Pruning trees in the fall: getting rid of excess, preparing for winter

When we cut

First of all, it should be noted that autumn pruning of fruit trees occurs only in those regions that have moderate climatic conditions. But for the northern regions of our country, such manipulations are not recommended. This is due to the fact that the plants will not be able to recover in time before frost, which will lead to freezing of the sections. As a result, the bark of the cuts will dry out, making spring growth of new shoots impossible.

In addition, autumn as a time for pruning is not suitable for young seedlings that are only a few years old. For them, pruning dates fall only in the spring.

When asked when it is better to carry out autumn pruning, many gardeners will answer – September and October. But some experts note that the best time for cutting branches in the garden is the end of October – the beginning of November. At this time, sap flow slows down inside the plants.

Depending on the region, the answer to the question “when should I prune?” may vary within a small range. It all depends on the climatic features of the place where the plants grow and when the first frosts come here. 

Separately, it is worth noting that it was noticed that if the pruning dates fell a few days before the full moon, then the garden was restored much faster.

old trees

When gardeners prune a garden in the fall, they should be guided not only by the time of such manipulations, but also by the age of the trees themselves. Consider the situation of removing unnecessary branches from old trees. Here, the pruning time remains the same (September, October or early November), but the frequency of actions changes. There is no need to circumcise every year. It will be enough to do this once every two or three years.

This frequency is associated with the fact that when the trees grow old, fruiting buds become infertile.

For an old garden, rejuvenating pruning should be carried out in autumn. Anti-aging pruning for such trees is done by removing branches whose age is four or more years. At the same time, branches should be left at the bottom, which will be slightly thicker than the top ones. In addition, rejuvenating pruning involves the removal of excess shoots from the inside of the crown, which interfere with each other or have managed to intertwine. In this case, dry, diseased and broken branches, as well as those with lichen, fall under removal.

Carrying out such manipulations will allow you to get a better and more abundant harvest from old trees, as well as protect them from various diseases and harmful insects. Proper preparation of the plant for wintering is not complete without it.

In a situation where autumn pruning is not carried out, your garden will take on a more neglected look and will produce less and less every year.

Video “Pruning trees in autumn correctly”

young trees

For young garden trees, autumn pruning is somewhat different from older plants. They require the correct formation of the crown, and not its rejuvenation. Each type of fruit tree has its own pruning scheme. In this case, there are the following methods used to form the crown:

• thinning. In this case, a complete cutting of the branch is assumed. Such manipulations allow sunlight to penetrate deep into the crown, making the fruits more beautiful and juicy;
• shortening. Here it is necessary to carry out the removal of only part of the branch. As a result, new shoots will appear around the cut in the new season.

After the formation of the crown is completed, it should look transparent and light. In this case, it should not be allowed to darken.

For pruning young trees in the fall, there is only one condition – the need to give the seedling time to get used to the place of its permanent growth. This usually takes several years. If during these years, when pruning is not yet recommended, you find a branch that clearly interferes with neighboring shoots, it can be carefully removed.

Two years after planting seedlings, plants can be pruned in autumn and spring. In this situation, it is necessary to remove all branches that interfere and intertwine with neighboring ones. This will allow you to avoid unnecessary darkening and create a crown that will warm up and ventilate well. In addition, the growth of the lower branches can be directed downward. To do this, you can tie a small load to them, which will hold them in the lower position. This will make it possible to form skeletal branches, which will significantly increase fruitfulness in the future. It is on them that the fruits will appear first.

As a result, you will immediately receive a decent harvest with excellent taste even from the youngest tree.

Trimming pattern

The scheme used for autumn pruning is quite simple. But at the same time, it should be remembered that each tree requires an individual approach to itself in this matter.

The pruning procedure involves the following recommendations:

• the lower branches should always be thicker than the upper ones. In this way, tiers will be formed;
• a shoot that interferes with neighboring branches can be shortened by 1/3 in relation to the rest;
• it is necessary to rock the branches that grow in relation to the trunk at 90 degrees;
• the first tier contains branches located in relation to each other at an angle of 45 degrees;
• between the first and second tier there should be a distance of 60-65 cm;
• ideally, the crown should contain 3-4 tiers.

All cuts must always be treated with a special solution to prevent the penetration of harmful insects and microorganisms.

As you can see, the circuit is really pretty post. By sticking to it and making the necessary adjustments depending on the variety, you will achieve an excellent harvest from your garden.

Video “How to process young trees”

From this video lesson, you will learn how to handle young trees so that in the future they will be able to spread a massive crown and give a good harvest.