Pruning peach in autumn: instructions for beginners in pictures step by step

Types of pruning

Basic pruning techniques used for peach trees:

1. Thinning is the complete removal of an entire branch. Old and unnecessary branches are subjected to the procedure. This pruning does not affect the amount of harvest and serves as a way to rejuvenate the tree.
2. Shortening (weak, moderate, strong). With the weak method, ¼ of the length of 5% of the number of branches is cut off. Moderate pruning involves trimming 10% of the branches by 1/3. Strong – removal of ½ of the length from 20% of tree branches.

The functions of autumn and spring pruning are presented in the table.

Why prune peach trees in the fall?

Peaches are grown not only in Kuban and Crimea, but also in central Russia and even in the northern regions. Many varieties are considered zoned. They are quite resistant to cold. At the same time, all trees require proper care. Only in this case it is possible to achieve good yield.

Peaches must be pruned in the fall. There are several types of pruning:

• sanitary;
• rejuvenating;
• formative.

Preparing for autumn pruning

Preparing a tree for pruning includes purchasing the necessary materials and choosing the right time for the procedure. Beginning gardeners should study specialized literature before carrying out the pruning procedure.

Target

The purpose of crop pruning is to ensure harmonious development of the tree, creating comfortable conditions for fruiting for a long time. To get a high-quality fruit, it is necessary to give the peach crown an optimal shape.

The purpose of autumn pruning is to prepare the tree for cold weather. Removing damaged branches will allow the peach to rationally distribute its forces.

Deadlines

Pruning is stressful for any tree. The optimal time for peach pruning is mid-September - early October.

Rules that must be followed before the procedure:

• end of fruiting;
• quite high temperature.

Beginning gardeners often wonder when to prune peach trees: in the fall or in the spring. Sometimes the peach is pruned in the spring. This time of year is only suitable for mature trees over 4 years old.

Required Tools

A special tool is used to trim the tree. Requirements for the tool:

• pungency;
• absence of rust and burrs;
• disinfection (potassium permanganate solution is used);
• rubbing with alcohol.

Why do you need to prune your peach tree in the fall?

Peach is a demanding crop, so pruning is strictly necessary.

Like any fruit and berry crop, pruning peach is aimed at ensuring the harmony of its development, the maximum possible fruiting over a long time, and obtaining large and tasty fruits. To do this, the crown is given an optimal shape, all “ballast” is removed and the growth of fruiting branches is regulated.

The main distinguishing feature that must be taken into account when pruning is that peach fruits are set only on last year’s shoots.

Proper pruning of a peach tree is an extremely important procedure in the complex of all plant care measures. In spring and summer, peach forms many “extra”, from the point of view of agronomists, buds and shoots, on which only growth or only flower buds are present. They take away the nutrition the ovaries of future fruits need.

From a school biology course, everyone knows that any plant receives most of its nutrients from the soil through its roots. In peach this process goes much faster than in most trees. In this case, nutrients are primarily used for the development of branches. If such “unnecessary” branches are not cut off in time, the tree will become exhausted due to constant “overload”, will stop bearing fruit, and will soon dry out.

The main goal of autumn pruning of a tree is to prepare it for winter in such a way that it is guaranteed to survive the cold. To do this, it is imperative to remove all dried, old, too thin and weak branches, as well as shoots with any traces of the presence of pests.

Autumn pruning prepares the tree for winter and increases its yield.

In general, any dry branches and foliage on them are an excellent place for overwintering many types of pathogenic fungi, bacteria and pest larvae. After overwintering, they attack the tree, and you will have to fight them throughout the season. It is not a fact that the peach will bear fruit under such conditions. Therefore, it is much easier to get rid of pests in the fall by cutting off all the branches and shoots that can serve as shelter for them for the winter.

When weather forecasters promise heavy snowfalls in your region in winter, you also need to cut off all the fragile thin branches that can break under the weight of the snow.

Another task is crown formation. Peach is extremely demanding of sunlight and heat. If the crown is thick and disorderly, the branches inside lose their foliage, and the fruits do not ripen - they are too dark and cold, and there is not enough ventilation. Peaches appear only on the “periphery” of the crown and in much smaller quantities than could be the case with timely, competent pruning.

Aesthetic perception also plays an important role for the gardener. Evenly pruned trees look much more beautiful and neat, rather than a random interweaving of branches reminiscent of a crow's nest.

A tree with a properly formed crown not only bears more fruit, but also pleases the gardener’s eye

Autumn pruning is by no means an alternative to spring and summer pruning. All these procedures are equally important. The main task facing the gardener in the spring is to form the correct crown, which will ensure the supply of light, heat and fresh air to the fruiting branches and easy access to them for subsequent care and picking of peaches. In the summer, you need to cut out the branches that died during the winter due to the cold - at this time they are better visible.

It is also important that autumn pruning is much safer than pruning at any other time. At this time, active vegetation naturally dies out, the tree concentrates on preparing for the upcoming cold weather and protection from frost, and “hibernates” under the influence of weather and climatic conditions. In this state, it tolerates injuries more easily. Therefore, it is in the fall that fruit-bearing branches are shortened and their number decreases.

According to agronomists, the optimal number of such branches for an adult tree should not exceed 80 pieces. Only in this case, in the spring, the energy from the nutrition received from the earth will be distributed as you need - first of all, it will go to fruit-bearing branches and fruit ovaries.

What happens if pruning is not done? The formation of fruits in larger quantities than the tree can provide with nutrition for full ripening leads to the fact that they become smaller and crumble, and varietal characteristics are lost. After 2–3 years, the tree, overloaded with excess wood and small fruits, becomes depleted and becomes easy prey for all types of fungi, bacteria and pests. It most likely will not survive the next winter due to extreme exhaustion.

Consequences of lack of pruning - video

Carrying out

The quality of the fruit depends on the correctness of the circumcision procedure.

Types of shoots

Types of shoots are presented in the table.

Rules

Peach pruning in the fall is carried out according to the scheme given below and includes the following rules:

1. Carrying out the first procedure only six months after planting the peach.
2. Trimming the top of the tree to a height of 1 meter. It is necessary that the trunk have two supporting branches or buds. These elements are tied to supports. The angle between the supporting branches and the bud should be 45 degrees.
3. Cutting off the remaining side shoots of the upper bud.
4. In the second year, the central shoot is cut off at the bifurcation of the lateral skeletal branches.
5. After another year, the supporting branches are cut off by 1/3, in addition, the growth buds are cut off.

Following the instructions will result in the first harvest appearing on the tree in the fourth year.

Formation of a cup-shaped crown

Distinctive features of the crown:

• absence of a central conductor;
• the presence of one tier of 3-4 main branches.

The fruit of this crown shape has a beautiful color and good taste.

Spindle-shaped

Allows you to save space. Advantages:

• uniform illumination of the crown from all sides;
• easy care;
• high quality harvest.

A significant drawback is reduced frost resistance.

Bush-like

It is formed by leaving four young shoots formed from low-lying buds. These branches will begin to bear fruit in 2 years. Subsequently, the peach is cut off at the level of the root collar and a bush is formed from summer branches.

Pruning peach in autumn: favorable days, timing

Pruning is carried out strictly within the established time limits. Sanitation measures must be planned for spring and autumn. It is important to remember that removing and shortening branches is stressful for the tree. If we are talking about cutting down thick branches, it is better to leave it until spring.

You can do some of the pruning in the fall and leave some of the work until the spring. You cannot remove more than 1/4 of the branches at a time, even when performing anti-aging pruning. The time for caring for the garden must be chosen carefully. At the time of pruning the branches, the leaves should fall almost completely. At this time, sap flow slows down and almost stops; removing branches will become less stressful for the trees. It is important that the peaches have time to recover a little before the frost begins.

The ideal month for pruning is October. In regions with a warm climate, such work can be planned for early November. It is better to choose a date according to the lunar calendar. When the moon wanes, sap flow in the trees slows down. At this time, the peach will tolerate the procedure more easily and will recover faster. You cannot prune your garden during the new or full moon.

Depending on the age of the peach

It is important to understand that the formation of the crown occurs in several stages. Circumcision should not be carried out earlier than six months after planting.

Young seedling

Requires formative pruning. The procedure will allow you to get a beautiful crop that consistently produces crops.

Over 3 years old

The period is characterized by the formation of lower branches of the second order. To do this, the length of shoots on skeletal branches is shortened to 40 cm.

After 8-10 years

Every spring it is necessary to remove damaged branches and young growth at the base of the crop.

How to prune a peach in the fall step by step: instructions for beginners, video

In autumn, formative pruning is usually not carried out. This is only possible in the southern regions, but even there many gardeners prefer to shape and rejuvenate peaches in the spring, and carry out only sanitary measures in the fall.

To carry out sanitary pruning, you need to stock up on sharp tools (secateurs, special saw). Cutting parts must be treated with alcohol or a disinfectant solution. To trim, remove:

• foliar shoots;
• spinal branches (growing upward at right angles);
• dry, diseased shoots;
• branches that grow inside the crown cross each other.

Long shoots should be shortened by about a third. Branched ones need to be trimmed, moving them to an outer branch and shortening it to the bottom bud.

It is recommended to remove all branches at the base, leaving no stumps. Sections should be treated with a 3% solution of copper sulfate. If the cut diameter is more than 1 cm, it is better to cover it with garden varnish.

On a note!

Peach is very susceptible to fungal diseases, so you need to handle the cuts carefully.

Post-care

Properly pruning a peach is the initial task of gardeners. The next stage is ongoing care.

Necessary activities:

• treating wounds with garden varnish;
• abundant watering;
• feeding with fertilizers.

Proper formation of the peach crown is the main condition for regular fruiting.

Preparing tools

All equipment is prepared in advance. Videos for beginners and step-by-step instructions in pictures will help you do everything correctly. All tools should be sharpened sharply. Remove all traces of rust. The inventory must be in full working order.

Disinfection is carried out in a solution of potassium permanganate (30 minutes). Afterwards, the equipment is dried naturally, the surfaces are wiped with alcohol. After drying, they begin to work.

For a haircut you need:

• pruner;
• lopper;
• garden saw and knife;
• scissors.

The edges of the pruning shears should meet tightly. Use only for dense branches reaching a diameter of 2-2.5 cm. A garden saw is used for the largest branches. Scissors are necessary for thin young branches.

Features and timing of pruning: when to start

Peach trees of any age are pruned throughout the growing season and even before sap flow begins. In certain periods, emphasis is placed on thinning and crown formation (as a rule, this is spring or autumn pruning), or on normalizing the yield (summer pruning).

There is an opinion among gardeners that peaches need to be pruned like grapes, that is, green shoots should be removed almost every month, and then the shoots and branches should be completely pruned in the fall. In the spring, it is customary to remove those branches that are frozen or have received severe mechanical damage in winter.

The nuances of pruning in the spring

In the spring, gardeners shape the tree's crown by making the necessary pruning. During this period, shoots actively grow on the branches and forks are formed. In strong winds, thin branches will break, so they need to be removed.

If this is not done, then in winter moisture will be retained on the forks, frost will strike and the branches will be covered with ice. To avoid these problems, you need to perform preventive pruning in the spring.

Spring pruning of peaches is done when the buds on the branches have swelled and the flowers have not yet bloomed. This happens from March 15 to April 20. The terms are floating.

Proper pruning of branches in spring is good because they come to life and you can immediately see which ones were frostbitten and withered. They need to be cut off, just like the excess ones. The rest are left, they will grow and bear fruit.

Which crown shape is best to choose?

Previously, peaches grew well only in the southern regions, but today, thanks to the efforts of domestic breeders, they grow in mid-Russian latitudes and in the Trans-Urals. Peaches cannot tolerate too much frost, and if they are not insulated and covered in time, the branches and roots located close to the edge of the ground will freeze.

Thaws that occur in December are also harmful to plants. The trees may begin to flow sap, they will put out buds, and then frosts will strike and they will freeze. This is harmful to plants.

Early covering of trees is harmful because the bark will become supported and in some places may begin to rot. In advanced cases, this will cause the death of the plant.

Depending on the area and weather conditions in which the peach will grow, its crown is given the optimal shape:

1. The cup-shaped top of the tree is made in tiers in regions where it is warm, for example, in the Crimea, and in winter there is often above-zero temperatures or slight frosts.
2. Formation When the crown is made into a “fruit link”, the trunk turns out to be creeping. Leave 2 main skeletal branches. The fruits on them ripen in turns, in 1 year on one, in 2 years on the other. This is a thickened planting, it is also called a “meadow garden.” This type of pruning is done when the peach grows in an area with harsh winters and the tree is covered during the winter.
3. In the form of 2 shoots from the ground. The strongest ones are left. They bear fruit, then they are cut off and 2 strong branches grow next to each other. Most often, this bush shape is given to a tree in the Moscow region.

" Important! If the peach grows in an area with cold winters, then spring pruning is done not in March, when the buds have not yet opened, but later, when there are leaves. Then it’s obvious where the living branches are and where the frostbitten ones are that need to be removed.”

Tree Formation Problems

Pruning is carried out to increase the yield of the tree and extend its productive life. Nutrients extracted from the soil by the roots are distributed evenly along the trunk. At the same time, branches without fruits grow faster, thickening the crown. The tree inside is exposed, and the yield is minimal. If the young branches do not grow, fruiting will stop.

Pruning is done in order to:

• improve lighting and ventilation of the tree;
• facilitate harvesting;
• stimulate the formation of fruitful shoots;
• remove old branches, rejuvenating the tree;
• give the desired shape to the crown.

There are several types of pruning, each of which is performed at a specific time. The ground part is formed from several types of growth: growth generative and annual bouquet branches. Mixed and tops are also branches, but you can’t expect a harvest from them.

Pruning peaches in the spring forms a trunk of the desired shape from the seedling, before fruiting begins and in subsequent years. Throughout the growing season, sanitary pruning is carried out - removing frost-damaged or broken branches. This type also includes thinning the peach tree and removing fattening branches. Spring pruning shapes the crown of a young tree and shortens some of the fruiting branches so that new shoots develop on them. This type of care is called shaping pruning.

Pruning peach trees in the spring is the most crucial period for beginning gardeners. You cannot be late; if there is strong sap flow, the operation is not performed. The tree must be formed according to the scheme, thinning out but leaving fruitful shoots with buds. Of course, vertical branches growing on skeletal branches at a distance of 1 meter from the tree trunk should be removed to the ring. It happens that when the lower tier is very sparse, such branches are rejected by gradual pruning to the outer eye. The effect is complemented by pulling the branch down with a rope.

If old branches give little growth, they are removed using rejuvenating pruning. It is important that rejuvenation is carried out over several years, gradually. You cannot cut too much wood at the same time; the tree will die.