Sewerage

One-year-old apple tree: tips for impatient gardeners. Pruning and shaping an apple tree: recommendations for beginners Video: How to properly direct the growth of skeletal branches of an apple tree

If the crown is not formed in a timely manner, the apple trees begin to be overloaded with the number of fruits, their quality deteriorates, the frequency of fruiting is formed, and the winter hardiness of the trees decreases. The crown of the apple tree must have a shape that will provide good yields with high quality fruits. In other words, if fruit trees are not pruned, then their crown will grow much faster, fruiting will begin earlier, and crops will grow faster. But after a few years, the condition of the trees will begin to deteriorate significantly.

Trimming technique

Pruning over the kidney is carried out with a sharp pruner, without cutting too much above the kidney (without damaging it), but without leaving stumps;

The buds that form the crown are selected, that is, the bud at the end of the shoot after cutting it should be directed in the desired direction. So, the kidney at the end of the lateral shoot should not be directed up and into the crown;

Thinning branches up to 2-3 cm thick is carried out with a pruner, cutting them into a ring (this is a thickened place at the base of the branch);

Branches thicker than 2-3 cm are removed with a garden saw. In this case, you should first make a drink under it, otherwise it may break off under its own weight and damage the central trunk or the supporting skeletal branch.

When thinning, apple tree branches are removed that go inside the crown, unsuccessfully located and intersecting (thickening), diseased and broken apple tree branches going inside the crown, unsuccessfully located and intersecting (thickening), diseased and broken, wen grown on boles and in the forks of branches.

Preferably, branches directed upwards from the bearing skeletal branches are removed (to give them a more horizontal orientation).

Pruning apple trees after planting

Apple trees planted both in autumn and spring are pruned in spring (before the buds swell) after planting and in the same way.

Pruning annual apple tree seedlings

Annual apple tree seedlings are usually still without lateral branches and are pruned at a height of 80-100 cm from the soil level.

If annual seedlings with branches, then remove all shoots at a height of 40-70 cm above the ground. From those growing above, those shoots that form an acute angle with the trunk are removed (such branches often break off under the weight of the fruit). If these shoots must be left, then they should be pulled sideways (to a horizontal position) with spacers. An apple tree with branches located almost horizontally begins to bear fruit earlier.

Shoots that form a wide angle of discharge are cut off, leaving 3-5 buds on them. At the same time, those buds are chosen for trimming so that after trimming the final bud is directed down and away from the conductor.

It is also necessary to shorten the guide (main trunk) so that it is 15-20 cm higher from the ends of the side shoots.

Pruning two-year-old apple tree seedlings

Two-year-old seedlings with a trunk and several side shoots are cut in the same way as annuals with side shoots.

Leave 3-6 of the strongest shoots with wide angles of shoots, evenly spaced in the crown, the rest are removed. The left shoots are shortened: the shoots below are made up to 30 cm long, the ones above are somewhat shorter, so that the lower tier is not higher than the next one. The conductor is cut so that it is about 15-20 cm higher than the side shoots. If a competing shoot grows in parallel with the conductor, it is cut out or pulled to the horizontal (made lateral).

Formation of the crown of young apple trees

In the first years of apple tree growth, the purpose of pruning it is to form a uniformly leafy, well-lit and easy-to-care apple tree crown.

During this period, it is necessary to cut the branches of the apple tree into the ring, going inside the crown, unsuccessfully located and crossing (thickening), diseased and broken.

During the first 3-5 years, pruning should be minimal, otherwise the entry of apple trees into fruiting will be delayed.

Pruning apple trees in the third year after planting

In the third year after planting, before the start of the growing season, competitors of the growth of the continuation of the skeletal branches and the central conductor are completely removed. The growth of the central conductor is also shortened. It should be 15-25 cm higher than the tops of the lateral skeletal branches.

All other shoots are shortened to a length of 15-25 cm. This first serves to thicken the trunk, and then they turn into fruit branches. In places of thickening, some of these growths (especially competing, directed upwards and inside the crown or with sharp corners of discharge) are cut into a ring. Fruit formations such as annelids, spears, spurs, fruit twigs are not touched.

Formation of apple trees in the fourth year after planting

In the fourth year, pruning is carried out, as in the third year. They continue to form the crown so that by the fall there are 5 skeletal branches. The increase in the continuation of the conductor is shortened by 1/4 - 1/3 (so that the remaining one-year part is 50-60 cm long).

Thinning, long (more than 70-80 cm) annual growths are removed, growing upwards from the main branches and in the forks of the bases of the branches, and necessarily competitors of the conductors of skeletal branches (growing upwards).

In the figure, the cut branches are shown with a dashed line.

Formation of apple trees from the fifth year after planting

From the fifth year, the apple tree should have a properly formed crown, and the tree is ready to bear fruit. Now every year they only thin out the crown, remove last year's competing growths, diseased and damaged branches. The apple tree bears fruit on branches planted last year, so they are pruned carefully.

For the convenience of caring for an apple tree, dwarf varieties are chosen. Or, accordingly, an apple tree is formed by removing the central vertically growing conductor.

Video
How to properly prune an apple tree.

Rejuvenating pruning of old apple trees

During the period of fruiting and aging of the apple tree, annual growths weaken, their length becomes no more than 15 cm, and anti-aging pruning is required. It starts with strong thinning crowns: cut out the crowns going inward, thickening, crossing branches. It is better to remove 1-2 large thickening branches than a significant number of small branches. To reduce the crown and improve its illumination, a leader is cut out with branches at a height of 3-3.5 m. Branches growing upwards are cut out at the side branches.

Pruning a young apple tree seedling, video

Seedling growing technologies, video

Logically, one can understand that young trees are pruned to form a crown. Here the main goal is to create its skeleton in accordance with the chosen model. Evenly place overgrown branches on the main branches. Do not delay the transition of the plant to fruiting. In the future, while the growth is strong enough (the length of the shoots of the continuation of the main branches is at least 30-40 cm), and the fruiting is quite satisfactory in terms of the quantity and quality of fruits, the main goal of pruning is to maintain the established optimal balance between growth and fruiting. Do not allow branches to go beyond the established dimensions of the crown. Avoid overloading with overgrown branches. Prevent weakening of growth. Maintain good lighting throughout the depth of the crown.

When the length of the growth of the continuation branches becomes less than 15-10 cm or, due to an oversight, their growth stops altogether, pruning will be required. rejuvenating. Its goal is to prevent the weakening of growth, and if this has already happened, then stimulate growth in such a way that the length of the shoots becomes at least 30-40 cm.

If the crowns, whether in young or already fairly old trees, have gone beyond the optimal dimensions, have become very thick, overloaded with fruit branches (by the way, if there are a lot of such branches, most of them are weak, unable to bear fruit normally), pruning is used. restorative. The purpose of such pruning is to bring the dimensions of the crowns to optimal size, improve the light regime, normalize the number of branches, ensure a balance between growth and fruiting. Restorative pruning is also applied to frozen trees and to trees that have received serious mechanical damage.

Those are in in general terms main purposes of pruning. As you can see, they do not remain constant and depend on the age and condition of the plants. And again, do not rush with a pruner and a file, but enter the garden with a notebook and a pencil. Like a journalist. And try to interview the trees. They will tell everything about themselves. It is only important to ask them the right questions. Of course, they will answer with their appearance and condition. Therefore, you will have to look more closely than listen.

Based on the results of the inspection, determine what and why pruning is needed for each specific plant. What is needed: to form a crown, limit its dimensions, lighten or, conversely, increase the "saturation" of its volume with overgrown branches. Or maybe growth has become so weak that it is already necessary to rejuvenate the tree, or there are dangerous sharp forks in the crown, which sometimes leads to breaking off branches or even breaking the entire crown. Make notes in your notebook. Take your time to think about the situation. But that's not all. The most important thing is ahead.

Now we need to determine the most efficient way goal achievement. This is perhaps more difficult. Without knowing the basic patterns of tree growth, it is impossible to predict its reaction to a particular impact, which means that it is impossible to systematically regulate growth and fruiting. There are many regularities. You can't cover all of them in one article. But the basics must be known clearly.

The first is apical dominance: the height of the tree and the length of all branches increase due to the shoots growing from the apical buds. These buds tend to be better developed and receive more moisture and nutrients. They concentrate substances that stimulate growth, and substances that inhibit growth fall on the share of the lower ones. Therefore, the strongest shoots grow from the apical buds. Hence the term - apical dominance (apex - tip).

If the apical bud is removed during the dormant period of the tree, its functions are transferred to the bud closest to the top. She will now exercise apical dominance. The strongest shoot is formed from it. If, however, the top of the branch is removed when the growth of shoots has already begun, then the property of apical dominance will be temporarily lost in this branch. From all the buds, shoots of approximately the same strength will begin to grow. In this case, due to the suppression of apical dominance, the fouling of branches is enhanced. But not always. In a number of stone fruits, especially with weak growth of shoots, only the apical bud is vegetative. Removing it leads to the cessation of the growth of this branch. The ability to grow will increase in one of the side branches placed on it.

The property of apical dominance is not equally expressed in different cultures and varieties.

It can be from very strong to very weak. Accordingly, a different ability of lateral buds to awaken to growth and a different ability to form strong shoots are distinguished.

Such arousal of the kidneys is considered very low, when less than 20% of the total number of them on the branches started to grow, low - 30, medium - 50, high - 70 and very high - more than 70%. According to the number of grown long shoots of the vegetative type, plants are distinguished with a very low shoot productivity, when only 5% of the total number of buds gave strong growth, and very high if they are more than 25%.

The manifestation in various combinations of these two qualities: the awakening of the kidneys and the ability to form shoots, depends on the culture, variety, age and condition of the plants. Therefore, it is not possible to give once and for all the classification of varieties according to these characteristics. One can only guess based on average varietal characteristics, but the adjustments in each specific case can be very large. And again, no prescriptions are needed, turnkey solutions. Each gardener should take a closer look at the tree and count on several strong branches how many in the previous year there were on the annual growth of buds, how many of them woke up and how many long shoots were formed. In the future, when experience is gained, arithmetic will become unnecessary. From afar, by eye, you will determine both the awakening of the kidneys and the shoot-forming ability. Moreover, it is quite accurate, but to shorten the branches of those plants that have a high shoot-forming ability. This will lead to excessive thickening of the crown. Strong pruning will be required.

It will be followed by an even greater increase in growth and an even greater thickening. And so you will cut the tree, cut it, but you will not wait for the fruits. If the excitability of the kidneys is weak, shortening, on the contrary, is necessary. Otherwise, the branches will be ankle-length. For most of the length, they will not overgrow. What will the tree bear fruit on? Again, there will be wood, but no fruit.

And one more regularity cannot be ignored. It can be formulated as follows: the growth of branches is the stronger, the closer the direction of their growth to the vertical, and the tendency to bear fruit increases as the branch deviates to a horizontal and drooping position. Hence the practical conclusion. When pruning fruit trees, especially young ones, one should not get carried away cutting branches that are less than 40 cm long. Especially if they occupy a position close to horizontal or even drooping.

Now you can take a pruner, a file and go to the tree.

Let's talk now about the newly planted plant. We need to lay the crown. The most common and most accessible is sparse-tiered. The height of the stem is 50 cm. From the branches located above the stem, select three as the main ones. They should be placed at intervals of 10-15 cm along the trunk, but it does not matter if a little closer or a little further. One branch should be directed in one direction from the trunk, and the other two - in the opposite direction. The angle between them (in projection) should be 60-70°.

After choosing the main branches, decide the fate of the rest. Bend the strong ones to a horizontal position, and even better to a drooping position, leave the weak ones (shorter than 40 cm) to grow freely. Competitor cut on the ring. Cut the main branches so that their ends are at the same level. If the conductor is very long, shorten it so that it is 15-20 cm higher than the main branches.

Next year, 50-60 cm above the last branch of the tier, select another one. Then remember what the awakening of the kidneys and the shoot-forming ability of this tree are. This will tell you how much you need to shorten the branches of the continuation of the main branches so that there is no thickening or exposure. Determined? Once again, make sure that everything is correct, nothing is missed. Now cut the branches so that their ends are at the same level. Cut off the newly selected main branch so that it is 15-20 cm higher than the first tier. Remove the competitor and all strong vertical branches. Cut the conductor. It should also be 15-20 cm higher than the last main branch, that is, it should maintain a leading position in the crown. If the previously bent branches interfere, cut them off to some weak branch and leave them as overgrown.

In the future, continue to form the crown in the same way. Lay one more, maximum two branches. Make sure that there is no thickening of the crown or bare branches. In the first case, loosen the shortening, in the second - strengthen. Competitors and strong vertical branches are constantly cut into the ring. Weak - save. After laying the last main branch - most likely the fifth (3 + 1 + 1) or sixth - and cut off the central conductor above it in a year. He is no longer needed. The optimal crown height is 2.5-3 m. At this level, it will be necessary to keep it. All branches that will strive to cross the line must be cut off with a transfer to horizontal branches oriented from the center to the periphery of the crown.

If your trees are already formed, albeit somewhat not according to the rules, but they grow and bear fruit well, you don’t need to be smart and forcefully squeeze them into the formula 3 + 1 + 1 or 3 + 2 + 1 + 1. Let them stay as they are. Here it is important to regulate the growth, the load of overgrown branches, to prevent the trees from going beyond the established dimensions, to maintain good lighting throughout the entire depth of the crown. Cropping in this case is simple. Predominantly thinning branches. Removal of strong vertical branches and cutting of old fruit twigs. Pruning for translation of branches rushing up and into the aisle. The width of the crown in one of the directions should be no more than 2.5-3 m, in the other it may be more. When thinning the crown, one should try to find one or two large branches, cutting which can thin out the crown and improve its light regime. When cutting more a lot of small branches and labor are required, and the effect is always much lower. No need to be afraid of one large cut. Do not think that this will reduce the yield. Believe the rich experience of thousands of gardeners - not at all.

If the trees have stopped growing, then in addition to the pruning described above, it is necessary to rejuvenate the branches, namely, all branches with short growths must be shortened. To say to the wood what year the branches should be cut means to say nothing. Better this way: inspect several large branches from their top to the base. Determine by annual rings when the length of the growths has become less than 25-30 cm. Here, in the place where it was still 30 cm or more, select a strong lateral branch and cut it. If there is no strong branch, cut over the weak one. Growth will intensify. It is not necessary to inspect all branches. Once set where to cut, and then cut all the branches in exactly the same way, approximately in the same place.

A - the beginning of the formation

B - continuation of crown formation.

(in the projection: a solid line - the branches of the lower tier,

intermittent - higher located branches)

Summer assignment. Watch how the plants react to your pruning. Mark in your notebook what went well and what didn't. Try to explain to yourself the reason for the failure. Make adjustments for the future. There will be many more situations like this.

Video: How to direct the growth of the skeletal branches of an apple tree?

Often behind the beauty embodied by material means, there is a huge human labor. Behind the facade of a beautiful building - the idea of an architect and the work of builders, behind unusual dresses - the fantasy of a couturier and a seamstress robot, behind a magnificent garden - regular care and care of a gardener. Well-groomed trees do not appear on their own: first a seedling is planted, then the gardener feeds and cuts it, forms a crown and gets rid of pests. And only in the end his labor is rewarded with beautiful fruits. So that you can take care of your garden, we will talk about pruning fruit trees, in particular apple trees. After all, the correct pruning of apple tree seedlings is the key to the future flowering and fruiting of the tree.

Why prune seedlings

First of all, pruning the apple tree allows you to give the appearance of the tree a neat look and correctly form the crown. Timely and regular pruning of an apple tree seedling stimulates the growth, proper development and formation of a full-fledged healthy fruit.

Pruning an apple tree for different purposes:

form a beautiful and regular crown, which will make it easy to harvest the next crop;
removing competing, but not so developed shoots, strengthen young branches. Thus, they ensure the full growth of a young tree;
remove dried, deformed and diseased branches, contributing to the emergence and growth of shoots that can bear fruit in the future;
provide access to the sun to all branches;
preparing the seedling for the winter period.

The choice of time of year for pruning depends on the end goal and result. As a rule, apple trees are pruned in spring or autumn. Is it possible to prune a seedling in the summer? Yes, but only if absolutely necessary.

Rules for pruning tree seedlings

Pruning of apple tree seedlings in spring should be carried out before the start of the growing season: the tree not only recovers faster, but also grows more intensively. In summer, shoots are usually shortened, stimulating the formation of fruit buds and improving fruit quality. However, the most good time autumn is considered for pruning, when the tree goes into a period of "rest".

At this time, dead and damaged parts are removed. After frost, pruning can be fraught with disease and death of the seedling. To know how to properly cut a seedling, you need to follow certain rules.

In autumn, you should act like this:

Remove large damaged or rotten branches.
Thin out the crown in areas of dense accumulation of branches, getting rid of weak and inferiorly developed shoots.
Get rid of branches that grow at a sharp angle to the trunk: such branches tend to break in case of a heavy harvest.
Protect the tree by treating the cuts with garden pitch or oil paint.
Incinerate waste to prevent the spread of disease.

Spring pruning is carried out in March or April. In order not to cut the seedling incorrectly, follow these rules:

Make cuts over the eyes.
Treat the cut points with garden pitch.
Get rid of last year's shoots.
Choose the length of the trimmed branch according to the variety of the apple tree: for dwarfs, pruning is performed on 2-3 eyes, for medium ones - at least 5, for tall ones - from 9.

Seedling pruning scheme

Annual apple tree seedlings are pruned in the first year after planting. An annual seedling is often not branched, so it is crowned and cut. The height is calculated based on the height of the rootstock. Srednerosly and seedling rootstocks allow you to cut the shoots higher. After the tree has grown enough, the leaves in the stem area must be removed. If the planted apple trees are already branched, you need to start removing side shoots.

Those branches that grow within 70 cm, and those that grow at right angles, are removed. Branches growing at a wide angle are shortened. Such branches provide a strong crown and ripen earlier for fruiting. Pruning two-year-old apple tree seedlings has its own specifics. Since such a seedling already has several shoots from the trunk, after planting, two-year-old apple trees are pruned, and only the most developed shoots that grow at a wide angle are left. Subsequently, they will form the "skeleton" of the tree. Extra branches are removed.

To form a central conductor that will grow vertically, choose the most developed kidney.

The height of this shoot should be several buds greater than that of the other branches of the "skeleton". Pruning of the remaining shoots is carried out in such a way that the lower ones are longer than the upper ones. It is this pruning of a two-year-old apple tree that forms a popular type of crown - strong and rounded. The next 3-5 years, pruning apple trees in spring or autumn is not recommended, otherwise fruiting may be delayed. But it is still necessary to remove diseased and broken branches. If the tree is growing too actively, you can shorten the conductor a little.

Tree crown formation

Many gardeners prefer cupped crowns as they are neat and easy to form. The branches, arranged symmetrically, form one tier at a height of half a meter from the ground, getting rid of the central conductor. It is advisable to remove it within a few months after planting. To form a beautiful “bowl”, you need to allocate enough space for the seedling, later you may need to tie branches. Dwarf rootstocks serve as an excellent basis for this type of crown. Its main advantage is the free access of sunlight to all branches. In the future, you should only take care of the timely removal of the tops from the skeletal branches and extra shoots growing inside.

And do not forget about hygienic pruning. The branches of the "skeleton" should be located in subordination: the closer to the trunk, the longer. The fusiform shape is also very popular: semi-skeletal branches are arranged spirally on the trunk. Height, as a rule, should not exceed three meters. Since the branches must take a horizontal position, they are bent with the help of wire extensions. However, this type of crown is only suitable for seedlings with low-growing rootstocks.

Another suitable type of crown for apple trees with dwarf rootstocks is a slender spindle. The height of the central conductor is about 2.5 m, and the crown is formed by short horizontal branches. The hatching stem is quite low. Dwarf varieties are formed with a bushy type of crown, with a trunk height of no more than a few tens of centimeters, in order to be completely under the snow in winter. Take care of seedlings properly and they will become beautiful trees.

Video "Pruning apple trees"

In this video you will learn how to properly prune apple trees.

Young apple trees without pruning can grow incorrectly, thicken and produce small yields. The rules for pruning young trees are slightly different from those for mature trees. To achieve success, you must strictly follow the recommendations and pruning according to a certain pattern.

Why you need to prune apple trees

Pruning an apple tree is not the easiest thing to do, but it must be done. In addition to forming a beautiful appearance tree, this procedure affects the quantity and quality of the crop.

For young apple trees, pruning is especially important. Not done in a timely manner, it leads to overload and breakage of branches, a decrease in the quality of the fruit and the winter hardiness of the tree.

Competent and timely pruning:

helps to limit the height of the tree,
allows you to form a compact crown,
improves its illumination and ventilation.

This reduces the likelihood of damage by pests and diseases. In addition, it must be borne in mind that, by their nature, many apple trees are prone to periodic fruiting, and regular pruning “forces” them to produce large yields every year.

Pruned young apple trees to form a crown, and then maintain the resulting shape with thinning and sanitary pruning

Although trees of any age are subject to pruning, certain rules must be taken into account for young apple trees, which we will consider.

When to prune

There is no single rule about the timing of pruning apple trees. Some gardeners, relying on their own experience, argue that others call autumn, others call summer, and some even prune in winter.

Based on the life processes taking place in the tree, the most appropriate time can still be considered early spring until the opening of the kidneys. For different regions, this period falls on different times: from March to May. At this time, sap flow has not yet begun, so the tree will not lose excess juices, the sections will have time to dry. At the same time, soon after pruning, the movement of nutrients and moisture will begin, which will contribute to the rapid healing of wounds.

Whenever you prune, remember that it is better to do it during the dormant period of the tree and in no case during severe frosts, at -8 ... -10 o C).

Features of the formation of the crown of a young apple tree

It is necessary to obtain an easy-to-handle, compact crown, well lit and aerated. The process begins immediately after landing.

Pruning a one- and two-year-old tree

Some gardeners do not recommend pruning a seedling in the first year after planting. This recommendation is explained by the fact that the seedling was already badly damaged when dug up in the nursery, and additional pruning increases the shock. On the other hand, many believe that pruning the ground part of the seedling can reduce the load on the root system.

Starting from the first year, a young tree must be formed by choosing the right skeletal branches.

In general, you can listen to any of these recommendations: there will be nothing to worry about if you start forming a tree from the second year after planting. The formation of an apple tree can be carried out according to various schemes, but the most common is sparse-tiered, which is formed within 3–4 years from the moment of planting.

Usually, an annual tree does not have well-developed side branches, therefore, at the first pruning, it is necessary to remove all side branches at a level of 1 m from the ground, wait for new side shoots to appear and start forming a crown from them. A young tree may have various defects that are corrected by primary pruning.

Depending on the defects and the degree of development of the seedling, various pruning techniques should be used.

For well-branched seedlings, another technique should be used - shorten all side branches at a height of 70 cm from the soil level. To do this, you can install a horizontal rail at a level of 70 cm from the soil and cut off all the ends of the side branches located above the rail. If there are strong branches above this level, remove those that grow at an acute angle to the trunk. If this is not done, the branches may break under the weight of the crop. In general, incorrectly performed pruning can lead to breaking the trunk.

If you want to save improperly growing shoots, their position must be corrected with spacers or stretch marks. This procedure is performed when the shoots are as flexible as possible, usually in summer. Shoots growing at an angle of about 90 degrees should be shortened to 3-5 buds. Such branches subsequently provide the tree with a strong crown.

An apple tree with branches growing horizontally begins to bear fruit earlier. If the growth is too fast, the conductor should be shortened, while observing the subordination of the branches: the height of the leading shoot should be 20–30 cm higher than the length of the side shoots. If the central shoot is damaged, it should be replaced with the most developed side branch. To make this branch become vertical, it is tied to the leading shoot, and when the branch becomes vertical, the central shoot is removed.

In two-year-old apple trees, you can form the basis of a future crown

In the second year of life, an apple tree usually already has several side branches, so the principles of pruning it differ from pruning an annual tree. For proper pruning, 4–5 of the most developed branches are selected, extending at a wide angle from the trunk and evenly spaced on the trunk. These branches will be the main ones in the future crown, they form the first tier. The rest of the branches are pruned. The central branch with well-developed buds, growing vertically, is chosen as a conductor. The leader should be 5-6 buds higher than other branches.

The selected skeletal branches should be located close to each other in height (with a difference of up to 10 cm) and form the first tier. The lower of these branches should be the longest (30–35 cm), the upper ones should be shortened a little to immediately ensure subordination. Those branches that grow too fast and overtake the main ones in length should be removed.

Thus, from the second year of the tree's life, the foundation of the crown is laid (if you planted a 2-year-old seedling, then the skeleton is laid at the first pruning).

Video: pruning a young apple tree on video

Pruning apple trees 3–5 years old

Starting from the third year, for 3-4 years, do not prune young trees too intensively. Excessive pruning can delay fruiting. Of course, you need to cut diseased and broken branches to the ground.

In addition, you need to gradually add new tiers of skeletal branches. The second tier is laid 50–55 cm above the lower one (laid on a two-year-old apple tree), the subsequent ones - at great distances. The intervals between branches in a tier should be 30–40 cm. Branches must not be allowed to cross!

If the conductor is growing very actively, its growth should be restrained a little by shortening so that the upper tiers are not much higher than the previous ones.

Video: different possibilities for forming the crown of apple trees

Pruning young apple trees for beginners

Pruning may seem like a daunting task for inexperienced gardeners, but knowledge and application of theoretical rules, frequent practice will help you quickly acquire the necessary skills.

The main thing is not to be afraid to spoil something - only those who do nothing do not make mistakes. The golden rule for a beginner should be “better undercut than overcut”. If in doubt whether it is worth cutting off a branch, it is better to leave it until the next time and consult with more experienced colleagues.

Basic pruning techniques

Extra branches are cut "on the ring" - that is, along the annular influx, which is at the base of each branch. In this influx are cells that are able to multiply rapidly and close the wound. If you make a cut below the influx, the wound will heal for a very long time and will become the "gateway" of various infections. If you cut above the influx, you get a stump, which will then dry and expose the bark. If necessary, you can leave a stump 10-15 cm long to tie other branches to it, however, such stumps should remain no longer than a year. At the next pruning, they are still cut into a ring.

Depending on the branch angle, the cut is made directly along the annular influx, or along a line that bisects the angle between the trunk line and the perpendicular to the branch to be removed

Sections with a diameter of more than 1 cm should be immediately covered with putty paste or garden pitch.

When forming the crown of a young tree, some branches are not cut out, but shortened. In this case, a cut is made either on the internal or on the external kidney. The buds on the shoots are staggered: one "looks" at the trunk, and the next - out. Trimming to the outer bud means that the cut is made near the bud that is facing outward. How and in what cases is it done? If the crown needs thinning and expansion of the diameter, then the thickening branches are cut out, and a part is shortened with a cut to the outer kidney.

A cut to the inner or outer kidney allows you to correct crown defects

If the crown is rare and weak, with overgrown lower branches, then the cut is made on the inner kidney.

To ensure the correct cut, you need to start a sharpened garden knife on the opposite side of the kidney, 2–3 mm lower, cut the branch at an angle of 45 ° so that the knife comes out 2–3 mm above the kidney. It is advisable to support the branch from below with your left hand and cut in one quick movement. It is very important that the tissue at the cut point is not swung. If this happens, you need to immediately clean the cut with a knife.

In order for the left kidney to develop normally, the cut must be made at an angle of 2–3 mm above the kidney.

It is easy for a beginner to get confused in the diverse recommendations for pruning young apple trees. In order to think less about the rules, you can remember one and only thing - the “magic three”.

When planting an apple tree seedling, cut it so that only 3 growth buds remain. Of these, the same branches will be obtained over the summer.

The following spring, the pruning procedure is repeated, leaving only 3 growth buds for each of the 3 branches. By the end of the second summer of life, the apple tree has 9 branches.

The same pruning is repeated in the third year and completes the formation of the crown. As a result, the apple tree has 27 identical branches, which form a symmetrical, even bush with a height of no more than 3–3.5 m. In case of damage by frost or pests, such a crown is easily restored.

Pinching is done in summer to improve branching.

Subsequent care consists in leaving only 1 growth bud on each branch. At the same time, fruit buds develop perfectly and the apple tree begins to bear fruit earlier than its peers, gives quite large yields.

In addition to the main pruning, it should be summer season pinch all side branches so that the crown does not thicken. Good crown heating contributes good growth tree.

Pruning a young tree is a guarantee of health and good fruiting in the future. It is necessary to choose the main branches and conductor correctly, trim in a timely manner and follow the rules. For beginners, it is recommended to use the most in a simple way formation of a young apple tree - the rule of the "magic three".