A Detailed Guide to the Latest Precautions for Girdling Fruit Trees

Girdling a fruit tree can cut off its nutrient transport pathway, regulate the tree's nutritional balance, and inhibit branch growth, with extremely notable effects on flower bud formation, reducing flower and fruit drop, and increasing fruit set. However, improper girdling will not only weaken tree vigor and reduce resistance to environmental stress, but also induce tree death. So what should be noted when girdling fruit trees? Let's find out together.

1. Pay attention to the type of girdling

When girdling fruit trees, the variety must also be considered. Fruit trees such as apple, pear, jujube, and citrus can be girdled, but special care is needed when girdling peach, apricot, plum, cherry, and similar fruit trees, because these stone fruit trees exude gum from the wound after girdling, and the hardened mass that forms affects wound healing, which is detrimental to the tree's growth and development. In addition, when girdling, also check whether the tree vigor is strong. Girdling is suitable for trees with good healing capacity and strong vigor, while it is not suitable for fruit trees with weaker vigor.

2. Pay attention to the timing of girdling

Girdling is generally carried out in the early stage of flower bud differentiation, usually controlled between June and July. If done too early or on overly vigorous trees, it will affect the tree's normal growth and development and flower bud differentiation. When girdling, also pay attention to the weather; try to choose a sunny morning, and avoid cloudy and rainy days, so that rainwater does not wet the wound and cause the plant to become infected with disease.

3. Girdling location

Girdling is generally carried out on the tree's scaffold branches, perennial lateral branches, and upright branches, usually on branches with a thickness of 5-10 cm or more. The girdling site should preferably be chosen on the smooth middle part of the branch. The main trunk and relatively thin and weak branches are not suitable for girdling; all of these need attention.

4. Girdling depth and width

The width and depth of girdling also need attention. The depth and width of girdling are not better the deeper or wider they are; they should be determined according to the fruit tree variety, characteristics, tree vigor, and branch vigor. Generally, the depth should be properly controlled to cut through the phloem of the branch and reach the xylem layer without damaging the xylem layer. The width is generally one-tenth of the diameter of the girdled branch; upright branches can be appropriately widened, generally controlled at 0.3-1 cm. It is best if the girdling wound heals within one month.

The above is an introduction to the precautions for girdling fruit trees. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.