What tree shapes are suitable for almond? Key points of training and pruning techniques
According to the light-loving characteristics of almond, adopting a tree shape with an open canopy and good ventilation and light penetration makes it easy to obtain high yields. Suitable tree shapes include the round-headed shape, the tiered shape, the cup shape and the natural open-center shape, among which the natural open-center shape is used more often.
After the young seedlings are planted, the trunk is headed at 60-100 cm. If the planted seedlings already have branches but these cannot be used as main branches, keep a few buds at the base of these branches and carry out relatively heavy renewal pruning; in the spring of the 2nd year, when the new shoots reach about 10 cm in length, select and retain 3 branches whose direction of extension and position of attachment are relatively suitable as main branches, and for the surplus branches, keep them temporarily as auxiliary nurturing branches as far as possible and do not rush to thin them out, so as to use them to shade the trunk and branches and prevent sunscald. However, during growth, these auxiliary nurturing branches need to be suppressed from excessively vigorous vegetative growth through measures such as pinching, so that the selected and retained main branches have ample room to extend.
The 3 main branches selected and retained on the trunk may be close together, but should not be adjacent; a distance of 20-30 cm should be maintained between the main branches, and the main branches should extend outward evenly, without overlapping or affecting one another, and their branching angle should preferably be 40-45 degrees.
When the main branches reach 50-60 cm in length, select and retain side branches at the corresponding positions on each main branch; if nutrition is sufficient and management is proper, well-developed and robust main branches and side branches can be obtained by autumn of that year. During winter pruning, it is only necessary to thin out crowded branches. If after planting the tree grows weakly, the length of the 3 main branches does not meet the requirement, and side branches cannot be selected and retained, then in summer it is not necessary to pinch or cut the tips, but rather let them grow naturally, and in winter it is also not necessary to prune, but the fertilizer and water management in the soil should be strengthened to promote tree vigor, so that more branches and leaves are produced in the 2nd year, thereby helping to speed up training.
In the 1st year after planting, some surplus branches may be appropriately thinned out to help concentrate nutrients and speed up canopy formation.
During the growth process, almond very easily produces side branches, so in the 2nd year it is not necessary to renew-prune the main branches, but relatively strong-growing main branches should be appropriately controlled to maintain balance in growth vigor among the main branches. For water sprouts and branches in improper positions, when they cannot be used, they should be thinned out as early as possible; those that can be used temporarily may have their excessively vigorous vegetative growth suppressed, and then be thinned out when they affect the growth of the main and side branches; in the 2nd year, keep the canopy with 3 main branches and 5-6 side branches, and maintain an open tree posture and good ventilation and light penetration conditions.
In the 3rd and 4th years after planting, it is not necessary to renew-prune the main branches; only thin out some dense branches, and pay attention to maintaining balance in growth vigor among the main and side branches.