Content
More and more often you can see wonderful gardens of low-growing apple trees, densely dotted with delicious fruits. They occupy a small area, and caring for them is not very difficult. You just need to know when to water and fertilize and how to prune dwarf apple tree in autumn.
Dwarf apple trees They form a crown similar to the usual branching structure, but they require regular pruning. Without her dwarf trees will not produce high yields. Their fruiting period will also be shortened.
Need for pruning
Regular pruning of dwarf apple trees is necessary for the correct balance between the root system and the crown. Without it, the tree will eventually stop bearing fruit altogether, since the root system will not be able to provide nutrition to the overgrown tree. However, strongly trim the apple tree should not be done either - in this case, the roots will not receive enough nutrients from the foliage.
Pruning frees the fruit tree from old, diseased or damaged branches. It also helps avoid thickening of the crown.
With the help of pruning, a structure of skeletal branches is formed, ensuring sufficient sparseness of the crown. Therefore, gardeners attach great importance to it. Options crown formation differ in the distance that is maintained between the skeletal branches.
In the first year after planting dwarf apple tree seedlings, pruning should ensure its survival in a new place. In the future, it helps maintain high productivity and sets up the subsequent development and fruiting of the tree.
Sometimes the purpose of pruning is rejuvenation dwarf apple tree. For old or diseased trees, this method is used to save them.
Basic terms
To understand the process of pruning dwarf apple trees, a novice gardener should familiarize himself with the existing terminology:
- a shoot that has grown within a year is called an annual shoot;
- branches growing from the trunk are considered branches of the first order, shoots growing from them are considered branches of the second order;
- the leader is the shoot, which is a continuation of the trunk;
- twigs sprouted during the summer - growth;
- fruiting branches on which the crop is formed are called overgrowing;
- next to the growth of the central shoot, a lateral one can grow, it is called a competitor;
- Flowers form from flower buds, and shoots develop from growth buds.
Pruning rules
There are several basic rules for autumn pruning of dwarf apple trees:
- it should be carried out after the end of leaf fall, when the tree is already at rest - during this period it will be easier to cope with the stress associated with pruning shoots;
- pruning should be done before the onset of frost, so that all the cuts have time to heal, otherwise they will freeze and the tree will weaken;
- winter pruning is unacceptable, because the tree is in hibernation and is not able to heal the cuts;
- already in the first two years it is necessary to adjust the location of the skeletal branches so that the more powerful branches are lower than the weak ones - this technique contributes to a more uniform development of the branches;
- It is recommended to first trim large branches to see how much the density of the crown has changed - this rule protects the dwarf apple tree from unnecessary pruning;
- after pruning, there should be no stumps left, as they provoke further decay and the formation of a hollow on the trunk.
Tool
In order for the work done on pruning apple trees in the fall to be of high quality, you need to prepare a set of tools with sharpened blades. They must be selected depending on the thickness and location of the branches:
- pruning shears with long handles are used when removing thick or hard-to-reach branches;
- for some shoots it is more convenient to use a garden knife with a curved blade;
- special care is required when handling garden saws whose blades are sharpened on both sides;
- small shoots are sometimes easier to remove with a saw with a curved blade;
- thin shoots can be easily trimmed with garden shears;
- all cuts must be smooth and clean; if they turn out uneven and shaggy, then healing will take more time, during which fungi may develop;
- if a branch is cut with a saw, you must first make an undercut, otherwise the branch may break off;
- Uneven cuts need to be cleaned with a knife until smooth.
Types of pruning
For young dwarf trees, light pruning is done to strengthen the branches. They are shortened by a quarter of the annual growth. From the cut in the spring, new shoots will sprout, forming the desired crown.
During medium pruning, apple tree branches are removed by a third, which also promotes the formation of new shoots. At the same time, the correct crown is formed.This type of pruning is suitable for both 5-7 year old and old trees.
Severe pruning of dwarf apple trees is used when the growth and development of the tree is suspended and fruiting is reduced. With severe pruning, fruit-bearing branches are partially removed in order to ensure sufficient sparseness of the crown and access to air and sunlight for the apples. The branches are cut in half.
General scheme of the procedure
Autumn pruning of a dwarf apple tree includes the following manipulations:
- The first to be removed are thick branches that have cracked under the weight of apples or have received other damage - they will still freeze in winter;
- at the next stage, pruning should touch numerous shoots that thicken the crown - only the strongest of them can be left;
- among the annual growth there are many shoots growing at the wrong angle - it is better to remove them immediately, as they can easily break from a gust of wind or when snow sticks;
- cuts must be immediately disinfected - you can lubricate them with garden varnish;
- it must be applied in a thin layer, otherwise it will dry out and fall off, exposing the wound;
- other damaged areas of the trunk should also be treated with garden varnish;
- Branch cuttings must be collected and burned immediately - they cannot be left under the tree so as not to attract pests.
Features of pruning young trees
The first pruning of a dwarf apple tree after planting is important to stimulate further fruiting. It should be carried out immediately after planting the seedling, in early spring, when the buds have not yet awakened. To relieve stress received after transplantation and speed up rooting, the seedling requires more nutrition. Pruning stimulates it to develop quickly and prevents it from wasting energy on the growth of extra shoots.
In the first year, the main shoot of the dwarf apple tree is shortened to a height of 0.3-0.5 m. The next year, when the side shoots sprout, pruning is done depending on the chosen crown shape. For a more luxuriant crown, you should leave the branches that are directed outward, and the upper buds should be removed.
If you plan to form a tiered crown, then in the second year the upper side shoot is cut to 0.3 m from its base, and the rest to its level. After pruning, the central shoot of the apple tree should be 0.3 m higher than the others. The 4 strongest side shoots remain.
If you plan to form a tiered crown, then the largest side shoot needs to be cut 0.2-0.25 m from the base, and on the central one you can germinate two more main shoots with a distance between them of up to 0.3 m.
The main skeletal branches should grow from each other no closer than at a distance of 0.5 m. They must be formed in such a way that the skeletal branches do not have the same directions, do not interfere with each other, but grow in a free zone.
In dwarf apple trees, in the second year, the growth of the central shoot for any type of crown is shortened by a third, and new skeletal branches - by half.
The next year, the growth of skeletal branches is cut off, leaving from 35 to 45 cm from the beginning of growth, depending on the ability of the shoot to branch. This pruning persists for several years. Starting from the third year, it is also necessary to thin out the crown and shorten the length of last year’s shoots to 25 cm.
Subsequent trims
When the fruit-bearing crown is formed, dwarf apple trees will still produce annual shoots that help increase productivity.For them, pruning consists of thinning the crown:
- removing shoots growing inside it, as well as those that grow up or down;
- pruning intertwining branches;
- eliminating broken or weak branches;
- The sprouts appearing on the side shoots are also removed.
If the annual growth has decreased in volume or become shorter, rejuvenating pruning is carried out. It has a strong stimulating effect on the productivity of the dwarf apple tree and is carried out no more often than every 6-7 years. With rejuvenation pruning, skeletal branches are shortened to 2-5 year old wood. Additionally, crown thinning is also carried out.
One-time severe pruning will weaken the apple tree, so it is carried out over several years. Sometimes, to increase yield, vertical branches are tied to change their orientation to horizontal, which produces more fruit.
The reason for the decrease in fruiting of a dwarf apple tree may be overgrowth of the trunk circle weeds. In this case, you need to clear the area of weeds, organize watering of the tree and shorten annual growth.
Experienced gardeners advise keeping a diary of observations and recording in it all changes in the development of a dwarf apple tree. Regular observations will help you gain the necessary experience in garden care.
Pruning is not a very complicated, but important procedure in caring for dwarf apple trees. If done correctly, an annual abundant harvest of tasty fruits is guaranteed.
