When to prune an apricot tree? A detailed guide to pruning methods
When growing apricot trees, they almost always need at least one or two rounds of branch and foliage pruning and shaping every year. The main purpose of pruning is to adjust tree vigor, increase the fruit set rate of the apricot tree, and extend the number of years it bears fruit. So when should an apricot tree be pruned? And what are the pruning methods? Let's learn about them together below.
I. Pruning time
There is actually no time limit for pruning an apricot tree, which is to say it can be pruned in all four seasons, but the focus of pruning differs from season to season, so we need to prune according to the needs of the apricot tree's growth. However, the best time to prune an apricot tree is winter, when the tree is in its dormant phase; pruning it then causes the least damage. And if we prune in winter, we can carry out large-scale branch and foliage pruning and renewal, with little effect on the apricot tree itself. But if pruning in other seasons, heavy pruning is not allowed, because the healing ability is reduced and it will affect the growth of the apricot tree, so light pruning is generally the main approach.
II. Pruning methods
1. Pruning young trees
During the young tree stage, the apricot tree is mainly trained for trunk determination and shaping; this stage is about forming a complete tree shape and expanding the canopy. Apricot trees generally use the open-center tree form: first keep the base trunk, then keep two to three main trunks on the base, and finally form third-level, fourth-level and further-level branches on each trunk. Once the young tree has taken shape, the canopy of the young tree needs to be adjusted and continuously expanded, which helps increase the fruiting rate during the fruiting period. At the same time, we also need to properly shorten the extension branches and thin out overly dense branches.
2. Pruning at the initial fruiting stage
The yield of an apricot tree at the initial fruiting stage is generally not very high, but if you want to increase the fruiting rate of the apricot tree as much as possible, then pruning the branches is also very important. First, we need to prune the irregularly growing and rather messy branches and foliage to foster the growth of nutrient branches; second, shorten the branches at all levels, maintain the tree shape, and continuously expand the canopy, making use of space as much as possible to foster more fruiting mother branches.
3. Pruning at the full fruiting stage
After entering the full fruiting stage, new branches need to be continuously increased and old branches eliminated, and the main trunks and side branches at all levels should be properly shortened. Keep strong and vigorous branches, thin out the canopy, prune the branches that grow too densely in the upper part, and at the same time prune away crossing branches, overlapping branches, weak fruiting branches, dead branches and so on cleanly. The most important thing is to foster new fruiting mother branches, promote the growth of fruiting mother branches, and increase the fruiting rate of fruiting mother branches.
4. Pruning old and declining trees
For old and declining apricot trees, what we need to do is renew the branches, mainly using retrenchment and renewal pruning methods. The fruit yield of declining trees drops greatly, and a large amount of flower and fruit drop occurs, so we need to proceed scientifically according to the apricot tree's age, tree vigor, management level, degree of decline, and so on. When tree vigor is fairly good, only light renewal can be carried out; when tree vigor weakens, moderate renewal is carried out; but if tree vigor is severely weakened, then heavy renewal is needed.
The above is the introduction to apricot tree pruning techniques for cultivation that the editor wants to share with you today. The editor has mainly helped everyone understand apricot tree pruning through the pruning time and the different growth stages of the apricot tree, and hopes it can help you.