Content
In order for young apple trees to bear fruit well, they must be properly cared for. The measures taken should help strengthen the immunity of fruit trees. If the apple tree has enough nutrition, the plant will have a healthy trunk and roots. In addition to nutrition and watering, young apple trees also need pruning in the fall.
Thanks to this procedure, the plant becomes frost-resistant, and in the spring it quickly begins to grow. But young apple trees are pruned in the fall in a completely different way than adults, since even the purpose of the work is different. The rules for gardening in the fall will be discussed in the article. In addition to pictures, you will be presented with video material that is given to help beginning gardeners.
Why is pruning needed?
Beginning gardeners are afraid of the onset of autumn, because they have to prepare young apple trees for winter. In addition to feeding, you will also have to trim the branches. As we have already noted, pruning in the fall serves different purposes. One of them is to increase the yield of young apple trees in the future.
It's all about the plant's internal biology. The way it is designed is that the apple tree always reaches out to the sun, and with maximum shading, the yield decreases.Once on the site, the young apple tree begins to settle in, therefore creating the conditions necessary for growth:
- the crown is compacted as much as possible;
- the trunk and most of the branches remain in the shade.
If you do not pay attention to the formation of the crown, then as a result, many extra shoots and branches will appear on the apple tree, which will draw nutrients for their development, and fruiting will fade into the background. Fruiting itself is stressful for fruit plants. The apple tree “thinks” that its time is running out, so it gives away the harvest.
Beginning gardeners should take into account that pruning a young apple tree in the fall is the same stress that stimulates the tree to lay flower buds and produce a harvest next summer.
Trimming tools
Pruning a young apple tree in the fall is a serious operation. Beginner gardeners should understand that they should carefully prepare for it: select the necessary tools and clothing:
- ladder or stepladder;
- glasses, gloves;
- garden var;
- pruning shears or sharp scissors.
If you have to work with apple trees for 4-5 years (they are still considered young), then it is better to cut off the branches with a hacksaw.
Beginning gardeners need to know that the tools for pruning apple trees in the fall must be sterile, since infection through the cut not only increases the healing time of the wound, but can also cause the death of young fruit trees after pruning.
When to prune apple trees
When to prune a young apple tree - in spring or autumn - the gardener himself decides, because there are no uniform criteria in this matter. In some cases, even in summer it is necessary to carry out such an operation. Although autumn pruning of apple trees is considered the most successful.
How to prune young apple trees in the fall video for beginners:
It is also necessary to determine the timing of the work. Early pruning can greatly harm the tree, while late pruning will not give the desired result.
Therefore, the question of when to prune young apple trees is very important not only for beginner gardeners, but also for those who have extensive experience. As a rule, work on preparing fruit trees begins after the yellowed leaves fall off. At this time, the apple tree begins a state of dormancy and sap flow stops. Consequently, the sections will heal faster and the infection will not have time to penetrate them. And the air temperature at this time is already low, which also reduces the risk of infection.
Experienced gardeners begin the procedure at the end of October and complete it in early November. The main thing is that the cut branches do not freeze.
General rules for pruning apple trees in autumn
The cuts and cuts must be even, so we choose sharp tools so that the bark and tissue of the apple tree along the edge of the cut do not ride up or peel off. This can lead to decay, in which case the wound does not heal for a long time.
Stages of pruning apple trees
- Apple trees up to five years of age are considered young.It is during this period that it is necessary to form the crown for the correct development of the tree and successful fruiting. Before pruning a young apple tree, it is necessary to carry out an inspection.
If you notice broken branches or cracks in the bark of young trees, you need to start with sanitization. The bark is carefully protected with a spatula, and the branches are cut down or trimmed with pruning shears. - After this, they begin to form the crown. It is performed in different ways: either by thinning out or shortening the branches. Each method has its own goals, based on the age of the apple tree. The diagram for pruning apple trees of different ages in the fall is shown in the picture.
- By thinning the crown of fruit trees, you can achieve uniform sun exposure to all parts of the plants and improve air circulation. In addition, the load on the root system is reduced, therefore, the plant will work to lay fruit buds for the future harvest.
With any pruning method, it is necessary to remove last year's shoots. All other actions will depend on the age of the apple tree.
Trimming annuals
After planting an annual seedling, you must immediately begin pruning. First of all, the upper part is removed. It should be taken into account that the lower part must be at least a meter. This pruning stimulates the formation of side shoots - the basis of the future crown.
Beginner gardeners often wonder why pruning a young apple tree in the fall is necessary. The fact is that no matter how carefully the tree is planted in a new place, the root system is still damaged and cannot cope with the load coming from the top of the plant.This operation will make the apple tree stronger, strengthen the roots, and create a reliable base for further growth and fruiting.
Pruning an apple tree in autumn forms a strong trunk and a small crown, which means strong winds cannot damage it. And it will be easier to harvest from low cultivated varieties.
Proper pruning of annuals, video for beginner gardeners:
Adviсe
If numerous side shoots have formed on a seedling over the summer, then they are cut off by about 40 cm, taking into account the length.
- Long shoots that have formed an acute angle with the trunk are removed altogether, because they are the first candidates for breaking in strong winds. In addition, they will thicken the crown.
- Branches growing at an angle of 90 degrees in relation to the trunk are left, but cut to a height of 3-5 buds.
- Branches growing inside the crown need to be cut out.
- Branches and shoots affected by diseases must also be removed.
- In addition, it is necessary to blind part of the buds so that there is no rapid growth of branches.
Rules for pruning a two-year-old apple tree
On a two-year-old apple tree, several side shoots grow on the main trunk over the summer. If some of them are not cut out in the fall, the crown will become thickened. It is enough to leave from 3 to 5 branches that stand out for their strength and grow in relation to the main trunk at a right angle. There is no need to feel sorry for the rest; they must be removed in the fall.
At this age, apple trees continue to form a crown. It will largely depend on the angle of inclination of the pagon to the main trunk. Sometimes you have to forcefully bend branches while pruning.In this case, a load is tied to the branches or they are tied to a peg, and the appropriate slope is set.
In a two-year-old apple tree, the main conductor is also pruned in the fall. Its height is adjustable: it should rise above other shoots by 4 or 5 buds. To form the correct crown, you should take into account the fact that the lower branches should be 30 centimeters longer than the upper ones. A two-year-old apple tree should have a rounded crown.
Often during the summer, side shoots grow on the main trunk of the apple tree. If they are located below 50 centimeters from the ground, they must be removed.
Pruning an apple tree in autumn in the next years it will be similar. The only difference will be the thinning of the crown. All branches directed into the crown or up and down must be cut out. In addition, young shoots already on the side branches are subject to this procedure. Otherwise, the crown will be very thick, the branches will rub against each other, damaging the bark.
What gardeners should do after pruning
It is clear that novice gardeners should not get too carried away when cutting branches and shoots on an apple tree in the fall. The fact is that our winters are harsh, some of the shoots may freeze. You always need to leave a reserve for spring. Early In the spring you can continue pruning. In addition, severe pruning provokes the active growth of young shoots, which again thickens the crown.
After pruning the apple tree in the fall, it is necessary to clean the area, and even small pieces of twigs need to be collected. They are burned so that possible pathogens cannot damage the apple trees in the spring.
Pruning is followed by feeding young apple trees. Rotted manure can be used as fertilizer for apple trees. In addition to feeding, it will work as a “insulation” for the roots. In addition to manure and compost, you can use mineral fertilizers. Before feeding, apple trees are watered well.
It is clear that for beginners it is not enough to read recommendations or look at pictures or diagrams; they want to see everything with their own eyes. Therefore, we offer them video instructions on pruning young apple trees in the fall:
Let's sum it up
So, we talked briefly about how Properly prune young apple trees in the fall. This procedure helps:
- the formation of a powerful root system and the proper development of the plant as a whole;
- crown formation, therefore, in the future you can count on an excellent apple harvest;
- resistance of the apple tree to the upcoming winter, strong winds, and in the spring-summer period to various diseases;
- rejuvenation of the fruit tree;
- access of light and heat to all parts of the plant, free air circulation.
In fact, pruning apple trees in the fall is not such a difficult operation. The main thing is to study the materials, watch the video, then novice gardeners can cope with the upcoming work.
