How to crop a photo on a computer: a few simple methods. How and when to prune fruit trees How to prune branches on trees

Planting a seedling in the ground does not guarantee that the garden will grow lush and fruitful. All crops grown on the site require constant attention of the owner, regardless of the season.

Pruning fruit trees is one of the most important steps in gardening. It allows you to form the correct crown, regulate growth and fruiting. In addition, proper pruning of fruit trees can prolong their productivity. All necessary recommendations you will find in our article.

Proper pruning of fruit trees

Pruning refers to the removal of dry and damaged branches and shoots. In addition, in the process, extra branches are cut out, which thicken the crown and reduce the quality of the crop (Figure 1).

Why carry out

Proper pruning also performs a sanitary function. Getting rid of excess branches helps prevent diseases, and a rejuvenating procedure can extend the life of the plant.


Figure 1. Trimming types fruit crops

It is important to choose the right time to remove branches. It is best to do this in autumn or early spring, when the sap has not yet begun to flow in the trunk. At the same time, autumn thinning is possible only in regions with a mild climate, since severe frosts can damage the crop at the cut site.

Methods and techniques (shortening, thinning)

There are two main cropping methods: thinning and shortening (Figure 2). Each of them has its own characteristics.


Figure 2. Trimming techniques: shortening and thinning

Shortening involves the partial removal of branches and shoots. For example, if 1/5 or ¼ of the shoot is cut off, such shortening is called weak, when 1/3 or ½ is removed, it is medium, and from half to 2/3 is called strong.

In the process of shortening, rejuvenation is also carried out. For a light branch, the growth of the last 2-3 years is cut off, for a moderate one, a 4-6-year growth is removed, and for a strong one, almost the entire part of the skeletal branches is removed.

Note: By shortening, you can stimulate the growth of buds and shoots, as well as make the fruiting branches thicker. However, shortening too much can cause the plant to weaken and yields will decrease.

Thinning allows you to remove extra branches from the crown. Using this method, you can increase the size of the fruit and make the tree stronger and more productive. This reduces the number of buds that only consume the juices of the culture, but do not produce fruits. Juice flows faster from the roots to the leaves, the culture grows faster and bears fruit more intensively.

More useful information you will find about pruning in the video.

Trimming types

Depending on the purpose for which extra branches are cut, there are several types of pruning. For example, using this procedure, you can form a crown right size and shape, prolong the fruiting of the tree or prevent the development of the disease.

Each type has its own characteristics, although it is carried out using the same garden tools and techniques.

To form a crown

Such a procedure is called forming. It is especially relevant for small household plots. With the help of these manipulations, you can create a compact crown, while maintaining high level fruiting (Figure 3).


Figure 3. Formative cutting technique

Removing branches to form a crown allows you to give the plant a suitable silhouette. In addition, the formed skeletal part becomes more resistant to stress. Depending on the timing of the formative pruning, growth can be slowed down or increased. If branches are removed in February, growth will be more active, and cutting in early spring will slow down the development of the culture.

Regulating fruiting

Most often, it is carried out at the end of winter or early spring, but in regions with a mild climate, branches can be removed in the fall.

The main purpose of regulating pruning is to preserve the contours of the crown and to maintain optimum illumination of the branches. In addition, skeletal branches are strengthened in the process. They are not overloaded with young shoots, and the fruits become larger and ripen evenly.

Restorative

In the process, branches and shoots with mechanical or any other damage are removed. As a rule, they are removed in the spring, in the process of checking the garden after winter.

Some of the branches may freeze slightly, so they need to be shortened to healthy wood. Also cut off all shoots with signs of disease or damage. This will preserve the viability and fruiting of the culture.

Anti-aging

It is required for old trees, which, due to long growth, stop or significantly reduce fruiting. In the process, all old branches that form too small fruits or insufficient number of ovaries (Figure 4).


Figure 4. Features of anti-aging pruning

Anti-aging pruning stimulates the growth of new branches. As a rule, the annual growth (about 10-15 cm) is removed in the process, which stimulates the growth of the kidneys and increases the yield.

Terms of pruning fruit trees (when is it better to do)

Wondering when is the best time to prune orchard, we can say that optimal time autumn, winter and spring are considered, when the movement of juice in the trunk stops and the plant is at rest.

In regions with harsh winters it is recommended to remove branches in autumn or spring so that the cut point is not damaged by frost and the tree does not die. Consider the features of this procedure by season.

autumn

Experienced gardeners advise cutting horticultural crops autumn only when absolutely necessary. For example, stone fruits do not tolerate such an event very well and may even die without having time to get stronger before frost.

However, these warnings do not apply to sanitary cleaning. If you find diseased or damaged branches, they must be removed immediately to save the rest of the plant.

The author of the video will talk about the main features of autumn pruning.

in winter

In severe frosts, the wood becomes very fragile, so it is not recommended to remove it. In fact, this is the only limitation, because in winter all plants are at rest and branches can be removed freely if the weather is relatively warm and calm.


Figure 5. Pruning an orchard in winter

The main advantage of the procedure is that the tree experiences less stress and the wound heals faster. In addition, on branches devoid of leaves, damage is much more visible (Figure 5).

spring

It is believed that pruning can be started at any time with the onset of spring. Actually this is not true. It is better to start the procedure when the sap flow has not yet begun, but the tree is already ready to wake up. In this case, the culture will not experience severe stress, and the wound will heal faster (Figure 6).


Figure 6 spring pruning orchard

Since the timing of the removal of damaged branches and growth in different cultures differ, the gardener gets the opportunity to plan the work so as to provide all the trees with the necessary care.

It is advisable to start work on a quiet windless day at a temperature not lower than -5 degrees. All wounds are covered with garden pitch or yellow clay to speed up the formation of a colus.

Summer

In summer, special attention is paid to seedlings. On them, you need to remove the tops of the growing shoots to form a crown.

However, when diseases are detected, infected branches are removed without waiting for the cessation of sap flow. If this is not done, the disease can quickly spread throughout the garden. All remote branches should be burned immediately.

Pruning fruit trees in winter

by the most important requirement to pruning fruit trees in winter is the lack of severe frost. If the air temperature is below -8 degrees, work cannot be carried out.

Note: Even though the plants are dormant in winter and are more stressed after the removal of the branches, in severe frost the wound will take too long to heal and can lead to the death of the entire crop.

However, in winter it is much easier to detect damage, since the crown is completely devoid of foliage and defects become more noticeable. It also allows you to make the cut more even and accurate. It is better to remove thin branches with secateurs, and file thick ones on both sides so that the cut is even and healthy wood is not injured.

Choice of cropping tools

To delete branches, you need to use special tools. Back to main garden tools include (Figure 7):

  • Secateurs- it is better to choose a regular model, and not a ratchet tool, since it will have to be pressed several times to cut. Using a simple pruner is much easier and more convenient.
  • Hacksaw with gaps between teeth. This design will prevent the accumulation of sawdust and keep inventory clean. For gardening, only a special hacksaw is chosen, which is not recommended for use for other work, so that the blade does not become dull.
  • Air sector- a tool with a telescopic handle to which the blades are attached. To make a cut, it is enough to use a special lever. Such a tool will be very useful for cutting the upper branches.

Figure 7. Basic garden pruning tools

In addition to inventory, you need to buy garden pitch - a special ointment that is used to cover wounds on branches for faster healing.

Fruit tree pruning is the most effective way increase its fruitfulness. Compliance with the basic rules for pruning apple trees allows you to achieve a harvest even from a young tree. Giving an apple tree one form or another, you can not only get high yield apples, but also aesthetic enjoyment of the beauty of a healthy tree.

Types of branches and buds

The branch that is a continuation of the trunk is called the leader or central conductor. Branches of the first order grow from the trunk, extending from them are branches of the second order. Growth is the branches that have grown in one season. The lateral shoot, located next to the growth of the leader, is called a competitor. Branches that yield crops are called overgrown.

The buds that form future flowers are called flower buds. Growth buds give rise to shoots.

Flower and growth buds

Tool

For pruning apple trees, you must have a pruner. In order to cut hard-to-reach and thicker branches, you need to purchase a pruner with long handles. When working with a pruner, the branch is placed closer to the base of the cutting plates. Sometimes it is more convenient to use a garden knife with a curved blade. Garden double-edged saws have a smoother cut on one side than on the other. Such saws can damage neighboring branches, so care must be taken when working with them. Saws with a curved blade and teeth on one side are used in more cramped pruning conditions for small branches.

When cutting, it is important to keep the tool straight, otherwise the cut will be ragged. For convenience, it is necessary to use a tool corresponding to the thickness of the branches, which, upon completion of work, is cleaned and lubricated.

Formation of a young seedling

Apple tree shapes

In small garden plots, they try to grow apple trees on a medium and low trunk (part of the trunk from the beginning of the growth of skeletal branches to the root collar). At the same time, the tree is given various forms with the help of pruning. The choice of tree crown structure is often determined not only by aesthetics, but also by the ability to get on small area good harvest.

1. Cordon. This shape of the crown allows you to plant trees more densely, and also greatly facilitates the work of caring for the apple tree. Branches are most often placed at an angle of 45 °.

2. Palmette. This form makes it possible to arrange the branches in the same plane. Its skeleton is the central trunk and branches of the first order. The distance between them is 40 cm. Support is needed to form an apple tree using the palmette method. An apple tree formed on a trellis can serve as a natural fence.

3. Bowl. With this method of crown formation, tree branches are uniformly sunlight. Harvesting with this form is greatly simplified.

The creativity of gardeners knows no bounds, and today you can meet all the new forms of the crown of apple trees.

Formation of the apple tree "Dwarf pyramid"

This type of crown formation is quite widespread in horticulture. It allows you to receive easy care big harvest of apples. The tree is formed in relation to the central conductor (height approx. 2 m) and side branches. The crown tapers gradually towards the top of the tree.

Proper pruning of branches contributes to the rapid healing of the cut. Therefore, when cutting branches, you must follow the basic rules:

  1. The selection of the tool is made taking into account the thickness and age of the branch.
  2. A quality garden var for a wounded tree is a medicine that will protect against infection with diseases.
  3. It is very important to make the right cut of the branch. The figure shows the main errors of slices for the kidney.

1 - too long, causes death; 2 - too close, interferes with the growth of the kidneys; 3 - too oblique cut, causes tissue injury; 4 - right, promotes healthy growth

  1. In the case of removing the entire branch, the cut is made in accordance with the photo below. Sections 1 and 2 are incorrect, will heal slowly, and the branch may dry out altogether.

  1. If an unnecessary branch is removed with a saw, then in order to avoid breaking off, a small notch is first made from below, and then a full sawing from above is made.
  2. If after sawing the cut is not smooth, it is cleaned with a knife.
  3. The cut after completion of work must be treated with garden pitch, spreading thin layer. A thick layer can dry out and fall off, exposing the cut.

In order to stimulate the formation of upper branches, the seedling is pruned already in the first year. Leave about 50 cm. Cut off the branch on the kidney in the opposite direction from the vaccination.

The next spring, the central conductor, as well as the side branches, are shortened to 20 cm from the beginning of the annual growth. The cut is made on the kidney. Summer side shoots, interfering with the main skeleton, are shortened to 7-10 cm. The second-order growth is left one sheet long.

The third year repeats the pruning of the previous one. The growth of the central conductor is shortened to 20 cm in length, which significantly stimulates the growth of lateral shoots. The cut is made on the kidney in the opposite direction to last year's.

In May, the entire growth of the central conductor is removed. During the summer, lateral growths that have reached a length of 45-50 cm are made shorter, leaving 3 leaves. Shoots of branches of the second order are shortened by one leaf from above.

Strongly growing branches are removed completely. It is possible to maintain the horizontality of fruit-bearing branches by cutting off the downward growth. To maintain the shape of the pyramid, the upper branches are also cut off.

Pruning a mature tree keeps the same rules. In the spring, all growth is removed last year central conductor. To prevent thickening, it is necessary to thin out the overgrown branches. All vertically growing branches that violate the pyramidal shape are also removed.

Pruning to increase fruiting

Four-year-old apple trees begin to actively bear fruit, so their growth slows down. At this time, the formation of a strong skeleton becomes relevant. This will give the tree the ability to withstand the increasing load from the fruit. Only after that you can proceed to the detailed pruning of overgrown branches.

If you cut off the growth of one year in the spring, leaving 4 buds, then in the summer shoots (1-2) from the upper buds will appear on the branch. In the second year in spring, two buds must be left on this branch that have not formed an increase. The left growth buds are reborn into flower buds and will yield a crop in the third year. Further, overgrowing branches are formed on this branch. If further thickening of overgrown branches occurs, they are thinned out.

Tree pruning for rejuvenation

Over time, the apple tree may stop bearing fruit. One of the reasons for this may be the very dense crown of the tree. Thinning revives the fruiting of the apple tree. Remove all crossing, weak, broken branches. Pruning is carried out gradually over several years. Then it will be possible to avoid weakening the tree. Branches not affected by pruning will soon (2-3 years) yield.

Pruning in early spring significantly accelerates growth, while pruning in summer slows it down. Therefore, in the summer, unnecessary side branches are pruned.

Fruits most often grow on horizontal branches. To increase fruiting, strong vertical branches are tied into arcs, orienting them horizontally. They will begin to bear fruit soon.

If the area around the tree is heavily overgrown with weeds, and it does not receive enough nutrition, this can also lead to the cessation of fruiting. In this case, a support is established, weeds are removed, and then all growths of one year are shortened. To heal the tree, all ovaries are removed within 2 years.

Seasonal apple pruning

Pruning an apple tree in early spring greatly stimulates the growth of the tree. It is carried out before the kidneys begin to develop. Summer pruning, on the contrary, will slow growth, and is suitable for removing unnecessary fast-growing, damaged and dried branches. Autumn pruning is, like summer pruning, sanitary in nature. It is carried out after the leaves fall and before the appearance of frost. In this case, the apple tree has time to heal the wounds and prepare for winter.

Careful attitude to the tree, timely simple work on caring for it will surely reward the gardener with a healthy and bountiful harvest these amazingly healthy and tasty fruits.

It is called "winter" only because this pruning is carried out when the plants are either still at rest, or just emerging from it. In regions with a mild climate, it is really done in winter, but where the calendar winter is accompanied by frost, it is better to wait until spring with pruning. Frozen wood cuts worse because it becomes brittle, and wounds practically do not heal before the onset of heat and can even be severely affected by low temperatures. A suitable time for pruning will be the period from the beginning of the snow melt to the swelling of the kidneys.

Since the weather often makes its own adjustments to the gardener's plans, such a situation is quite real that the deadlines will be very tight. Therefore, it is better to prepare for pruning in advance - check the availability of tools and fixtures, bring them into working condition, purchase the missing ones. Theoretical preparation will also be useful.

Technical support

For pruning, first of all, you will need cutting tools - secateurs, loppers, saws. They need to be cleaned and sharpened. By purchasing new tool pay attention to the following.

●  Secateurs, suitable for pruning trees and shrubs, should have long, widely diverging blades with strongly tapered tips. The swivel handle and toothed amplifier greatly facilitate the work.

●  Loppers designed for cutting thick branches, and therefore they are equipped with a variety of devices that allow you to apply a minimum of effort. When choosing them, the design of the amplifier is not as important as the device of the cutting device. Long tapered blades significantly expand the possibilities of using the lopper.

●  garden saws- These are saws for crosscutting, the teeth of which are set more widely, which allows sawing even raw wood. It is convenient to cut branches inside the crown with special hacksaws with a narrow curved blade. Folding files are very convenient, which are easy to carry. For such files, it matters how securely the handle is attached to them in working condition.

Of course, all cutting tools must be sharp, durable, comfortable, safe to use and transport. The advantages of the tools include their light weight and the presence of brightly colored parts that make it easier to find them in the garden.

When pruning tall trees and shrubs, a stepladder may be required - reliable and stable. To protect the surface of the cuts from drying, penetration of water, air, bacteria, fungi and pests, special putties are used, for example, traditional garden pitch or modern preparations containing disinfectants and physiologically active substances that promote rapid healing of tissues. It is also useful to take care of yourself - prepare comfortable gloves and goggles, as well as a first aid kit with disinfectants, hemostatic and dressings. It is also advisable to inspect before cutting working space around trees and minimize all potential hazards: pull stones or decorative objects away, cover open pits tightly with boards, and so on.

Why do pruning?

What goals do we set when we start pruning?

● Fruit crops, from which we want to regularly receive a high yield, should form a sufficient number of generative buds and / or shoots. For this, there is a special pruning for fruiting, which ensures the formation of the optimal number of high-quality fruits. To execute it in in full, qualifications are needed, but much can be achieved and simple means, if you understand how specific plants develop and bear fruit.

● Ornamental plants grown for abundant flowering, spectacular leaves, beautiful shoots, crowns of the original form, in most cases also require pruning in order to better demonstrate their merits.

● Health and longevity of plants depend, in particular, on the condition of the crown. It should be well ventilated and as full as possible illuminated by the sun. The skeleton of a tree must be strong enough to withstand winds and snowfalls, and in fruit trees, it must also withstand the weight of the crop. This is achieved through initial shaping and subsequent maintenance and sanitary pruning, which is important for all plants in the garden. The same purpose is served by anti-aging pruning, which is done as needed.

Ordered: Destroy!

Plants differ not only in appearance, but also in the nature of growth and development. It also depends on how you cut them. At the same time, similar plants are cut almost equally. And some violations in the development of the crown are characteristic of almost all trees and many shrubs. It is advisable to correct the most dangerous of them immediately by pruning as soon as they are detected.

●  Branches extending at an acute angle (less than 40 degrees) are not firmly attached to the trunk. Their layers of wood are separated by a layer of dead bark, and the tree in this place breaks sooner or later, sometimes to the very foundation. The sooner such a branch is removed, the less the plant will be injured (see Cutting branches without an annular influx).

● Trees from the lateral bud of the central conductor may develop a competitor shoot, similar to it in direction and strength of growth. Firstly, it weakens the development of the guide shoot, and secondly, since the fusion of the competitor and the leader is usually fragile due to the acute angle of departure, it is dangerous for the tree.

● The branches growing inside the crown already lack or will lack light and air, from which they weaken and dry out.

● Broken, damaged and withered branches create favorable conditions for colonization by pests and the appearance of an infection that can spread to the entire plant. Besides, they spoil appearance plants.

● Intersecting branches rub against each other, damaging the bark. It is better to cut one of them without waiting until they close.

Basic tricks

When starting pruning, it is important to remember that plants are living organisms and they will react to any of our interventions - either the way we want or how it will turn out. Therefore, firstly, you need to be clear enough about the purpose of trimming, and secondly, follow the technology. There are only a few pruning techniques that, to one degree or another and in different combinations used for all tree crops.

Cutting, or thinning, is the complete removal of a branch or shoot. It usually does not cause increased growth. The main thing here is to correctly determine the place of the cut, it depends on how well the wound will heal. There are only two options.

Clipping "on the ring"

At the base of the branches you can usually see the so-called ring influx. The cut is made along its upper part, i.e. so that the influx itself remains on the plant.

Cutting branches without an annular influx

If there is no annular influx, for example, for branches extending at an acute angle, the cut line is determined as follows. Two imaginary lines are drawn from the base of the branch: one parallel to the trunk, the other perpendicular to its axis. The cut point is on the line that bisects the angle between them.

Pruning, or shortening, is a reduction in the length of a branch or shoot when they are not completely removed. It gives rise to more new shoots. Strong shortening is used if branching is to be stimulated.

One-year growth is cut off "on the kidney." To do this, a kidney is determined from which a new shoot must be obtained, and a cut is made above it at an angle of about 45 degrees in the direction opposite to the kidney. The lower edge of the cut is located just above the base of the kidney, the upper one is just as high as its top. If the cut is closer to the kidney, it will dry out or produce a weak shoot. If higher, the new shoot may deviate to the side. With a whorled or opposite arrangement of the kidneys, the cut is made straight, bringing the cut line closer to the kidneys as much as possible so as not to damage them.

Pruning "for translation" is used on perennial wood - when rejuvenating, to change the direction of branch growth, etc. On the branch, a suitable branching is chosen, directed in the right direction. A cut is made next to it, as small as possible, at a sufficient distance from the base of the branch, but without stumps.

All cuts and saw cuts must be smooth, without burrs. Thin (up to 2 cm) branches are cut with secateurs, large ones are cut out. Do not leave stumps, as they will dry out anyway.

Nuances and details

Pruning is best done in good weather. How comfortable the cutter feels indirectly affects the quality of the work. And the following points are very important for proper trimming.

● The scissor pruner makes a smooth cut only on the side of the cutting plate. Therefore, you need to ensure that it is facing the side of the left part.

● If the branch is bent slightly in the direction of the pruner blade, it will be much easier to cut it.

● Small branches are cut off, supporting them with a hand. First you need to file the bark at the bottom of the branch to avoid tearing it off.

● So that a large branch does not break off under its own weight with the formation of scuffs, it is cut out in several steps. First, at some distance from its base, a cut is made from the underside by about half the thickness. The second gash is made from above, a little further, after which the branch is simply broken off. The remaining part is sawn off along the annular influx.

● Shortening shoots by half the length or more has a strong effect on the plant. Therefore, it is used carefully and only in cases where it is required to provoke the appearance of new growths.

● The width of the crown can be slightly corrected by pruning. For its expansion, the annual growth is cut to the kidney, oriented outward; for narrowing, on the contrary, inside the crown. When pruning “for translation”, branches are also selected that are directed in the desired direction.

If there is a suspicion that the tree is frozen, it is better to cut it later, when shoots develop from the buds and it becomes clear that it is damaged. In this case, they are limited to the removal of dead parts of the plant.

During early pruning, it is convenient to harvest cuttings for spring grafting (if there is confidence that the shoots have not frozen). Any healthy annual shoots with well-developed buds are suitable for this. Before vaccination, they are stored in a snow pile in deep shade or in a refrigerator.

Fruit trees

For a fruit tree, the strength of the crown is very important. Ideally, its branches are evenly spaced in space and have the correct subordination, that is, the branches located closer to the trunk are larger than the branches on the periphery of the crown, and the central conductor is most strongly developed. Skeletal branches depart from the trunk at an angle of 55-60 degrees.

If you immediately form such a crown, starting with a one-, two-year-old seedling, then in the future only minimal supporting pruning will be required. The crown of an adult tree, if it successfully bears fruit, should no longer be corrected by pruning. In the spontaneously formed crown of young trees, only the most dangerous violations are corrected.

Apple tree- one of the most popular traditional fruit crops. This tree bears fruit on weak short branches. various shapes, which are also called fouling. In a well-formed crown, there should be a lot of them. The formation of the crown is usually completed by the age of six or seven years of the tree. After the start of fruiting, pruning of branches is reduced to a minimum. If pruning is too intensive, more growth shoots are formed, and fruiting is delayed.

Pear by the nature of growth and fruiting, it is very similar to an apple tree, therefore it is formed and cut in almost the same way. Compared to an apple tree, the branches of a pear grow stronger with the conductor, which facilitates its formation. At the same time, the pear is more prone to the formation of tops, and care must be taken that the crown is not clogged with them.

stone fruits is cherry and plum middle lane, and in southern regions also cherry, apricot, cherry plum, peach, nectarine. To stimulate branching and fruiting, long annual growths are shortened. With a strong disorderly branching, the crown is thinned out. It is important to do all shortening 3-4 weeks before bud break, otherwise the branches may dry out. Thinning can be done later. When the growth is weakened to 15-20 cm, the trees are slightly rejuvenated by transferring to a lateral branch.

decorative trees

beautiful flowering trees- it's basically decorative varieties apple trees and a variety of cherries and plums. These crops are pruned according to the same principles as their fruit relatives. The main thing when pruning them is not to cut the shoots with flower buds. The same applies to other flowering trees.

As a rule, they outwardly differ from the original species only in the color of the foliage - purple, golden, silvery, variegated; leaves of an unusual shape are less common. Sometimes it is combined with beautifully colored or curved shoots. They are usually formed and cut according to the same principles as the original species, but some, for example, varieties of ash-leaved maple, plum, willow, etc., can be formed in the form of a bush. To do this, a one- or two-year-old seedling is cut low, leaving a stump about 10 cm high. With this formation, the plants are lower, their leaves are larger, and most importantly, it is possible to grow trees that are not quite frost-resistant, which, in which case, is easier to recover from the wintering under snow on the base of the bush.

Trees with decorative form crowns least of all the others need pruning, as they are able to form a crown certain form natural way. Moreover, careless interference can even disrupt the normal course of its development. Cut out only dry and damaged branches. Strong shoots that violate the correct shape of the crown are subject to mandatory removal, since they, as more viable ones, can completely ruin it.

berry bushes

Currants, gooseberries, raspberries, etc. can be cut early in the spring, if they did not have time in the fall. Only in this case, you need to wait until the snow melts at the base of the bushes - after all, cuts often have to be made at the level of the soil and even lower. But as soon as the buds begin to bloom, it is too late to do pruning.

ornamental shrubs

What kind of shrubs are usually cut in early spring? Firstly, these are all shrubs that are similar to trees in that their growths are formed mainly on the periphery of the crown, and the replacement shoots from the base of the bush appear irregularly. This includes lilac, deciduous euonymus, cotoneaster, skumpia, Kuril tea, Ginnal maple, etc. These shrubs first form, and then, as necessary, thin out the crown, make sanitary and anti-aging pruning.

It should be noted that lilac needs pruning more than other ornamental shrubs. Without this, it overgrows with shoots, the shoots become smaller, flowering also suffers. All weak and inward-growing crowns, intersecting and competing shoots, as well as those that simply spoil the look of the bush are cut off “on the ring”. Old bushes with weakened shoot formation and crushed inflorescences are rejuvenated by sawing out old stems with peeling bark. After that, strong shoots develop from sleeping buds. In own-rooted plants, well-located coppice shoots can be used to rejuvenate the bush. In vaccinated "wild" shoots must be removed. Annual growths in lilacs can only be shortened when shaping to ensure normal branching in the desired direction. In mature flowering plants, they are not shortened, because it is in the upper part of annual growths that flower buds form.

Also in the spring, shrubs that bloom on growths are pruned. current year, - summer flowering spireas(Japanese, Douglas, white-flowered, loose-leaved, etc.), tree-like hydrangea, David's buddley, etc. At the same time, all upper part shoots, leaving stumps 10-30 cm high. After such pruning, strong young shoots grow, which will bloom in the same season. In the same way, decorative deciduous shrubs can be cut so that their foliage is larger and brighter - garden forms and varieties of elderberry, turf, willow, hazel, skumpia, etc.

In early spring, the first cutting of hedges of the season is done from deciduous plants. Before cutting, the shape of the hedge is indicated by stretched cords or templates in order to cut it as evenly as possible.

Roses are pruned after the shelter is removed, when the threat of serious frosts has passed, in order to form a bush characteristic of this garden group.

● Tea hybrid, floribunda, polyanthus, miniature, and standard roses are pruned, leaving 6-8 buds from the base, and from time to time they make even shorter pruning. This stimulates the intensive growth of flowering shoots and helps to rejuvenate the bush.

● Park roses are thinned out, first of all, cutting out old, diseased shoots.

●  Climbing roses bloom along the entire length of overwintered shoots, so only the weak tops of lateral growths are shortened.

Right after cutting

It is customary to cover the surface of cuts from 2-3 cm in diameter and more with garden pitch or other preparations designed to protect wounds from infection and drying out. If there is a source of infection near the plant, it is necessary to cover it up. It is also better to play it safe and cover up the wounds of especially valuable rare plants. Uneven surfaces of wounds must be smoothed with a knife; clean saw cuts from sawdust. If juice is released from the wound, you need to wait until it dries, and only then cover it up, gently rubbing the preparation into the cut surface.

At the end of pruning, branches remain under the plants, which should be removed immediately. Especially carefully collect infected and pest-affected residues after sanitary pruning. If possible, it is better to burn them without delay. The resulting ash can be used as fertilizer or placed in a compost heap. The branches themselves are not suitable for composting.

With the beginning of growth, pruning of plants is stopped. Pruning before bud break stimulates growth; and after blooming, on the contrary, weakens. Plants after pruning "on the stump", for example, when rejuvenating or severe thinning, must be fed. Mulching with organic materials - manure, compost, etc. is useful.

Tools should be cleaned, adjusted if necessary and stored in a dry place. Cutting metal parts of tools must not be left wet. Saws and loppers will now be needed in the fall, and a hand pruner should be on hand throughout the season.

decorative deciduous trees

Apple tree care necessarily includes pruning. Moreover, depending on the season, the age of the plant and the goal of the gardener, the rules for pruning apple trees may vary. For beginners, the process may seem complicated, but in reality it is not. Let's deal with the nuances and find out how to properly prune an apple tree in a particular case.

For an adult tree, shaping provides a good harvest, because in order for a tree to bear fruit generously, a lot of light must enter the crown and fresh air. Yes, and the fruits that ripened in the light become large and tasty, but the harvest from neglected apple trees is small.

By removing the old branches of the apple tree, you give impetus to the development of young shoots, thereby rejuvenating the trees. Finally, pruning young apple trees improves their survival rate.

General rules and general principles

Consider the basic principles of how to prune an apple tree.

To cut branches, you need to use disinfected sharp tools: it is much easier for harmful bacteria to penetrate through a “soaked” cut. Thin branches (less than 2 cm) can be cut with secateurs, for others suitable garden hacksaw. If the cut branch was dry, the bough must be immediately treated with garden pitch or other wound healing agent; a cut on a living branch must first be dried for a day.

When to prune an apple tree

Now we will find out when to prune apple trees and at what time it is better to carry out different types of work. How and when to prune depends in part on the local climate.

winter pruning

In winter, pruning of apple trees is possible only in the southern regions with warm winters. A frozen cut on the branches is very poorly tightened and often begins to rot, so it is desirable that after cutting the temperature should be at least +10 ° C for at least 2-3 weeks. At the first frost, pruning should be stopped immediately. Accordingly, if you are not sure about your climate, it is better to choose a warmer season.

spring pruning

In the spring, sanitary and formative pruning of the apple tree is carried out. Experts recommend for her the interval between the beginning of the movement of juices and how the swelling of the kidneys begins.

Spring pruning must include sanitary pruning. Also, pruning apple trees in spring is suitable for shaping the crown and, if necessary, thinning it out. It is desirable to trim those branches of the apple tree that grow inside the crown at an acute angle. If the sprout is located in parallel with the older branch, it is also removed.

When deciding how to prune an apple tree in spring, you need to take into account the nuance of adjusting the crop: if the previous one was bad, the apple tree needs to be cut heavily so that it gains strength. An abundantly fruiting tree can be pruned to a minimum.

Formative pruning of a young apple tree in spring is especially important - this is the best time to cut off the top, reducing the height of the tree.

Lungs summer pruning allow the sun to better illuminate the already formed fruits. Also at the end of June, you can pinch too rapidly growing shoots so that they do not take strength from the tree. Broken and diseased branches should be cut off as soon as you notice them.

autumn pruning

Now we will learn how to properly prune an apple tree in the fall. If in the region there are frequent return spring frosts, it is necessary to prune in August: the trees will wake up later on next year and this will protect the kidneys from freezing.

Sanitary pruning of an apple tree in autumn is recommended after leaf fall and harvest - it is easier to detect damaged branches inside the crown. To begin with, it is better to remove large branches, including those that have cracked due to a large crop. Then cut the shoots growing inside the crown at an acute angle (in winter they can break due to snow), and the “tops”, that is, the branches growing upwards, are barren. If there are 2 branches growing from the same place, the weaker one is removed.

Types and schemes of trimming

We will find out what apple tree pruning schemes exist.

Formative

The apple tree seedlings are cut directly by specialists in order to "balance" root system and sprouts.

How to prune a young apple tree? The first pruning of the apple tree is recommended a year after planting (when planting in autumn, it is better not to touch the tree until spring).

The annual is pinned as follows: the crown is cut off at a height of 0.8–1 m (with the exception of columnar varieties) and the shoots are removed at a distance of up to 50 cm from the soil. When working with one-year-olds, it is necessary to shorten long skeletal branches, which should have 3-5 buds and be 16-20 shorter than the height of the location - so that the most long branches were at the bottom, and the shortest ones at the top. Such trees tapering upwards help to harvest easily. Pruning for a one-year-old apple tree seedling should be done before buds appear.

In the second year, we lay tiers of skeletal branches. Most types of crown suggest that there should be 2-5 branches on each tier. Optimal Distance between tiers depends on the height of the tree. If the apple tree is low or has been planted recently, it can be 40 cm, for a high one - 60 cm. Pruning of a young apple tree should form an approximately equal distance between branches of the same level.

Forming such a crown as a bowl, the central trunk is removed to the first fork of the branches. It will be replaced by side branches, forming 2-4 "trunks".

When pruning a three-year-old apple tree, extra branches are removed, except for skeletal ones. On a tree that is two to five years old, the branches are shortened by ⅔ of the length. In this case, the upper kidney should “look” outward. Up to five years, all annual sprouts are cut off on the plant.

If the tree has been formed correctly, it will begin to bear fruit in five years. They will appear on old strong branches. At this age and up to seven years, skeletal branches are cut in the fall, about a third of the length, which stimulates the formation of new buds.

For a columnar variety, it is impossible to remove the apical buds. The rules for pruning such a tree are as follows: each pruned shoot, on which 2 or 3 buds are left, will give the same number of large strong branches. If there were more buds (up to 5), the shoots will be smaller. If such a tree is properly formed, it will give 10–15 cm of annual growth.

In this case, when pruning the apple tree after planting, the side shoots must be shortened, leaving 2 buds each so that the shoots are as strong as possible. In this case, the central conductor must be fixed to the support. If there are too large shoots close to the soil, they need to be cut off.

At the age of two, the obtained pairs of sprouts are examined. They leave more horizontal, and the second is shortened again to 2 kidneys. A year later, they remove the branches that have already yielded a crop, and with the rest they act according to the scheme of the previous year.

During 3–5 the year is coming an annular cut of fruit formations - this way we get a trunk.

Almost any gardening forum offers pruning charts. different types kroner in detail, so that even a beginner will understand everything.

Consider how to cut old apple tree.

Rejuvenating pruning of adult apple trees involves the removal of all branches that do not bear fruit, so that young, “yielding” shoots grow better. Is it possible to cut the skeletal branches at the same time? Definitely yes. Also, if the trees are higher than 5 m, you can cut the top, otherwise the flow of juice and nutrients up will take a lot of strength from them. Pruning a heavily neglected apple tree is especially important.

When deciding how to properly prune an old apple tree, keep in mind that it is wrong to cut too many branches at once and more than 2 m per year - this will weaken the tree and only reduce its yield. It is necessary to make such pruning annually, but little by little. To do this, it is good to have a care calendar.

Sanitary

This type of pruning involves the removal of diseased, drying and broken branches. This is especially important in intensive apple orchards where the infection can reach many trees and cause the most damage. It should be carried out already when you notice the danger. You can do it any month, but be sure to do this pruning in spring and autumn, when the branches are bare and easier to inspect.

In autumn, any branch that has cracked due to a large crop is subject to removal - in this case it will not bear fruit, but can serve as a source of infection. In spring, branches that are broken from snow or frozen are more often removed.

If two branches touch and rub, one of them must also be cut.

Places that look burnt can be infected with black cancer, a dangerous fungal disease that threatens the death of a tree. In this case, they need to be examined with a magnifying glass: small ulcers with dark dots around the edges will confirm the diagnosis. Such areas should be immediately removed and burned, after which the wounds should be treated. blue vitriol and cover with garden pitch. Foliage after this must be sprayed with Bordeaux liquid.

Video "Correct pruning of an apple tree"

From this video you will learn how to properly prune an apple tree in the garden.

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