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For better yields and disease prevention, all fruit trees need to eliminate old and unnecessary branches before the cold weather. In addition, the correct formation of the crown and the height of the trunk will give its results in the next season – the harvest will be richer than in previous years. Also, the elimination of dry wood and excess shoots will heal the apple tree. And burnt spent branches can be a wonderful fertilizer for any summer cottage or home garden. In this article we will talk about how to prune an apple tree for the winter.
Features of winter pruning
One of the best times to remove old and diseased branches on a fruit tree is, without a doubt, winter – the garden is getting ready for the “sleep” period and is not so sensitive anymore. Therefore, to the question “Is it possible to prune an apple tree in winter?” We give an affirmative answer – yes, you can. The main thing here is when to prune the apple tree for the winter. In spring, pruning apple trees is not as useful as in winter. Since pruning during this period can injure fruit trees more than it will bring benefits.
It is important to choose the season
Experienced experts recommend that summer residents and amateur gardeners decide initially on the goals of pruning: productivity and elimination of dry wood or the correct crown and healthy shoots. If the first option is a priority, then the spring season is worth choosing. If the second, then it will be correct to prune apple trees for the winter. In addition, in the southern regions, where there are no severe winter frosts, this process can be started in the middle of the season. The main thing is that before pruning, the individual should be at rest with slow sap flow along the branches.
Winter Benefits
In the cold season, fruit trees are literally hibernating. Therefore, even an inexperienced summer resident will not inflict significant injuries on them during the formation of the crown or the removal of dry branches. With the method of cropping, it is advisable to decide in advance, especially with diagrams and photos. Experts recommend choosing the most convenient most optimal for you.
Choosing a cropping method
On the Internet, you can find photos or videos of pruning apple trees for the winter. This method is more convenient for beginners who are mastering such an “execution” for the first time. For experienced gardeners, a text instruction or diagram will also be clear. The most important thing during the winter pruning of an apple tree is not to thin out the crown too much and not leave a lot of extra branches.
Types of trimming
Experts share two ways to eliminate dry wood and excess shoots of an apple tree – shortening and cutting. In the first option, the length of the branches is removed, and in the second, unnecessary and dry parts of the tree are simply eliminated. However, in any case, the cut must be made at an acute angle, and the damage site itself must be smeared with a special substance, garden or ordinary oil paint. This is necessary to prevent infection of the cut with parasites and prevents the outflow of juices from the trunk.
Crown formation
In order not to injure the apple tree once again, it is worth initially inspecting the branches that are being eliminated. It is better to cut one large branch than several small ones. This is the peculiarity of pruning an apple tree in winter – minor injuries to the trunk can be fatal. Also, gardeners with many years of experience recommend not leaving hemp on a tree when cutting branches. This can lead to festering and disease of the individual. This can be avoided by pruning the apple tree in winter (its branches) along the influx ring. If this option does not work out due to the density of the branches, then first it is better to make a small stump with a hacksaw, and then cut it off at an angle on the other side. The main thing is to remove the spreading of the apple tree, giving it the opportunity to cultivate it.
Practical advice
The sharper the better
When you are going to prune an apple tree for the winter, you must, first of all, prepare a tool. The degree of injury to the fruit tree depends on the sharpness of the pruner or scissors. The better the tool is sharpened, the less harm the stem part of the individual will receive. The same requirements apply to hacksaws used for cutting large branches. Sharp teeth will do this job faster and better. Do not use tools whose blades are covered with rust, notches. The guarantee that the individual will get sick, and maybe die, is one hundred percent.
Avoid infection
To avoid the possibility of infection with parasites not only of fruit trees, but also of other representatives of the flora in the garden plot, the branches remaining after cutting the apple tree for the winter must be burned. Wood ash, by the way, can be used to fertilize the land in the garden and in the garden. In this case, the ash will not be infected with bacteria or parasites, since all of them were destroyed during heat treatment (burning).
Fruit stimulation
In order to improve the fruiting of the tree with the help of pruning the apple tree for the winter, it is necessary to reduce the shoots of the main branches by one third of the bud. These few centimeters they grow in about a year. Such a procedure will stimulate the development of new, stronger and more fruitful branches. Another way to increase the yield of fruit trees is to reduce young shoots from the main branch to 5-6 buds, and remove some altogether. Old trees can also still produce tasty and high-quality fruits. To do this, you need to remove the extra crown and form it with a bush, leaving the strongest and most productive branches. In addition, the bush form is recommended to be done on any fruit tree from the second or third year of growth. Not only is it convenient when harvesting, it is also useful for the individual itself.
Where to begin
Start any pruning work on fruit trees with the most damaged, oldest and most neglected branches. They are the ones that harm your crop. Next, you need to move forward: eliminate the extra shoots and give the branches a bushy shape. The height of the trunk should be no more than one and a half average human height. Otherwise, the harvest will be problematic, and the fruits themselves will be frail and of poor quality.
Learning to prune an apple tree (video)
This video shows you how to properly prune an apple tree.
