Selection and Training Methods for Peach Orchard Tree Structure

In northern China, peach cultivation is mainly based on the three-main-branch cup-shaped open-center form, with each main branch usually bearing 1 or 3 large secondary branches, at a height varying from 30-70 cm, scaffold branch angles of 30-80°, and tree height varying from 2-4 m; planting methods are also not uniform. Overall, there is a lack of relatively appropriate standards. In recent years, the author investigated peach orchards in Pinggu and in Mancheng, Laoting, and other places in Hebei, and offers the following views on peach orchard tree structure for reference.

1 Selection of peach orchard tree structure

1.1 Planting method

Use a spacing of 2.0-2.5 m x 5.0-7.0 m between plants and rows.

(1) Trunk height 60 cm, slightly shorter on poor soil; tree height not more than 2.5 m before harvest, and not more than 3.0 m after winter pruning. (2) The number of scaffold branches is 2, the tree form is a two-main-branch open-center form, branch groups are borne directly on the main branches, and the angle between branch groups and main branches is above 75°. In this way, the spacing between scaffold branches is basically the same as the in-row spacing, eliminating ineffective triangular zones, which helps increase fruit yield and quality. (3) Scaffold branch angle 45-60° before harvest, and 40-50° after winter pruning.

2 Training of tree structure

2.1 Management after trunk heading and trunk heading

(1) Head the trunk at 70-80 cm, and preferably have 4 or 5 full buds above 50 cm. (2) After sprouting, promptly remove excess buds. (3) When new shoots reach 20 cm, select 2 opposite-facing new shoots with good basal angles and relatively uniform growth as main branches, and pinch the rest. For varieties with a relatively upright tree habit, do not use the shoot growing from the first bud during trunk heading as a main branch; pinch it promptly so as to open the angle of the lower new shoots.

2.2 Training and pruning

(1) For winter pruning, use the pruning method of "one tight, two loose, three" to treat the extension heads of the main branches. That is, winter pruning in the 1st year should be relatively heavier, leaving 30-50 cm where growth is small and 50-70 cm where growth is large, and the diameter of the pruning cut should be greater than 1 cm; winter pruning in the 2nd year should be relatively lighter, so that the soil branch opening angle is 45-60°, and when the tip of the extension head is less than 50 cm from the row midline, it may be lightly pruned to the fruit branch at the secondary shoot; winter pruning in the 3rd year generally uses or pruning to the fruit branch at the secondary shoot, and after pruning, maintain a spacing of more than 100° between the two rows. (2) Summer pruning mainly involves removing excess buds and shoots, and controlling upright vigorous shoots and competitive shoots. When upright vigorous shoots and competitive shoots grow to more than 20°, pinch them at 15-20 cm, so that the resulting branches form small horizontal or slanting branch groups.

2.3 Branch bending

(1) In August of the planting year, bend the two main branches respectively toward the two row directions and fix them, so that the two main branches are as far as possible in the same vertical plane, and the opening angle of the main branches is preferably 40°. (2) In early August of the 2nd year, bend the tips of the main branches to 45° and fix them. Through 3 years of training, pruning, and branch bending, the basic tree structure is established.