What are the key techniques for autumn pruning of apple trees?

Melons & Fruits Jan 1, 1970 0 views

What are the autumn apple tree pruning techniques? Can any readers help explain?

Zhongdiwang has compiled three autumn apple tree pruning techniques, listed below for readers' reference.

Apple tree pruning method 1. Thinning branches:
From September to October, remove excessively vigorous and dense branches on the upper side of the limb and suckers near the pruning cuts. Thinning branches at this time is unlikely to trigger water sprouts, and some wounds can heal in the same year.

From the end of October to November, after fruit harvest and before leaf fall, for trees with a dense canopy and a large number of branches, large scaffold branches, auxiliary branches, fruiting branch groups, etc. that seriously affect light penetration can be thinned in batches. Apply wound sealant to the thinning wounds for protection. For excessively dense water sprouts on the outer periphery, thin the large ones and keep the small ones, and thin the upright ones and keep the horizontal ones. For the central leader and the extension shoots of main branches that have 3 to 4 vigorous shoots, first thin out 1, then in winter thin out another 1 and heavily cut back 1.

　　Apple tree pruning method 2. Bending branches:
This is generally done in September. Bending branches to open the angle at this time can avoid the excessive vigor of upper-side branches and weakness of side branches caused by spring branch bending, as well as the phenomenon of strong outer branches and weak rear branches caused by branch bending after Frost's Descent.

For branch bending angles, main branches should be about 80 degrees, and auxiliary branches about 90 degrees. Generally, where site conditions are good and tree vigor is strong, the angle should be larger; otherwise it should be smaller. For spindle-shaped trees, the angle can be appropriately larger than for small-crown delayed-open-center-shaped trees.
For 1-year-old branches, first soften them by twisting and bending at the base, then pull them with rope to the required angle and secure them. For perennial branches that are difficult to bend, first make 3 consecutive saw cuts on the underside of the base, reaching one third of the depth of the xylem, then pull them to the required angle and secure them with rope.

　　Apple tree pruning method 3. Heading back:
From August to September, lightly cut back the tender part of the autumn shoots, or cut back at the blind node. This can reduce nutrient consumption, help nutrient accumulation, and has a significant effect on promoting flower formation.
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What are the key techniques for autumn pruning of apple trees?

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