How to Prune Lychee? The Latest Technical Method Tutorial

Lychee is a fruit tree that ripens in summer, with a relatively large tree shape and many branches. After a year of growth, in order to maintain a strong tree vigor, the lychee tree can be pruned. Generally, pruning is done to change the tree structure, adjust the fruiting branches of the canopy, and improve the interior environment of the canopy. However, many people have the problem of not knowing how to prune, so they can pay attention to the content below in this article.

I. Purpose of Pruning

Generally, pruning is done to save nutrients, concentrate nutrients to supply high-quality robust shoots, and promote growth. Or it is to concentrate nutrients to supply fruit development and balance the relationship between vegetative growth and reproductive growth. It is also to improve the canopy structure, regulate the number and conditions of fruiting mother branches and fruiting branches, and ensure fruit quality. Finally, pruning maintains an open structure, which can reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases. In addition, some excess and useless leafy branches only consume nutrients and must be cut off.

I. Pruning Time

Young trees are mainly in vegetative growth and do not bear fruit, so they can be pruned at any time of the year. However, it is mainly to be done in the second year after the young trees are planted, and pruning generally begins only when they have grown to about one-third the size of an adult tree. Pruning young trees mainly involves cutting off diseased and pest-damaged branches, weak branches, dead branches and dead leaves, and then selecting and keeping side branches. Adult trees are mainly pruned after fruit harvest. At this time, the tree's nutrient consumption is great, and some branches need to be pruned off to maintain tree vigor.

II. Pruning Methods

1. Young Trees

Pruning young trees is mainly to achieve the purpose of shaping and training through pruning. Buds at suitable positions are selected and kept as shoot-sprouting buds, and then all other buds are removed. More shoot-sprouting buds can be kept, because after sprouting, shoot thinning still needs to be carried out, selecting and keeping robust new shoots to develop as side branches. Both the trunk and the selected side branches need careful pinching to remove apical dominance and limit growth to a certain height. Later, the interior of the roughly formed canopy is pruned, generally by cutting off dense branches, crossing and overlapping branches, and also weak branches. If there is pest or disease damage, diseased branches should be cut off in time, and all pruning wounds need to be painted white to accelerate healing and prevent infection.

2. Adult Trees

It is best to do this about half a month after fruit harvest. Generally, old leaves should first be cut off to improve closure and nutrient consumption. Then diseased and pest-damaged branches and dead branches are pruned, which can increase ventilation and air permeability inside the canopy, reduce humidity and temperature, and reduce the possibility of disease occurrence. Pruning at this time is the best time to determine autumn shoots. Autumn shoots are also the main part for restoring tree vigor. Generally, the needed autumn shoots can be kept well to serve as fruiting mother branches for the next year, some old fruiting mother branches are cut off, and all autumn shoots not retained are cut off. Generally, one to two autumn shoots are kept on one branch, and when keeping shoots, attention should be paid to staggering their directions. After pruning, all pruned branches should be collected and burned. Apply medicine to large wounds for antisepsis and rapid healing.

When pruning lychee trees, it is not only necessary to prune according to tree age, but also to carry out pruning work according to different periods, different purposes, and different environments. However, when planting, pruning should be comprehensively considered according to one's own needs.