What are the key points of pruning techniques for aging apple trees?
What are the pruning techniques for aging apple trees? Is there an experienced gardener who can help explain? Aging apple trees generally have small new shoot growth, produce many branches, have many flower buds but bear little fruit, many small branch groups in the inner canopy die off, the fruiting position shifts noticeably outward, the inner canopy becomes bare, and many water sprouts emerge from the middle and lower parts, which is very unfavorable for increasing yield...
What are the pruning techniques for aging apple trees? Is there an experienced gardener who can help explain?Aging apple trees generally have small new shoot growth, produce many branches, have many flower buds but bear little fruit, many small branch groups in the inner canopy die off, the fruiting position shifts noticeably outward, the inner canopy becomes bare, and many water sprouts emerge from the middle and lower parts, which is very unfavorable for increasing yield. Zhongdiwang has compiled the pruning methods for aging apple trees, listed below for gardeners' reference.
Method 1: Renewal pruning by heading back:
When heading back the main and lateral branches, choose back branches and upright branches with a smaller angle and more vigorous growth to replace the original leader, so as to strengthen the tree vigor.
Method 2: Heavy heading back of branch groups:
For all types of branch groups, cut back appropriately heavily, make many cuts, thin out sparingly, and raise the angle. The pruning principles are to remove the flat and keep the upright, remove the weak and keep the strong, remove the lower and keep the upper, and remove the long and keep the short. Thin out many dense short fruit branches, and retain and rejuvenate strong branches on the upper side, oblique upper side, and short spurs.
Method 3: Renewal and rejuvenation pruning:
Making use of water sprouts is an important measure for renewing and rejuvenating old trees. They should be rationally transformed and given focused cultivation according to different situations. For water sprouts and upright vigorous branches, make more cuts and leave fewer uncut, so as to promote branching and enhance growth vigor.
Method 4: Reducing the number of tiers:
In the tree structure, the method of heading back and dropping the leader should be adopted to minimize the number of tiers, so as to lower the tree height, increase light in the inner canopy, and obtain renewed vigorous branches at all levels.
Notes: Some apple trees need partial renewal starting from the late full-bearing stage, and fertilizer and water management should be strengthened. On the same tree, renewal should be carried out by rotation in stages year by year.
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