should also be selected and kept. Replace old branches, so as to ensure fruit yield. If the canopy is too large, dense, and not ventilated, some weak branches, drooping branches, crossing branches, and internally interlaced branches should be removed. Ensure a good tree shape and reduce nutrient consumption. Extension branches should be pinched to retain nutrients for fruiting. Some peripheral extending branches should be removed as they disrupt the tree shape. Fruiting branch groups should be renewed year by year.

4. Pruning after fruit harvest

After the fruit is harvested, the tree body has already consumed most of its nutrients for fruiting, so nutrients must be stored to ensure tree vigor. Generally, some dead branches, or old branches that do not bear fruit, and poorly growing branches should be cut off. Drooping main branches should be tightened, and drooping outer branches can be shortened. At this time, if new shoots are still drawn, they must be thinned out in time, but after supplementary fertilizing, strong ones can be selected and kept.

Jujube tree pruning is mainly carried out along with the growth period. Heading and shaping young trees is the main pruning task, pruning during the flowering and fruiting period is mainly to protect flowers and fruit and increase the fruit-setting rate. Cleaning up branches after fruit harvest is mainly to maintain tree vigor.