How to prune a young apple tree in spring for beginners

Content

1 Do young apple trees need to be pruned in spring?
2 When to prune apple trees in spring
3 Types of pruning
4 Preparing tools
5 Basic pruning techniques
6 How to prune young apple trees in spring
7 How to prune a mature apple tree
8 Care after pruning
- 8.1 Wound treatment products
9 Gardener mistakes
10 Conclusion

Pruning a young apple tree in the spring is not that difficult for beginners. The main condition is to correctly determine the timing and outline the scheme. Trimming is carried out at all stages of growth - from one-year-old seedlings to old trees.

Do young apple trees need to be pruned in spring?

Apple tree pruning in spring must be done annually for several reasons:

Removing weak branches that take away nutrients but do not bear fruit.
Removing old shoots for rejuvenation.
Thinning the crown to allow air and light access to all shoots.
Stimulating the growth of new branches, which will increase yield.
Thinning for easy access to different parts of the crown.

When to prune apple trees in spring

It is necessary to prune young apple trees in spring in March, when the air temperature is consistently above 5 degrees. If the temperature readings are unstable, you need to wait a little longer so as not to disturb the trees. When it's too cold outside, wounds on apple trees don't heal well, and such pruning will do more harm than good.

Pruning begins at the very beginning of spring

It is also impossible to plan work for April and May. At this time, the buds swell, sap flow begins, after which the leaves bloom. Therefore, pruning at a late date is definitely not possible - the wounds will ooze, and the tree may even die.

When choosing a time frame, it is important to take into account the climatic features of the region:

middle zone - first half of March;
southern regions - mid, second half of February;
Ural, Siberia, Far East - mid, second half of March.

If the deadline for pruning the apple tree in the spring is missed, you can start working no earlier than October-November. An alternative is to wait until next season and trim the tree in March.

Types of pruning

There are quite a few types of pruning. Depending on the purpose of pruning, there are several types of pruning:

Sanitary.
Formative.
Rejuvenating.

Apple trees are trimmed every spring. It is necessary to remove broken, dry branches, as well as shoots that have been severely damaged by frost, diseases or pests.

The formation of the crown of an apple tree is also carried out in the spring; this is especially important for young apple trees. To do this, pinch out green growths, thin out branches, shorten shoots by a third of the length or less, and remove branches that extend far beyond the general contour (for example, side shoots of columnar apple trees).

Rejuvenating pruning is done for old trees over 20 years old. To do this, it is necessary to remove old branches that do not bear fruit or produce a small harvest. Moreover, it is carried out gradually, annually removing one skeletal branch and several branches of 2-3 orders. At the same time, it is advisable to start pruning not in spring, but in late autumn.The sequence of actions is as follows:

First, prune dry and damaged branches.
After this, in the spring they do a shaping haircut according to the chosen pattern. At the same time, remove branches that grow inward.
The top is removed at a height of 3 m to open the crown of the apple tree.
The following spring, the rejuvenation procedure is continued, 1-2 skeletal branches are removed, which interfere with the growth of relatively young, well-fruiting shoots.
The same applies in subsequent years.

Rejuvenating pruning of an old tree in the spring is aimed at removing broken and thickening branches

Another classification is based on the intensity with which the haircut is done:

Weak - pinching annual green shoots to stimulate the growth of other branches, shortening skeletal branches by a quarter of their length.
Medium - most branches are cut by a third. This type of pruning is carried out in the spring for apple trees that are five years old.
Strong – radical removal of several branches at once. It is carried out to rejuvenate adult apple trees (from 10 years old) both in spring and autumn.

There are also two main cutting methods:

Shortening is the partial removal of shoots that have grown over the current or last year. This is the most common technique to stimulate the growth of other branches of the apple tree in the spring.
Thinning is the complete removal of individual branches that interfere with the flow of light to the underlying shoots. Promotes further growth not only in height, but also in width.

A visual comparison of shortening and thinning

Preparing tools

To properly prune a young apple tree in the spring, you need to choose a pattern and prepare tools. Usually the following equipment is used for work:

pruner;
garden knife;
lopper with rods of different lengths (necessary for pruning hard-to-reach shoots);
a saw with a special bend and narrowing towards the end of the blade.

Before you start pruning in the spring, your tools need to be sharpened well. If necessary, the blades are washed - they should be free of dirt and rust. Immediately before work, they are disinfected in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate, vitriol or other antiseptics.

Basic pruning techniques

There are two main methods of pruning - ring and bud. In the first case, the branch is completely removed. To do this, you need to find a zone of ring-shaped growth at the base of the shoot. The cut is made smooth and clean so that one half of the ring remains on the branch and the other on the base.

Moreover, you should not leave the stump, otherwise it will dry out, then some of the wood will fall out, and as a result you will get a hollow. If you cut off the ring completely and go deeper into the underlying tissues (cambium), this will lead to severe injury to the apple tree.

Scheme of correct cutting for a ring

In the second case, the branch is partially removed. Pruning is done on the outer bud to expand the crown with further thinning. It is also possible to cut a bud that “looks” into the crown. They do this to stimulate growth, as well as to compact the crown.

Scheme of correct pruning per bud

Important! Since the ring sections of the cut are large, immediately after cutting they need to be treated with copper or iron sulfate. After this, you can apply garden varnish.

How to prune young apple trees in spring

Schemes for pruning a young apple tree in the spring depend on the purpose for which the procedure is being carried out, as well as on the age of the seedling. Trimming is carried out regularly - both for young trees and old ones. Moreover, you should start working with annual plants.

Annual seedlings

Pruning of annual seedlings is planned for the spring. It is important to start forming the crown from the first year. Thanks to this, all shoots will grow correctly; there is no need to install supports. It will be convenient to care for trees and harvest crops.

To get a proper haircut, you need to form several tiers with a sparse crown. The sequence of actions is as follows:

Branches are removed from the central trunk to form a trunk at a height of 1 m. Over the next season, new skeletal branches will form from the buds.
If the seedling already has shoots, they are cut so that 3-5 buds remain (length up to 40 cm).
Shoots that grow at an angle of no more than 45 degrees relative to the central trunk are removed. If they grow at an acute angle, they can break from strong winds and damage the trunk itself. Also, such branches fall due to a bountiful harvest.
Several skeletal branches are outlined with a normal angle in relation to the trunk - the larger it is, the stronger the shoot will be. They also leave shoots that grow almost at right angles (perpendicular).

Two-year-old seedlings

Pruning a young two-year-old apple tree seedling in the spring is carried out according to the same rules as a one-year-old one. First you need to inspect the seedling and leave the strongest shoots that have grown well over the previous season. Moreover, to form a crown, it is enough to outline 3-5 branches. They will form the basis (skeleton) of the tree. The basic rules for pruning are:

Priority is given to shoots that grow at an angle of 60-90 degrees relative to the central trunk.
To form a tiered crown, the lower shoots are shortened less, and the upper ones, on the contrary, more. They should remain up to 30 cm long.
The conductor (central trunk) should be 30 cm above all other branches, which corresponds to 4-5 buds.
If the top of the central trunk forks, the weaker branch must be removed. Also, with the help of stretch marks, it can be converted into a skeletal one, as shown in the diagram.

Stretching with ropes allows you to ensure the growth of skeletal branches at an acceptable angle

Young trees (3-5 years old)

In young trees, the crown is already mostly formed. It should have a rounded outline - all strongly protruding shoots should be removed. Pruning is carried out to a minimum, observing the following rules:

Every spring, all shoots damaged by frost are removed.
The trunk is not allowed to bifurcate - there should be only one central conductor.
The height of the trunk should be at the level of the branches of the second tier.
If the side shoots rapidly grow in width, they are shortened to the general boundaries of the crown.
During work, be sure to leave fruit branches, rings, ringlets and others. They will bear the first fruits and will continue to bear fruit over the coming years.

You can learn how to prune young apple trees in the spring from the video.

The formation of the crown of an apple tree is carried out in accordance with age

How to prune a mature apple tree

When pruning mature trees, care must be taken to ensure that the trees do not grow too quickly. If growth occurs at an accelerated pace, this will have a bad effect on yields. The crown will quickly become thick, which will interfere with care and harvesting of fruits.

The basic rules for pruning an adult apple tree in spring are as follows:

It is necessary to inspect the crown and remove branches that are clearly thickening the crown. They prevent light from reaching the underlying shoots.
For the same reason, duplicate shoots that are too close to each other are removed.Of these, only the strongest branches should be left.
Remove vertical growth that appeared in the previous season. It weakens the tree too much and thickens the crown. In addition, such growth produces many large leaves that interfere with access to sunlight.

The formation of an adult tree is carried out over the years

Care after pruning

Pruning in the spring and at other times is always stressful for the crop. Even if you choose the right time, the apple tree may suffer from wounds. To speed up their healing, it is necessary to properly care for the plant.

To do this, it is recommended to thoroughly weed the tree trunk circle and loosen it. At the beginning of April, nitrogen fertilizing is applied - urea granules or ammonium nitrate in the amount of 50 g per 1 m². They are scattered evenly over the surface and then watered with water. It can also be spread over melted snow.

In early spring, after pruning, there is no need to water the apple tree. The soil is still quite moist due to the snow mass, and the tree is still “sleeping”. As soon as the temperature becomes positive and the soil dries out, apple trees are given 2-3 buckets per young seedling or 5-8 for an adult tree.

After watering or heavy rain, the soil should be loosened again. To keep the soil moist in spring and summer, mulch is placed on the surface. This can be hay, straw, sawdust, peat and other organic matter.

Wound treatment products

The basic rule of care after pruning an apple tree in the spring is to treat the wounds. First of all, they are sprayed with a solution of iron or copper sulfate. A concentration of 3% is sufficient, i.e. 300 g of powder is dissolved in 10 liters of water. Next, coat with garden varnish. You can buy it at the store or prepare it yourself.

It is acceptable to use other means:

dark pink solution of potassium permanganate;
Bordeaux mixture;
cement mortar;
a mixture of loamy soil and cow pats.

Gardener mistakes

When pruning an apple tree in the spring, beginners and even experienced gardeners can make mistakes, some of them quite serious:

Part of the shoot is removed, leaving a stump that is too large - as a result, a hollow may form through which infection and pests can penetrate. You need to remove the shoots 2-3 cm above the bud, making an oblique cut.
Summer residents often violate the timing of the procedure - they perform pruning too early in February or very late in April.
They leave a lot of young growth, which thickens the crown.
Old branches that still bear fruit normally are completely removed. Even if they are covered with lichens and mosses, they should be left.

Conclusion

For beginners, it is necessary to prune a young apple tree annually in the spring. This is a mandatory procedure that allows you to form a crown, protect the tree from diseases, and also increase productivity. Spring pruning of young apple trees is shown in detail in the video.