Spring pruning of an apple tree for beginners: instructions in pictures

When to prune an apple tree: spring time

In spring, all plants actively develop. Pruning at this time of year is easily tolerated by trees; they still have enough strength to produce new shoots.

The main thing is to carry out the procedure before the juices begin to flow. It is recommended to shorten the branches before the buds swell, otherwise pruning will negatively affect fruiting.

Experts recommend starting work after above-zero temperatures are established. In principle, pruning can be carried out in even slight frost - down to -4 degrees.

At lower temperatures, the bark becomes brittle and the risk of cracking increases. Warmth comes to each region at its own time.

• For example, in central Russia, apple trees are pruned towards the end of March.
• In the northern regions, trees are pruned in April. It is better to wait until the snow has completely melted.

On a note! If the buds have already awakened on the apple tree, it is recommended not to prune, but to postpone it until autumn.

The best time to prune apple trees

The procedure can be carried out at any time of the year, but most often gardeners prefer to choose spring or autumn for work. Trees are pruned much less frequently in the summer and they are almost never pruned in the winter.

The choice of the appropriate time will directly depend on the goal that the gardener pursues when carrying out the procedure:

• In the spring, they usually carry out sanitary pruning, i.e., they remove those shoots and branches that could not survive the winter cold and have dried out/deformed/broken/sick. You can start working with the plant only after it has begun to wake up, but before the buds open;
• in the fall, trees are pruned immediately after leaf fall ends, all dry and broken branches are removed, old shoots that will not survive the winter and will only take away nutrition from younger shoots;
• in summer the procedure is carried out quite rarely; usually at this time gardeners prefer to thin out the bushes if they are very thick, opening paths for sunlight to penetrate into the depths of the crown;
• In winter, pruning is carried out even less often than in summer, although apple trees tolerate it better than in summer: in winter, those who live in the southern regions of the country prefer to prune apple trees, because if you trim the branches in frost, the bark will be damaged, and the plant will freeze and die.

What tools to use for pruning

Summer residents usually use: a saw, a garden knife, or pruning shears for pruning. The choice of tool depends on the thickness of the branches being cut. Secateurs are usually used to shorten the very tips of the shoots during formative pruning. The remaining tools are used to remove thick branches.

It is better to choose a file with small teeth in order to damage the wood as little as possible. The instrument must be clean and sharp, and treated with an antiseptic before use. For these purposes, you can use a 5% formaldehyde solution, alcohol or vodka.

Pruning a fruiting apple tree

During the period of full fruiting (starting from 4-5 years), the branches are shortened to maintain good productivity for many years. By this time, the crown is usually formed, and the skeletal branches are covered with fruit formations. Pruning comes down only to maintaining or completing the formation of the crown, established in the initial period of the tree’s life, and to maximizing the preservation of fruit branches. This is achieved by creating conditions for good lighting and ventilation of the crown, especially its center. When the branches are loaded with fruits, they spread to the sides, and natural lighting occurs in the interior of the tree. Numerous stepsons may begin to form on asexual branches, which lead to thickening. They must be removed as they take up most of the nutrition and create shadows.

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The central trunk should be bent to the side or cut off into lateral branches while still young. Lightening the center of the crown can be achieved by tilting and tying skeletal and semi-skeletal branches.

The conductors of the skeletal branches stop touching. Annual growth is pruned if it is necessary to change the direction of growth, to avoid the emergence of competitive branches.

Proper lightening of the crown at fruiting age promotes the distribution of fruit buds, increases the productive period of life, and slows down denudation inside the crown. If the branches are strongly intertwined, then thinning is done more strongly.

Pruning fruit-bearing apple trees should promote the formation of annual growth. No good growth (about 30-50 centimeters) means no good harvest in the future.

Rules and schemes for pruning an apple tree depending on the age of the tree

For seedlings, fruit-bearing apple trees and old trees, there are individual pruning rules. Indeed, at each age of the plant, such a procedure pursues its goal.

Annual seedlings

The formation of the crown of an apple tree begins already at one year of age. Tree pruning is carried out immediately after the purchased seedling is planted in the ground.

The procedure is carried out in three stages and is not particularly complicated.

• At a height of 70-80 cm, the top of the main trunk is cut off; this technique causes the growth of side shoots in the current season.
• The side branches remaining on the trunk are shortened to a length of 20-25 cm.
• After pruning, 3-5 buds should remain on these branches.
• Shoots growing at an acute angle are cut off completely, as they will interfere with the formation of a correct, voluminous crown.

Two year old apple trees

Two-year-old apple trees already have a strong stem with several skeletal branches and multiple growths. At this stage, it is important to select 3-5 main shoots that will form the basis of the future crown.

It is important that they grow correctly, forming a right angle with the trunk. All other branches need to be removed. The side shoots are pruned by 25-30 cm. The crown is formed in such a way that the branches of the lower tier are 30 cm longer than those in the upper part of the tree.

On a note! When forming the crown, the remaining shoots, growing at an acute angle to the trunk, are deflected and fixed with wooden spacers.

Fruit trees

Apple trees usually begin to bear fruit at the age of 3-4 years. The crown by this moment is already fully formed. The purpose of pruning such trees is to remove diseased, damaged shoots that thicken the crown. Sanitary pruning is important for the health of the apple tree; it promotes good ventilation and lighting of the tree.

It is important to remember that you cannot delete a large number of branches at once. This can weaken the apple tree and negatively affect the amount of the future harvest. The main thing is to completely remove the shoots growing inside the crown. In the spring, all branches of a fruit-bearing apple tree are also shortened by 15-30 cm. The longer the shoot was initially, the shorter it is cut.

Old apple trees

Old apple trees need rejuvenating pruning. At the first stage, it consists of reducing the crown.

• The trunk of the tree is cut off at a height 2-2.5 cm above the lower tier of the crown.
• After this, branches that no longer bear fruit are cut out.
• Shoots that are too thin are shortened to a length of 15 cm.
• Each fruiting branch is pruned by 40 cm.
• At the last stage, sanitary pruning is done to remove diseased, damaged, crooked shoots.
• At the same time, branches that contribute to thickening the crown are cut off.

Timing and types of pruning

Removing one or two small branches or cutting out dry and broken ones can be done at any time from early spring to late autumn - this will not affect the condition of the tree or the vigor of shoot growth. winter pruning , when the trees are in a state of relative dormancy, or just emerging from it, and summer pruning , during the active growing season.

In southern regions with warm climates, winter pruning is actually done in winter, but where frosts last a long time, it is better to wait until spring. In the conditions of central Russia, this is usually March-April, since the most suitable time is the period from the beginning of the snow melting to the swelling of the buds.

To ensure a good harvest, it is better to prune the apple tree in the spring in clear weather at an air temperature of at least +4 ℃. Frozen wood, due to its fragility, is less able to cut, and damaged areas are especially sensitive to cold and practically do not heal until warmer weather arrives.

The optimal period is after the snow melts and before the buds swell

According to gardeners, young trees that are developing the crown structure and increasing its volume should be pruned at least a month before the start of sap flow. But mature apple trees that grow well and bear fruit abundantly can be taken care of both before and after the start of the spring growing season, right up to the end of flowering.

As for the types of pruning , sometimes it is difficult to separate or distinguish them from each other, since throughout the life of the tree they are closely intertwined with one another, like the branches of a neglected apple tree. Depending on what a particular tree requires in a certain period and on the goals set, standard options are used:

Apple tree pruning technology

There are two ways to prune a fruit tree in the spring. Not all summer residents know exactly when this or that technology is used. By pruning the apple tree haphazardly, you will not only not bring any benefit to it, but you may do harm.

Pruning a branch into a ring

This technology is used when it is necessary to get rid of a branch entirely because it is sick, old or refuses to bear fruit. If you look closely at the base of the branch, you can see a ring-shaped thickening there. In this place there is a cluster of special, rapidly multiplying cells that can quickly tighten the surface of the wound.

Pruning “to the ring” means that you will make the cut directly above this thickening. If the branch is too large or located in an inconvenient place, it is first shortened, leaving a stump about 30 cm long, and then cut along the upper edge of the ring.

Do not leave any nicks on the cut. Trim the surface if necessary - in this case the wound will heal much faster. The resulting cut must be processed.

Pruning "to the bud"

Bud pruning is used to stimulate branching. The cut can be done in different ways. You can shorten the shoot to the outer and inner buds. The first method is used when it is necessary to thin out a too thick crown. In this case, a cut is made above the bud facing the outside of the crown.

If the crown of the tree is too spreading and the center needs to be strengthened, use cutting technology on the inner bud directed towards the center of the crown. The cut must be made at an angle. It should be made 0.5 cm above the kidney. If you leave a long stump, wound healing will slow down. If you cut too close to the bud, you risk damaging it.

On a note! Sometimes, when shortening branches at a cut, it is noticeable that the wood inside is brown. In this case, the shoot should be cut back to healthy tissue.

How to prune a young apple tree

Processing of young apple tree seedlings begins immediately after planting on the site. Shortening the side shoots by 2/3 of the length and the central trunk to 80 centimeters will help distribute nutrition to all parts of the plant.

The following spring, the apple tree is pruned again. To properly form the skeleton, only 3-5 well-developed branches are left on the tree. The lower shoots should be longer than the upper ones, so those branches that are closer to the top are cut off. One indispensable condition for pruning branches: all skeletal shoots are cut at the same level in height, and the central conductor is shortened so that after pruning it is higher than the cut ends of the branches, by about 20 centimeters. It is unacceptable that the stem at the top forks. Pruning is carried out on the outer (from the center of the tree) bud, leaving a 1 centimeter spine.

It is often difficult to identify skeletal branches of equal strength in young trees. In such cases, you can make a preliminary selection of the most well located branches and make the final formative pruning for next year.

The crown can be made in two different shapes:

• Sparsely tiered form. Forming such a crown is quite simple. To do this, cut off all the branches, leaving 4-6 skeletal, strongest branches. The distance between the branches should be maintained at 30-40 centimeters.

• Medium standard form. It is necessary to cut off all branches located on the central trunk below one meter. All remaining branches are left unchanged.

In the first years of crown formation (before fruiting), minimal, moderate cutting should be carried out. Mainly branches in forks and strong competitors are removed, and vertically growing strong branches are bent and pulled to a horizontal position.

Features of pruning a columnar apple tree

Columnar apple trees differ from ordinary ones in that their crown is not spreading, but is formed around the trunk. This is where the name of these fruit trees, whose appearance resembles columns, comes from. Columnar apple trees are very convenient to grow, as they take up a minimum of space, but at the same time give a bountiful harvest.

Proper pruning only improves fruiting:

• In the first year, the trunk is shortened and all side shoots are removed.
• In the second year, you need to pinch only those shoots that are more than 30 cm long; the topmost branch is left, it will be a continuation of the trunk.
• In the third year, the side branches are again slightly shortened, and the upper shoot is pinched at a height of 25 cm.
• In the fourth year, the crown is thinned and weak and improperly growing shoots are removed.
• Starting from the fifth year, the top of the tree is cut off, thereby stopping the growth of the apple tree. Subsequently, pruning is done for sanitary purposes.

All branches that are older than 3-4 years must be removed from the apple tree.

On a note! Pruning of a columnar apple tree in the spring is carried out after flowering has ended.

Trimming schemes

There are two options for spring pruning:

• Thinning. It consists of completely removing some of the branches that interfere with the penetration of sunlight to the fruit. When pruning, a small branch should remain - you cannot cut the branch right down to the trunk, but you also cannot leave a long branch. With this pruning scheme, the tree grows well in the horizontal and vertical directions, and there is no lateral branching in the crown.
• Shortening. Trimming part of the shoot that has grown over the year. After pruning, the branches thicken and side shoots appear on them. With this pruning scheme, growth in height and width is inhibited, but side shoots below the cuts grow faster.

Correct formation of the crown of dwarf apple trees

Dwarf apple trees also need shaping, like trees with a standard crown:

• In the first spring, the trunk of the apple tree is trimmed, leaving it at a level of 50 cm. By the end of summer, several strong branches will appear on the trunk.
• In the spring, the central conductor of a two-year-old apple tree is pruned and the side shoots growing downwards are completely cut out.
• In the third year of life, the central branch is shortened by 5-10 cm, the side shoots need to be shortened by 20 cm.
• In mature trees, the lateral branches are pruned annually so that their length does not exceed 0.5 m.

The height of the apple tree is adjusted by trimming the conductor. Dwarf varieties should not be higher than 2-2.5 m.

Types of apple trees according to the nature of shoot formation

Apple tree varieties are divided into several groups or types according to the nature of fruiting and the ability of their shoot formation. This helps to more correctly determine the nature of pruning and do it correctly.

Main groups:

• First group . Varieties with weak branching and low bud arousability. They form few shoots, but they grow strongly. The branches are weakly leafy, they do not have subordinate branches and are often unstable, drooping from the weight of the fruits. The fusion of branches is fragile. Fruits are formed mainly at the ends of the outer branches. For such apple trees you need to create a strong skeleton. To do this, the growths of the skeletal branches in the center are shortened by 1/3. The remaining shoots and the central conductor are shortened even more so that it does not grow very quickly. The essence of pruning apple trees of this group is to create the growth of a large number of fruit branches and at the same time restrain the growth of the crown in height.
• The second group is varieties with weak and moderate branching and good bud awakening. Apple trees form a crown well. They rarely need to be thinned, but should be trimmed back regularly, especially annual growth. In the center of the crown, the annual growth of all leading branches is pruned annually. Shoots growing inside the crown are pinched, leaving only 5-6 buds.
• The third group is varieties with good branching, in which fruit buds are laid on different fruit branches and mainly at the ends of long growths. Such varieties are often thickened, so you need to shorten the growths as little as possible. Some of the heavily thickened shoots are completely cut out, and the remaining ones are significantly trimmed. To keep the tree skeleton strong, strong annual growths are shortened by 1/3 (in the first 3-4 years of life) and by 1/5 in subsequent years. Medium-length growths are not trimmed. The more you pinch, the more stepsons will grow.

What means are used to treat cut sites?

Branches whose cut diameter reaches 1 cm or more must be treated with special means so that infection does not enter the wound and healing proceeds faster. These can be store-bought compounds and putties made at home.

Garden varieties

This group includes products made from beeswax, propolis, rosin and alcohol. Garden pitch is a kind of putty for treating wounds, including those caused by pruning trees.

Most often, this product is sold in solid form; it will have to be melted before use. This can be done in a water bath or simply by leaving the product in the sun until softened.

Before applying the varnish, the cut is disinfected with brilliant green or a solution of copper sulfate. After this, apply the putty in a thin, even layer, without gaps. At the end of the procedure, experts recommend tying the treated area with a breathable cloth. Garden varnish is inexpensive. Depending on the manufacturer, the price per package is from 40 to 100 rubles. The product is also available in the form of an aerosol, which is significantly more expensive.

Putty recipes

In addition to garden varnish, other means can be used to treat wounds on fruit trees. Summer residents often use:

• Oil or emulsion paint. These products are quite suitable for sealing wounds and protecting the cut from the penetration of moisture and harmful bacteria. However, paints can be washed off by rain. From time to time they will have to be reapplied.
• Clay mixture. To prepare this putty, you need to mix 2 parts clay, 1 part cow dung and a little chopped straw or hay. After combining the components, the mixture should have a consistency similar to sour cream.
• Cement putty. To 1 part of cement add 3 parts of fine sand and dilute with water to the desired consistency. For elasticity, you can add a little drying oil to the putty.

On a note! If none of the above is at hand, you can cover the cut with ordinary garden soil, rubbing it thoroughly into the wound. This is exactly what our ancestors once did.

One-year apple tree seedling: pruning

A one-year-old seedling planted in the fall is pruned six months later - in the spring. If the seedling is planted in the spring, then pruning is carried out immediately after planting. Thus, already in the first year after planting the tree, its crown is formed. If the tree has the correct structure, it will not need any additional supports in the future - thanks to the balanced relationship between the location of the branches and the number of apples.

Please note that future harvests depend on how correctly the apple tree is pruned in the first spring. The most popular option is a sparse multi-tiered crown.

Step-by-step instructions for pruning an annual seedling:

Cut the central trunk at a height of 0.8-1.0 m from the ground surface. Due to the shortening of the main conductor, the side branches, which

which subsequently become skeletal and intensify their growth.

Remove all buds and branches (if any) in the trunk area - from the surface of the ground to the first tier of skeletal branches.

If the seedling has already acquired branches, mark those from which the first tier will be formed. 3-5 branches are enough - they should be directed in different directions so that the tree is symmetrical and balanced. If there are no branches yet, add 5-8 buds for the first tier (take more than you need - in reserve).

Remove any branches that form an angle less than 45 degrees with the trunk. If left, they will break off either during a storm or under the load of fruit.

Cut branches that will be skeletal to 30-40 cm, shortening them by 3-5 buds.

When pruning excess branches, be sure to leave those that are located at a large angle. Such branches are distinguished by their strength and productivity.

When choosing the height of the first tier of skeletal branches, keep in mind that a trunk that is too low will make it difficult to care for the tree, and a trunk that is too high will be susceptible to sunburn.

The first spring pruning is an urgent necessity. Even with the most careful planting, the root system of a seedling is damaged. By pruning the branches, the gardener optimally distributes nutrients in the tree.

What mistakes are made when pruning?

Unfortunately, gardeners do not always prune correctly. Here are the most common errors associated with this procedure:

1. Violation of deadlines. If you prune during active sap flow, the cut will be difficult to overgrow. Loss of sap and further drying out of shortened branches are possible.
2. Using the wrong tool. A garden saw with a wide and thick blade leaves “burrs” on the knots. The hacksaw should have a narrow, thin blade that will damage the wood less.
3. Pruning “to the ring”, capturing the influx itself. After such pruning, a hollow may form on the tree, and then the apple tree itself will die. Pruning 4-5 cm above the ring is no less harmful. The left stump begins to dry out, then an infection can settle in the dead tissue.
4. Delaying pruning on a young apple tree. Soft, thin branches are easier to prune, so work must be done in the first year of planting a seedling. With age, it will be more difficult to form a crown.
5. Use of volatile solvent-based paints for sealing cuts. Such compositions burn the wood tissue, and the wound heals worse.
6. Leaving branches on a tree growing at an acute angle to each other. Over time, the trunk will inevitably crack where the branches meet. It is better to immediately remove one of the shoots, leaving the strongest branch
7. Leaving a poorly executed cut without processing. The “shaggy” cut must be cleaned with a sharp knife until a smooth surface is obtained. Otherwise, the wound will take too long to heal and anything can happen. You should also avoid lifting the bark when pruning.

Pruning rules

Pruning apple trees depends on the age, variety, chosen formation system, and location of the orchard. For amateur gardeners, especially for those who are just beginning to learn the basics of gardening, this is the most difficult job and, afraid of cutting more than necessary, they neglect their trees. Most often, this leads to excessive thickening of the crown and a decrease in the quality of the fruit. There is no need to be afraid to trim a large number of branches from trees. On the contrary, the fewer branches there are, the more productive the tree will become. For beginning gardeners, it is important to learn a set of rules that will help you “decide” to cut your hair and, first of all, do it competently.

So, the main points of cutting apple trees:

1. In the crown of young apple trees, you should always initially select the main shoot and start directly from it in forming the tree. In each skeletal branch the main stepson is also designated. All competing shoots are cut “to the ring”, that is, at the root.

2. The shoots going inside the crown can not be shortened, but tied in a horizontal position. In this case, earlier fruiting occurs.
3. When pruning a garden, the first thing to do is remove broken branches, even if they are connected to an older branch.
4. If a skeletal branch breaks (due to the severity of the fruit or wind), then it can be dealt with differently, depending on the severity. It can be restored if the wood is healthy and there are no signs of fungus. In this case, the fracture site is disinfected, the broken branch is returned to its original place and secured with a spreader. But, if the broken shoot begins to dry out and signs of disease appear on it, then it is removed.
5. Old branches can be tied together so that they do not break and hold the weight longer. Some gardeners use iron staples (especially if the crack has just appeared) or nails for this purpose.
6. Pruning should be done not only in early spring. It often happens that at the height of the summer season, some branches suddenly begin to dry out - the consequences of a harsh winter are felt. They need to be cut off immediately.

7. The condition of the bark on the trunk and skeletal branches deserves special attention. A mandatory measure in the treatment of apple trees should be cleaning the old bark, disinfecting with 5% iron sulfate or 3% copper sulfate solution, treating and sealing wounds and hollows.

Please note: in order to minimize the destructive effects of winter, it is necessary to carry out snowmaking. Snow cover conducts cold air poorly and slowly. To protect the trunk from low temperatures, snow is poured onto the base of the tree. The higher the apple tree is covered with snow, the better it will be preserved. Once the skeletal branches have died, it is no longer possible to save the tree. By the way, when shoveling snow, you cannot expose the soil. The minimum layer of snow must remain at least 20 centimeters, otherwise the ground will freeze and the roots will die.

Additional nuances:

• You shouldn’t get carried away with cutting and expose the tree. You need to stick to the golden mean and not cut out all the “inappropriate” branches in one year;
• It is better to remove two large branches than many small ones. This will cause fewer wounds to the tree;
• dry branches are cut to a healthy place, otherwise the lesion will spread further;
• the cut into the ring should be made as evenly as possible, without leaving a stump, but also without touching the bark of the main trunk;
• The upper branches are removed more than the lower ones;
• First of all, branches growing towards the center of the tree are removed;
• branches growing at an acute angle from the trunk are removed;
• any pruning slows down the growing season of the tree.

How to cover the cuts of apple trees

Be sure to treat the cut areas remaining after pruning the apple trees with special products, using a brush.

The treatment will protect the tree from diseases and infections that can penetrate a fresh cut, stop the leakage of sap, and the tree will quickly recover after pruning.

Depending on weather conditions, use the following formulations:

• at above-zero temperatures they are treated with garden varnish;
• in light frost, treat with oil paint; sections with a diameter of less than 1 cm are easier to treat with aerosol paint.

Garden varnish is made from wax with the addition of vegetable oil. Cover the cuts with a warm mixture. When cooling, the garden pitch is heated. There are also special pastes and putties for trees on sale.

Regular pruning, fertilizing, treatment against infections and pests - all these simple measures will help the correct development and normal fruiting of the apple tree, even in not the most favorable conditions.

Which branches to trim and prune an apple tree in spring

Now let's look at which branches need to be completely removed, and which ones just need to be trimmed.

ATTENTION! Be sure to read the material to the end and only after that proceed to pruning your apple tree.

In order not to cause harm to the plant instead of benefit, it is necessary to strictly follow the pruning rules.

• First of all, it is necessary to remove all diseased branches . Moreover, they need to be put aside separately, and then destroyed and burned.

Important! Bold trees need to be trimmed back to healthy wood.

In this case, it is advisable to do this
“on the ring”,

“transfer” method

• All broken and cracked branches, which are most likely also affected by some kind of disease, must also be removed.
• You need to get rid of all crooked branches (growing through other branches or crossing, “ rubbing against each other ”) and branches growing into the crown that shade good branches.

By the way! Such branches can be removed completely (by cutting them “to a ring”), or they can be transferred “to fruiting” by cutting them “to a bud”, and it should look outward (if you do the opposite, the operation will be pointless).

• Branches that grow at a very acute angle (i.e., their angle of departure is less than 40-45 degrees) and form so-called “forks” are absolutely unnecessary They are also cut out.

Due to the load of fruit, such a branch can simply crack and form a severe wound.

• As you understand from the picture above, in addition, you need to cut off all the branches growing downwards (at an obtuse angle).
• All tops (vertical shoots on skeletal branches, also called “ wen ”), as well as root suckers must be removed .

By the way! Tops can be used for spring grafting of apple trees .

• You also need to cut out all the shoots located below the first tier (so that they do not hang directly above the ground).

In short, all unnecessary and interfering branches that thicken and shade the crown and also make it difficult to ventilate the tree should be pruned.

• It is very important not to leave competing branches (or thus replace old ones with new ones), pruning them “for translation” .

This is especially true for branches that compete with the conductor (the main trunk). For example, if they have already become the same thickness, and both tend upward.

However, thick branches should not be pruned in one year. It is better to first remove most of the second-order branches, and next year get rid of the competitor completely.

Bending branches

Advice! It is not necessary to cut off all the good, upright growing branches. To give them a more horizontal position, they can be bent down by pulling them down with a rope and tied to a stake in the ground or directly to a tree.

In general, it is believed that it is very important to bend the branches of an apple tree. The angle should be 40-45 degrees.

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• For better branching and stimulation of fruit formations, it is worth shortening all the continuation branches “by a bud” - the annual growth by 1/3 (on the outer bud) or, even better, by 3 buds.

Note! There is no need to shorten the already short branches (up to 20-30 cm), at the tips of which there are flower (fruit) buds - the entire harvest is on them. Long (more than 40-50 cm) growth branches (with vegetative buds) must be pruned.

In this case, it is recommended to prune to the third bud. When pruning just to the outer bud, the shoot continues to grow in the same direction. And only the third bud, if left outside, gives a good deviation to the side.

Thus, by pruning a tree, you can change the direction of its branching. In this case, it is necessary that the apple tree has predominantly horizontal branches. It’s worth either of vertical ones completely or artificially redirecting them.

Video: how to prune an apple tree correctly

Trimming tools

It is important to choose the right tool. You can use hacksaws, pruning shears and saws.

The saws used are not construction saws, but special garden saws that have small teeth. This saw causes less damage to the wood at the beginning of the cut. For tall fruit trees, use a lopper. It allows you to reach the most inaccessible branches.

All tools must be clean, well sharpened and free of rust when used. Can be treated with alcohol or other disinfectant.

It is recommended to process the tool after each tree to avoid transfer of fungus from one apple tree to another.

Why is pruning needed?

It would seem that the larger the tree, the more harvest it will produce. But this is far from true. If a variety is programmed to produce 50 kg of fruit, then no matter the height of the tree, it will not produce more than 50 kg. A tall tree will produce 50 kg of small fruits, because nutrients rise to such a height with difficulty, and a short tree will produce 50 kg of large and sweet ones.

Thus, we can say that the main goal of pruning is to obtain a crown whose branches would be maximally illuminated and which are easy to reach without additional devices - ladders, tables, stands, etc. The middle of the tree should be completely open to sunlight from all sides. In addition, there will be no ventilation inside the dense crown, which will lead to the appearance of fungal diseases and the accumulation of pests.

Rejuvenation of an old apple tree

If there is a tree in the garden that is more than 30 years old, you need to think about how to prune an old apple tree in the spring. Anti-aging pruning will improve and continue fruiting of the tree, and also rid the entire garden of old branches that may be infected. But before the operation, you need to carefully examine the tree. It can be rejuvenated if the trunk is undamaged and there are strong skeletal branches.

It is better to start radical pruning in the fall, cutting down dry and damaged branches;

An approximate diagram will tell you how to properly prune apple trees in the spring, so as not to destroy the tree with a large volume of cuts. First, cut off the branches growing inward;

The top of the trunk is also removed at a height of 3-3.5 m to open the crown;

Next spring, rejuvenation is continued by removing powerful skeletal branches that interfere with the growth of other fruit-bearing branches;

Rules for pruning apple trees in spring for beginners emphasize that no more than a third of the tree's branches are removed each year.

We recommend reading these articles:

Treating trees in the spring during bud break

Treatment of shrubs in the spring during bud break

Treating shrubs in the spring against pests and diseases with Bordeaux mixture

Why prune an apple tree: the purpose and objectives of pruning

The main purpose of pruning an apple tree (like any other plant) is to increase the quantity and quality of the harvest, as well as to take care of the health of the tree itself (in order to extend its life = fruiting).

Thus, by pruning an apple tree, you solve the following tasks aimed at achieving the above goal:

• improving access to sunlight;
• ensuring optimal ventilation inside the crown;
• disease prevention.

Simply put, apple tree pruning is carried out in order to:

• correctly form the tree so that it has a comfortable crown and produces stable yields;

Also, thanks to the formation of the correct crown by pruning, it becomes convenient to care for the tree, and most importantly, to harvest .

• regulate the growth of the tree, i.e. increase or decrease;
• eliminate the frequency of fruiting (so that a situation does not arise when a plant bears fruit one year, but not the next);
• improve the quality of the fruit (after proper pruning, the fruits become larger and tastier).

The process of pruning old apple trees:

• Shorten the main branch and all branches by a third to ensure illumination of the lower branches;
• Eliminate every young shoot growing at the base of the apple tree and from the trunk;
• Cut out every branch that grows “downwards”;
• In case of close placement, the stronger branch should be left and the other one should be eliminated;
• On branches, cut off the lower shoots;
• Branches whose growth is directed towards the middle of the crown must be removed.

Such pruning should be carried out according to these instructions for three years, after which positive changes and a strong increase in the quality of the crop will be visible. After finishing trimming the old apple tree, coat each stump with garden varnish or plasticine. Also cover the largest ones with polyethylene over the putty to help the apple tree bear stress more easily. When autumn approaches, this cover must be removed so that the tree can strengthen before the cold weather sets in.

It is worth noting that there is no need to eliminate a huge number of branches at once. Their number should be approximately a third of all shoots. Otherwise, culture recovery after the procedure may not occur.

What to do if there is nothing to trim

If there is nothing to prune and there is no growth of new shoots, it is worth reconsidering the care. This situation indicates that the tree is uncomfortable. The reasons may be as follows:

1. Proximity of groundwater. When the root system is fully formed, it will reach the level of cold groundwater. This will lead to stunting of growth, rotting of roots, and infection by fungal diseases. To avoid this problem, you need to know the optimal planting depth for different varieties. For tall trees - 2.5 m, medium height - 1.5 m, short trees - 1 m. To save the tree, you will need drastic pruning. In such conditions, the plant should not be higher than 2 m.
2. Poor soil. The apple tree lacks nutrients, which slows down its development. To correct the situation, in spring and autumn, manure or humus is applied under the roots, and at the end of summer, mown grass is piled up. Peas are planted in the tree trunk circle, and then their tops are dug into the ground. After a few years of such care, the soil fertility will increase.
3. Unsuitable climate. If the apple tree variety is not suitable for a particular region, the plant will develop slowly and die within 5 years. It will not be possible to solve the problem; you will have to get rid of the plant.

This is interesting:

A step-by-step guide for beginner gardeners: how to plant an apple tree in spring

How and what to spray apple trees against pests in summer

Step-by-step guide to planting a closed-root apple tree in summer

Caring for an apple tree after spring pruning

Care is not complicated. After pruning, it is necessary to process all the resulting sections to prevent rotting. Sections of 1 cm are not processed; the rest must be cleaned, sanded and coated with varnish, or covered with paint. Or they are smeared with clay and fresh mullein mixed in equal proportions.

You can prepare a special brew yourself according to recipes. There are several of them:

• Var Zhukovsky. Rosin, wax and warm fat are taken in equal proportions.
• Var Pashkevich. One part turpentine, wax, 1/2 rosin and 1/4 fat.
• Var Gauta. Pine resin, alcohol, soda and gum with water.
• Var Raevsky. Wood resin, alcohol, linseed oil.

After the procedure, it is necessary to inspect all apple trees for the presence of moss or lichen on the bark. You need to get rid of them, as they can grow throughout the trunk and limit air access. The branches may dry out. It is recommended to scrape off mosses and lichens with a plastic scraper and treat them with a solution of copper sulfate and garden pitch.

If you do not prune, the crown of the apple tree begins to grow quickly. The apple tree will bear fruit earlier, but then everything changes. Some branches grow straight up, while the rest grow randomly. Sick, dead branches thicken the crown. The branches begin to break off under the weight of the harvest, the tree gets sick, dries out and dies. Therefore, spring pruning must be done every year.

Important nuances of spring pruning of fruit trees

Many novice gardeners who pick up pruning shears for the first time make the same mistakes, and failure to meet deadlines is just one of them. What is important to remember when starting spring pruning of the garden?

1. Preparation of inventory. The tools you use for pruning must be sharpened and disinfected. Otherwise, you risk not only causing unnecessary injury to the tree, but also infecting the damaged area.

For better sharpening, the tool can be pre-soaked in salt water for half an hour (1 tbsp per 1 glass of water).

2. Pruning young trees. Excessive pruning of non-bearing trees should be avoided. The essence of the procedure should be to remove diseased, damaged shoots that thicken the crown or compete with the skeletal branches, as well as shortening annual growths to subordinate the branches to the central conductor.

3. Pruning technique. Shoots that you want to remove completely must be cut into rings, leaving no stumps. To avoid breaking off the bark when cutting a thick branch, first make a cut from the bottom side, and only then completely cut the branch from above.

4. Attention to the kidneys. Carry out pruning carefully so as not to accidentally touch the buds with the tip of the blade. When shortening to a bud, the pruning shears are brought in from the side of the adjacent branch, positioning it at an angle of 45 degrees in the direction from the base to the top of the shoot. The cutting blade should be 1-2 mm below the base of the kidney, and the second blade should be 1-2 mm above.

Bud pruning