Content
To get a good harvest of fragrant and beautiful fruits, apple tree Definitely needs to be pruned annually. It is generally accepted that V In cold climates, tree pruning should only be done in the spring, but this is not true. Even in Siberian conditions it is possible to successfully prune an apple tree in the fall. In this section we will discuss all the nuances and rules for autumn pruning of apple trees in harsh climates. Our recommendations and advice will be useful not only for beginners, but also for experienced gardeners.
Why prune an apple tree?
To get a good fruit harvest, it is not enough to simply plant a young seedling and wait for the result. It is important to engage in the formation of a plant from the very beginning of its cultivation. This will allow you to create a beautiful crown fruit tree, making it a decorative element of your garden. In addition to external changes, pruning will allow:
- Improve the health of the plant, prevent the development of diseases and insect parasitism.
- Properly distribute the flow of nutrients in the body of the fruit tree.
- Increase the quantity and quality of fruits.
- Provide access to sunlight to every branch of the tree, which will promote uniform ripening of apples.
- Improve air circulation in the inner “cap” of the crown and prevent the development of rot.
- Make fruit branches strong and reliable.
If you do not control the growth of the apple tree, then soon the spreading plant will reduce the volume of fruiting or stop blooming altogether. Also, the result of the formation of excess greenery can be the breaking of branches and the death of the fruit tree.
Apple trees are pruned depending on the age and condition of the fruit tree. The following types of pruning are distinguished:
- Wellness.
- Rejuvenating.
- Molding.
All three types of pruning can be done in the fall. In this case, it is very important to choose the best time period correctly and follow the basic principles of performing the work. We will try to highlight all the nuances of pruning apple trees in autumn in Siberia for beginners and experienced gardeners later in the article.
Best time to prune
Fruit trees need to be pruned at a time when they are dormant: late autumn or early spring. Autumn pruning is considered more gentle, since before spring all wounds on the wood will heal and the plant will grow without delay or stress. Under conditions of low winter temperatures, rot and disease do not develop on the cut, and pests do not infest. Thus, the question of whether it is possible to prune apple trees in the fall has a clear answer: you can and should!
Given the length of the autumn period, it is important to determine the exact timing of when to prune trees. The time must be chosen so that there are no leaves on the apple tree, and there are 3-4 weeks left before frost. Under such conditions, the movement of sap in the body of the plant has already been stopped, and there is no threat of freezing.
It is worth noting that some gardeners also prune fruit trees in winter, but this is fraught with damage to the skin, breaking of fragile branches, and partial freezing of the crown of the plant.
Pruning apple trees depending on the age of the plant
An apple tree up to 4 years old is considered young. At this time, you need to regularly prune the tree every fall so as to correctly form its crown. An apple tree that has reached 20 years of age is called old. Such fruit trees reduce yields and produce low-quality fruits. To restore vitality to the apple tree, it needs to be rejuvenated by deep pruning. In the period from 4 to 20 years, the fruit tree requires molding and sanitary pruning. You can find out how to properly trim a tree at a certain age in the following sections.
Pruning young trees
To make it easier for beginners to understand the principle of pruning young apple trees, we will provide a picture that clearly demonstrates the areas of the crown that need to be removed.
Depending on the age, the following areas of the crown are removed from the apple tree:
- A one-year-old seedling often does not have lateral branches, so it is recommended to trim its top so that several buds remain below, which will eventually become skeletal branches.
- In the second year, you need to form the skeleton of the apple tree by removing excess branches. You only need to leave 2-3 side branches. It is recommended to cut them to about 1/3 of the length. This will allow them to grow faster.
- In the third year, you need to thin out the crown, leaving last year's branches and trimming new shoots by a third. Branches growing downward or at a very sharp angle to the surface of the trunk must be removed.
- In the fourth year, you need to duplicate all the operations that were performed in the third year of growing the seedling.Branches that excessively thicken the tree crown should also be removed.
Depending on the variety, the apple tree can form moderate to large numbers of branches. Some hybrids are characterized by self-regulation of green mass growth. For varieties with a lush crown, it is very important to correctly form the crown of the apple tree in the first 4 years. In this case, further pruning of the tree will not be difficult.
Pruning mature apple trees
Adult apple trees need to be pruned annually, removing broken, dry and diseased branches and excess crown. When carrying out the operation, it is important to follow the principles and rules of pruning. For beginners in gardening, it is very convenient to use ready-made schemes for the formation of adult apple trees.
We will try to consider the main ones in more detail:
- Tiered-discharged scheme assumes the presence of skeletal branches located in 3-4 tiers. The branches in each tier should be shorter than the branches in the previous tier. This way the natural outline of the fruit tree will be preserved and each branch will receive enough sunlight.
- Fusiform pattern involves placing branches in a spiral. This formation must begin from the first years of growing a seedling. Each branch on the tree should be located above the previous branch with an offset of 40-500.
- Cup-shaped scheme involves leaving 4-6 skeletal branches. Each of them should be shortened by a third from year to year. The main shoot should be pinched at a height of 70-90 cm.
- Scheme of a vertical palmette Suitable for low-growing apple trees that require garter.In this case, horizontally located supports are fixed on the wall of the building, to which fragile branches of the fruit tree are tied.
At the moment of planting the apple tree, you already need to think about what formation scheme will be convenient to use in the future. The decorative qualities of the plant, its fertility and vitality depend on the scheme. Having chosen a formation scheme, it is enough to remove the corresponding branches from year to year in order to get a beautiful, healthy tree with abundant fruiting.
Rejuvenation of old trees
Healthy apple trees that have reached the age of 20 years can be rejuvenated by removing most of the crown. If the tree is sick, then such a procedure will most likely be pointless.
Old apple trees need to be rejuvenated over several years. Global removal or excessive shortening of branches can lead to the death of the fruit tree. Thus, two rejuvenation schemes can be distinguished:
- Traditional scheme recommends trimming the skeletal branches on an old tree by half over the course of several years. In general, the shape of the crown should resemble a triangle, as shown in the picture below. Pruning of branches should be carried out in stages over 3-4 years. You can cut no more than 2 meters from a branch at a time.
- A modern way to rejuvenate old apple trees will also take 3-5 years. The first stage of the work is to remove the crown from the south side of the tree. You need to leave a “cap” 2 m wide and 3 m high. After the branches on the south side of the apple tree grow and bear the first fruits, you need to do this pruning on the north side.
Apple tree rejuvenation is an excellent alternative to planting young seedlings. After deep pruning, the tree grows a lush green crown with renewed vigor and begins to actively bear fruit.At the same time, the yield and quality of the crop’s fruits will noticeably improve.
The formation of trees depends largely not only on the preferences of the gardener and the tendency of the variety to form branches, but also on the tallness of the fruit trees. Some apple trees, if not formed, can grow up to 12 m tall. You can determine the required cutting height based on the following table.
Thus, we tried to provide graphic and textual, detailed information that will allow a novice gardener to understand the principle of pruning and choose the best crown formation scheme depending on the age of the apple tree.
Basic rules for pruning trees
To prune a tree correctly and cause minimal damage to the plant, you need to follow some important rules. They are suitable for both autumn and spring pruning:
- You cannot cut more than three large branches in one season. That is why it is recommended to form fruit trees from the first years of planting so that you do not have to “clean” the crown of neglected plants.
- It is better to pinch a branch at an early stage of development than to cut it off later.
- Dry, broken and diseased branches must be cut back to healthy, fresh wood.
- Stumps should not be left on the tree. The branches must be cut as carefully as possible so as not to damage the skin on the trunk or the healthy branch left behind.
- The cut on the branch should be made at an angle towards the bud (picture below).
- When forming the crown, you should use only sharp and clean tools.
- All cuts should be protected with garden varnish.
- Weak branches need to be pruned deep to encourage them to grow stronger. Vigorous branches need light pruning.
- While pruning branches, you should not climb a tree, as this can cause harm to yourself and the plant. Use a ladder to reach the very top of the plant.
- To remove small branches you must use pruning shears.
- The branch should be trimmed from the bottom. After a shallow cut has been made, you can finish sawing the wood from above. In this case, when the branch breaks, it will not damage the wood on the mother trunk.
The correct and incorrect ways to trim shoots above a bud, as well as the consequences of an erroneous operation, are shown in the picture:
In addition to the information offered above, beginners can be advised to watch the video:
The video clearly shows the entire process of pruning apple trees in the fall. Having compared all the important points, studied the rules of pruning and chosen the best time to carry out the activity, you need to sharpen the tool and get down to business. We wish every gardener good luck and a good harvest.
