Key Points and Methods of Citrus Tree Pruning Techniques Explained
Proper pruning allows citrus trees to grow better and extends their full-bearing period, but pruning also has its rules and cannot be done arbitrarily. Citrus trees have a higher demand for pruning because they generally grow in a spreading manner and do not have a specific trunk. So how should citrus trees be pruned?
1. Choose the main trunk
Before pruning, you must first determine which branches grow well and in good directions can be cultivated as the main trunk, and then begin pruning around this main trunk. This is generally determined during the seedling stage. For mature trees, you need to pay attention to whether the main trunk is suitable and whether the fruit yield is high. Generally, citrus trees will select several branches growing in the same direction as the main trunk, so that if one of them turns out to be unsuitable, removing it will not greatly affect the growth of the citrus tree.
2. Clean up weak branches
After determining the main trunk, you need to start cleaning up some weak branches growing in a scattered manner. Such branches consume the nutrition of the citrus tree without bringing any benefit. First are those whose growth direction differs from the main trunk and which have fewer branch nodes; these bear little fruit and will disrupt the growth tendency of the citrus tree. Next are some irregular thin branches hidden under the leaves; these not only grow poorly themselves but also affect some high-quality branches, so they also need to be cleared away.
3. Shaping
The purpose of pruning is high yield, and generally the fruit of citrus trees growing toward the sun is the best, so during pruning you also need to shape the citrus tree so that it can better absorb sunlight. Citrus trees are generally shaped into an umbrella form, which allows them to receive sunlight to the greatest extent, and some of the denser leaves in the middle need to be removed in part so that the middle part can also absorb a certain amount of penetrating light.
4. Pruning time
The pruning time for citrus trees mainly falls into three broad periods: pruning during the seedling stage, pruning in the early stage before full bearing, and pruning of old trees. In terms of weather conditions, it is generally a few days after rain or after irrigation, when the citrus tree can receive moisture, is relatively vigorous, and suffers relatively less damage. Remember that you must not prune when the sunlight is intense, as the damage to the citrus tree is greatest at that time. When pruning, you must be thorough; branches should as far as possible be removed from the root node, and the same applies to leaves.
The above is the process of pruning citrus trees, which citrus growers can learn from. It is recommended not to leave the debris from each pruning in place, but preferably to take it away. After pruning, pay attention to the growth of the citrus tree and to watering, so as to avoid unnecessary losses.