How to prune persimmons in autumn and spring

Persimmon pruning is necessary from the second year after planting. In the first 5–7 years, it will be necessary to correctly form the crown in the form of a tall tree or multi-tiered shrub. Then, as necessary, shorten the old branches, leaving at least 2-3 buds on them, from which young layers will grow. The procedure is scheduled for early spring or late autumn.

Why cut a persimmon

This tree needs regular pruning (every year in spring or fall). Shearing is carried out to remove weak, diseased branches, eliminate old shoots.

The procedure allows you to solve several problems:

• stimulation of the growth of young layers;
• uniform development of the crown and root system;
• maintenance of productivity;
• crown formation (including thinning);
• ensuring stability – the same load on different branches.

Types of persimmon pruning

The main types of pruning are formative (young trees of the first 3–5 years of life) and rejuvenating (removal of old branches). Along with them make a sanitary haircut. The procedure is necessary to remove weakened, diseased and frostbitten shoots. This event is held in early spring.

Rejuvenating

Anti-aging persimmon pruning is carried out for adult trees every 2-3 years. You need to start it only at a time when the young shoots have stopped growing. The purpose of a haircut is to remove an old branch that bears little fruit, is damaged, weakened, broken. Such an escape is not completely removed – you need to leave a few buds, from which new layers will appear. For the procedure, it is better to trim only one branch, so as not to weaken the persimmon.

Moreover, the process goes in 2 stages (it is better to do in the spring).

1. First, the old branch is removed from the south side, while shortening the young shoots by a third of the length.
2. At the second stage, after 2–3 years, re-pruning is also carried out from the south side.
3. A year later, the same procedure is performed on the north side.

Due to this, the crown is updated gradually, which ensures the growth of new shoots. Moreover, the lower tier of the persimmon will receive more nutrients, which means that the yield will increase.

Formative

They begin to form a tree already from the second year after planting (it is better to plan for spring, but it is also possible in autumn):

1. In the first year, the tallest shoots are shortened to 80 cm, and the lateral ones are left.
2. In the second year, all skeletal branches are shortened to 40 cm.
3. Starting from the third year, gardeners regularly prune the persimmon crown, thinning it out and removing shoots growing inward. At the same time, young skeletal branches are no longer touched – they will ensure the stability of the tree.

The scheme of forming persimmon pruning from 2 to 10 years of age will help to carry out the procedure correctly

When growing a seedling, you need to immediately determine its shape – a tall bush or tree. The latter option is more resistant to strong winds. But due to the fact that it is easier to harvest from a shrub, many gardeners choose this type of pruning.

When is the best time to cut a persimmon?

For cutting persimmons, you can choose both early spring and late autumn. Since in Our Country the tree is grown only in the southern regions, the timing of the procedure will be as follows:

1. Spring – the first half of March (before the buds begin to swell).
2. Autumn – the end of October (about a month before the first frost).

It is definitely not worth trimming persimmons at other times. But in extreme cases, in the summer, you can remove foliage and shoots affected by diseases or broken by strong winds.

What tools are needed for trimming

To remove branches, use ordinary garden tools:

1. Secateurs – the most convenient option. It is best to choose a tool with one-sided cutting. In this case, the blade must be very sharp, which facilitates the work and minimizes injury to the branches.
2. The pruner is a handy tool for shaping and thinning the crown. They are also used to rejuvenate old shrubs.
3. Garden knife – necessary for removing thin shoots. It is also used to level the wrong cut left after pruning.

Haircut is done with gloves, observing safety measures.

You can cut the shoots with a pruner, lopper or garden shears

How to prune persimmons in autumn

In autumn, during a haircut, you must:

• thin out the crown;
• remove all damaged and diseased branches.

In fact, an autumn haircut is optional. If the event is held in the spring, then the next stage can also be planned for March.

Persimmon pruning is usually planned for the end of autumn.

How to prune persimmons in spring

After winter, tree cutting is carried out in this way:

1. The next year after planting, the main shoot is shortened so that its height is no more than 80 cm. Due to this, the root system and the branches themselves will form evenly, which will ensure the stability of the tree.
2. The following year, 3-4 main (skeletal) branches are planned at approximately the same distance from each other.
3. Leave 5 buds on thin shoots. On skeletal – two.

Mistakes and their consequences

Pruning a persimmon is a simple procedure. However, it requires regularity and consistency: it is carried out every year, outlining the shape of the tree in advance, and also highlighting several skeletal branches for a uniform load. To achieve good yields, it is necessary to avoid typical mistakes that beginner gardeners make:

1. Formative pruning is carried out from the first year (after planting). You should not think that a tree can grow “just like that.” Persimmon bears heavy fruits (120-150 g), and if you do not think about a symmetrical crown, the branches will begin to break under the weight of the fruit.
2. When forming, choose those branches that grow at a slight angle to the main trunk. If the angle is too sharp, after a few years the branch is likely to break off under the weight of the fruit.
3. Even old shoots are not completely removed. At least two growth buds are left on them, otherwise young branches will not appear from them. Then rejuvenate the tree will not work.
4. After pruning the persimmon, the wounds must be treated with garden pitch, sprinkled with charcoal or activated charcoal powder. You can also use special preparations, for example, copper sulfate, “Garden Var” and others. If this is not done, an infection can enter through the cut, and the injured area will suffer from frost. If persimmon pruning is done in the summer, processing is optional.
5. When carrying out the procedure, it is important to remember that the fruits grow on the shoots of the current year. Moreover, if the fruiting wave has a clear period, then the shortening is made strong (including one-year growths).
6. After pruning persimmons, branches and leaves should be taken away and burned, as pests can overwinter in them. The tree is treated with a fungicide (for example, a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture), sprinkled with ashes around the trunk, and watered well. It is also recommended to lay mulch (sawdust, peat, straw). Even in the southern regions, you will need a little shelter for the winter.

Conclusion

Persimmon pruning is an important component of care, on which productivity directly depends. If you do not carry out timely pruning, the crown thickens, the shoots grow unevenly, because of which the shoots can break under the weight of the fruit. Therefore, the formation of the tree must be dealt with in the first years of life.