Heavy pruning of apricot. Pros and cons of spring apricot pruning

It is worth noting that there are several pruning methods fruit trees. Depending on the type of fruit crop, a certain method of removing and shortening branches is used. Apricot needs all these types of work. Only a set of procedures can ensure not only health, but also the fruitfulness of apricots.

Pruning goals

Correctly pruning an apricot means forming its crown. Therefore, from the moment the seedling is planted, it is recommended to carry out formative pruning of the branches. Usually such pruning is of an aesthetic nature.

The point of this method is to prevent closely growing trees from shading each other. In the case of apricots, formative pruning stimulates early maturation fruits and increases the overall yield of the tree.

Apricots usually bear fruit very well, but the plant usually pays for its high yield with its longevity. That's why mature tree needs regular anti-aging pruning. This allows you to get rid of old and useless branches, stimulating the growth of young shoots.

Moreover, this southern plant It does not tolerate cold very well. Therefore, even comparatively warm winter, can cause frosting of branches. Annual shoots are especially affected. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out annual sanitary pruning.

In a nutshell, the goals of apricot pruning can be formulated as follows: fruitfulness and longevity.

Features of apricot pruning in spring

Apricot pruning in spring involves a rejuvenating, restorative and formative set of procedures. The event layout looks like this:

1. All diseased and frostbitten branches that appeared after winter are removed. If this is not done, the tree will spend a lot of energy trying to restore already useless branches. This is especially true for annual seedlings who survived winter for the first time.
2. Then the remaining branches are shortened. This helps to form the correct crown.

If over a year the branches have grown by 50-60 centimeters, then you have planted fast growing tree. Such shoots are shortened by half. If the branches do not grow so intensively, you can cut them by 1/3.

In addition, in the spring the apricot is pruned at the bud. This is usually done on the side opposite to the grafting. This approach ensures that the trunk will be smooth, without bends.

In spring, apricots are pruned in early April.. At this time, you can no longer be afraid of night frosts, so the tree’s cuts quickly become overgrown. The main thing is to have time to carry out the procedure before the tree begins to become covered with leaves.

Important! If you are pruning an apricot for the first time after planting, it is best to do it in the spring!

Features of autumn apricot pruning

Autumn pruning is regulatory and restorative in nature. As already mentioned, apricot bears fruit very well, and accordingly quickly depletes its strength.

By pruning branches in the fall, you can achieve an optimal balance between fruiting and deciduous branches. Usually horticultural crops pruned in order to increase the yield of the plant. In the case of apricot, the opposite is true. Branches are removed to reduce yield.

Of course, only those who are not greedy and practical gardeners who want to receive, albeit not very abundant, but a regular harvest. In addition, the removal of fruiting branches significantly affects the longevity of the tree. The work flow looks like this:

1. Starting from the second year of life, in the fall, approximately a third of all fruit-bearing branches are removed from the apricot.
2. Frame branches, on which the shape of the crown depends, are usually not affected; if necessary, all incorrectly growing branches can be removed.
3. The remaining fruit-bearing branches are cut to 50 centimeters.
4. Dried or diseased branches are removed to the base. Next year, young green shoots will take their place.
5. If the main branches have more than 15 leaves, pinching can be done.

Work is carried out in mid-October. At this time, the growing season is already ending, but the first cold weather is still far away. It is worth noting the fact that autumn pruning is only suitable for certain varieties of apricot. These include plants that begin to bear fruit early. If they grow in your garden late varieties apricot, it is better to limit yourself to spring and summer pruning.

How to prune apricots in summer

Summer pruning of apricot has the character of a rejuvenating procedure. Usually for others fruit crops, in the summer they practice only corrective pruning. That is, they try to slow down the growth of young shoots, or remove diseased branches.

If on your personal plot if apricots are planted, there is work for the pruning shears at any time of the year. The only exception is winter. During the cold season, pruning this plant is highly not recommended.

Let's return to the scheme for pruning apricots in summer.

1. All shoots that began to gain strength this year are pruned to 25-30 centimeters. The tree already uses up its energy at a frantic pace, so care must be taken to preserve it.
2. About two weeks after such pruning, the tree will give a large number of young growth. Of the emerging shoots, it is recommended to leave no more than the three strongest ones. Firstly, they will be 100% fruitful branches. Secondly, they can serve to form a second tier of skeletal branches.

Summer pruning of apricot usually takes place in early June. Therefore, before autumn the tree has time to recover and is ready for new processing. For beginner gardeners, it is necessary to make a small clarification. In summer, it is recommended to prune apricots no more than once every three years.

In addition, after work, the tree needs abundant watering. Therefore, professional gardeners advise refraining from summer pruning in regions with arid and very hot climates.

Apricot has one interesting feature, an adult tree sometimes bears fruit only on the lateral and upper branches. This not only significantly reduces the yield, but also makes harvesting more difficult. In order to get rid of this unpleasant phenomenon, there are several practical recommendations:

• during the spring pruning, all skeletal branches are cleared of all lateral branches. All cuts must be thoroughly treated with garden varnish or special antiseptics;
• after the work has been carried out, dormant buds are activated, and by summer the frame branches will again be covered with young fruitful branches;
• There is no need to be greedy; all emerging shoots that grow incorrectly should be removed. As practice shows, there will be practically no fruit on such branches. And intertwining with neighboring branches, irregular sprouts will interfere with their development.

It should be noted that not only an adult tree needs care. Only planted trees are also recommended to be pruned.

Immediately after planting, it is recommended to shorten the plant to a height of 1 meter.
All branches that grow below 50 centimeters from the ground are removed to the base.
It would be ideal if the remaining branches are at least 15 centimeters apart from each other.

Remember, paying attention to your apricot from the moment it is planted will make it much easier to care for in the future.

Apricot is a tree that loves light, is characterized by rapid growth and can lay a large number of buds. The tree branches well, its branches are long and thick, but flexible.

Apricot shoots quickly grow, forming a crown that rapidly increases in size. Due to its rapid growth, the tree is often susceptible to diseases, dries out, and its fruiting may deteriorate. To prevent this, you need to know how to properly prune apricot trees in spring and autumn.

Advice: Apricot pruning in spring or autumn should be carried out only after sap flow has completed.

Scheme for pruning apricot as a young seedling

The formation of the crown begins already in apricot seedlings: it has a trunk and several branches of the first order. If the apricot tree is planted correctly and there is necessary care, the apricot will develop rapidly, it will have young shoots (about 1 m long) growing from the trunk under acute angle. In this case, the crown is formed incorrectly, and the branches are brittle, which is why it is necessary to prune the apricot in a timely manner.

To provide correct formation crowns, pruning should be carried out healthy seedling, young shoots on which are more than 40 cm in length.

Apricot pruning in the fall is carried out according to the following scheme:

Photo: apricot pruning diagram for beginners by year

• In the fall, the next year after planting the apricot, you need to trim the tree's canopy by a quarter.
• At the place where the apricot was pruned next year, 3 large branches should grow, which should be pruned in the same way in the fall. This needs to be done as early as possible, before the kidneys are set.

Advice: You should not prune an apricot tree too early in the spring, otherwise the tree may simply be destroyed.

• In the third season after planting, the apricot crown will become spherical. It is necessary to trim all shoots that stand out from their crowns, which will ensure equal nutrition and establishment more kidneys, and nutrients will not go into growth.
• Weak side branches of apricot need to be made fruit-bearing. To do this, their growth points need to be pinned.
• In the fourth season after planting apricots, it is necessary to regularly trim the stem shoots, which grow much faster than others. This is necessary in order to ensure uniform nutrition of the apricot and, accordingly, a richer harvest.
• Apricot fruit branches do not live long, so they need to be removed every 2-3 years.

Advice: If the apricot crown is very thick, you need to remove all the branches that grow from it. inside or down.

Basic rules for pruning apricots

Features of apricot pruning in autumn

IN autumn period pruning of medium and early varieties apricot You can also perform rejuvenation pruning in the fall, which removes old, bare branches. The pruning procedure allows you to get powerful shoots even on a perennial tree. It will become more resistant to diseases and temperature changes, and will provide large fruits.

When forming the apricot crown in the autumn, a tiered system (4-6 skeletal branches) is used. Pruning of adult apricot branches that bear fruit is carried out at approximately 1/3 of their length, and it is necessary to carefully process the places where the pruning was done.

If rainy and cold weather in autumn, it is better to postpone pruning apricot until spring, because it will be very difficult for the tree, especially if it is young, to tolerate pruning under such weather conditions.

Features of apricot pruning in spring

To better prepare the tree for winter, best time Spring and early summer are considered the best time to prune apricots. It is better to prune apricots when the weather is already warm outside. The first pruning of apricots is carried out the next year after planting.

You also need to trim shoots that are characterized by rapid growth, a continuation of the skeletal branches. They need to be shortened by about half, but only if the apricot is heavily branched. If the branching is weak, the apricot branches need to be shortened by 1/3.

Rejuvenating apricot pruning in autumn and spring

If the apricot produces little growth (shoots grow less than 20 cm in a year), the fruits are small and sour, anti-aging pruning can help.

Scheme for rejuvenating apricot pruning

• apricot branches that are more than 5 years old need to be sawed off at an angle;
• in the place where a powerful shoot grows from the trunk, you need to saw off all the parts on top of it or growing in different sides, ensuring that all the forces of the tree are directed towards the formation of a new apricot branch;
• old branches do not need to be completely removed, otherwise the growth of the tree may slow down.

Advice: It is imperative to replace old apricot wood with new one, and this must be done gradually. This will not weaken the growth of the apricot and will not harm it.

Sticking to simple rules By pruning apricots, every year you can get a good harvest of large and juicy apricots.

Video: apricot pruning for beginners

Apricot is a light-loving, heat-loving and early flowering tree. Despite the high requirements for the growing microclimate, it is often planted in areas in the southern regions and in middle lane Russia.

The main task of the gardener is to obtain a good harvest of fruits from a strong and powerful tree. To develop new shoots, form a crown, and increase productivity, the plant is pruned in spring, summer and autumn.

Is it necessary?

Regular pruning is necessary for proper development tree. Why?

1. Apricots are trees with fast-growing branches. Without care, the crown becomes large and dense. The branches located in the middle remain darkened and become bare, while the outer branches become overgrown.

2. The fruits become smaller and decline varietal characteristics. The regularity of fruiting is disrupted, and the tree needs rest after harvesting.

3. Root system not ready to replenish the balance useful substances for the development of the entire crown. Next year, buds will be formed only on mature branches.

4. The apricot tree does not regulate the volume of fruiting: all fruit ovaries form and ripen. The branches break off under the weight of the fruit.

Kinds

Depending on the goals set for the gardener, there are 4 types:

• formative;
• regulating;
• sanitary;
• rejuvenating.

Removing incorrectly growing, crossing and inward growing branches helps to obtain a compact crown shape that is easy to care for.

A tree that is already bearing fruit undergoes regulatory pruning.

To establish a balance between the number of shoots and the volume of fruits. Rejuvenation is carried out for mature trees; shrunken and weakened branches are removed. Sanitation occurs when necessary, when diseased areas are removed.

Scheme The tree is formed so that it is fully illuminated and evenly rejuvenated. And also an increase of 30-50 cm was observed annually.

• Basic schemes:
• tiered;

discharged-tiered (cup-shaped).

If the tree has lateral shoots, then leave 2 main shoots, shortening them by half the length, and the remaining shoots are removed completely near the trunk without a stump. In this case, the central trunk is cut so that it is 30 cm higher than the lateral shoots.

During the growth of the plant, it is necessary to establish at least 4 more main branches, and then remove the central trunk. All lateral branches on an adult tree are cut after 4-7 buds to approximately 50 cm in length.

The conductors of the side branches are not shortened. The crown diameter of an adult tree can reach up to 4 meters.

It is important to know: the cut is made on the outer bud.

The formation of a cup-shaped crown promotes abundant fruiting and also increases the tree’s resistance to disease and frost. A tiered pruning scheme is also used to shape the crown.

It is based on the presence of a central trunk, from which tiers of skeletal branches are formed. Each tier has 4-5 shoots. The distance between tiers is about 30 cm, between branches - 40 cm. Caring for side branches is similar to the previous method.

Pruning in spring, summer and autumn

Spring and summer treatments are the most rational, as they allow the tree to recover and prepare for wintering.

Spring is carried out immediately after the end of frosts before the start of sap flow or after its end, but before the buds open. Most often this is March-April.

In early spring, rejuvenating pruning of an adult tree is carried out: drying and weak branches are removed, and skeletal branches are oriented outward into free space.

They also carry out sanitary treatment: remove branches that have died after frost and are infected with mold. To increase the activity of abundant growth of shoots next year, as well as increase winter hardiness and protection from return frosts, summer pruning

apricot trees. After June 20, you can start pinching and pruning young growth.

When young branches reach a length of 40 cm, they need to be cut in half. If this length is not reached, then pinch the branches after the 5th leaf. Take note:

When processed in summer, apricot needs watering and organic and mineral fertilizing.

1. Autumn pruning is carried out in mid-October. In its process, the affected areas are removed and weak growth is cut off. If there is damage to the wood, the trunk is cleaned and treated with an antibacterial agent. You can buy garden pitch in gardening stores or make it from fat, paraffin and rosin.

3. This situation can no longer be corrected, since repeated pruning will affect the fruiting branches and reduce the yield.

4. The branches of the 2nd and 3rd rows need to be formed after the branches of the first row are clearly formed.

5. Low pruning leads to slower apricot growth, and too long pruning leads to loss of fruiting.

6. An old tree requires an intensive rejuvenation procedure. Branches should be cut back to the level of 7-year-old wood, but not on bare trunks.

7. Trees that have not undergone this process are thinned down the middle, the length of semi-skeletal branches is shortened, and damaged, broken, and shading shoots are removed.

The correct approach to crown formation will make it easier to care for the tree in the future. And following the recommendations given in the article will allow you to get a good harvest.

Apricot is a very light-loving crop, grows quite quickly and is capable of laying a large number of buds for generation. The frame of the tree branches well, its branches are thick and long, but at the same time they are quite flexible. At rapid growth the shoots grow strongly, and the crown grows just as quickly. Because of this, the plant is prone to disease, drying out and deterioration of fruiting function. To prevent this from happening, it is important to know what it is correct pruning, videos and photographs of this procedure are also presented in this material.

Already at the seedling stage, apricot begins the process of crown formation. During this period, it has an already formed trunk and even several branches of the first order. At correct landing and care, the tree will continue to develop further, and very soon it will have strong young shoots more than a meter long, which can grow at an acute angle from the trunk.

Often such growth distorts the formation of the crown and turns it into a fragile one. The plant begins to become depleted and branches break. To prevent this from happening, timely pruning is needed.

You can see the process in detail in the attached video and read below.

Many people often wonder when exactly it is necessary to process apricots: in spring or at other times of the year. So, pruning can be done in autumn, spring and summer. How exactly - let's find out in more detail.

Autumn treatment is suitable for medium-sized plants or early varieties; in addition, in the fall you can treat the tree as part of its rejuvenation procedure, which involves getting rid of old bare branches and old wood. Thanks to this procedure, even perennial can give excellent growth and shoots. It will also become stronger and more resistant to temperature changes and diseases and will give you large and sweet fruits.

In autumn, when forming the crown, a tiered system of 4–6 skeletal branches, adult fruiting branches are cut off by about a third and the “wounds” are carefully treated. You should not prune in the fall if you know that the season will be rainy and cold, since under such conditions it will make the apricot weaker, especially for young plants. But in the southern regions, you can process the crop in the fall without hesitation.

in spring

Many experienced gardeners they claim to cut apricot is best in spring or summer so that it is better prepared for the cold. This is especially important in latitudes with a continental climate, which have frosty winters.

Trees should be treated in spring when the weather becomes predominantly warm, about halfway through the season. The next year after planting, the annual growth should be cut off.

You should also shorten vigorously growing shoots, which are continuations of the skeletal branches, by about half, provided the trunk is abundantly branched. If the branching is weak, then by a third, respectively.

In summer

Pruning in summer greatly affects future fruits. So, from the beginning of summer it should pinch off all last year's apricot shoots, which are longer than 20 cm, and after a week the number of young shoots will be greater, this will form a richer harvest.

But remember that summer treatment will only be useful if it is watered regularly, especially in hot and dry weather. If the soil is dry, the procedure will be completely useless.

Features of the procedure at different ages

The pruning process also depends on age. If the tree is very young, then carefully monitor how its trunk is formed and how the skeletal branches of each order are placed on it. Young shoots do not need to be greatly shortened, since the plant has not yet become strong and will not easily survive such a load.

On mature trunks branches need to be pruned regularly so that the crown cannot thicken. Remember that apricot is the fastest-growing crop; for this purpose, the shoots need to be processed well so that the branches do not rush upward, which, in turn, will complicate harvesting.

But trimming an old trunk can sometimes be very difficult. Very often such a plant is neglected, the fruits grow only at the top, and the crown is thickened, the branches are often dry and diseased. To start remove unnecessary branches and free the crown from the thickets so that light can break through.

For processing you will need:

1. garden knife;
2. pruner;
3. garden var;
4. device for heating garden varnish;
5. hacksaw;
6. ladder.

Rules for a young plant

Young apricots should be processed to form proper growth, this should be done at healthy plant, where the summer growth of greenery is more than 40 centimeters.

Algorithm:

1. a year after planting, around the beginning of autumn, you should chop the whip a quarter;
2. the next year three large branches grow, they also needs to be treated in the fall, but it is advisable as early as possible so that the tree has time to lay buds. You should also not prune too much in early spring so as not to destroy the young plant;
3. in the third year, when the culture acquires spherical shape, cut off all growth shoots, which stick out or stand out from others, so that the branches feed equally and lay more buds, while not allowing nutrients to grow;
4. weaker side branches need to be converted into fruit-bearing parts using pinching the growth point small branch;
5. in the fourth year and later should be regularly treat stem shoots, which are characterized by too rapid growth. It is necessary to ensure that the plant’s nutrition is distributed evenly, this will make the harvest richer;
6. fruit branches should be removed every 2–3 years, since their lifespan is short.

Anti-aging treatments

Rejuvenating apricot pruning is used for older trees in cases where they have weak growth. A sign when such a procedure is necessary is the annual growth of shoots of less than 20 cm.

The rejuvenating procedure is performed as follows:

1. cut off branches at an angle over 5 years old;
2. where a powerful shoot grows from an old trunk, you should saw off all the parts that are on top it or grows in different directions so that all the energy goes into forming a new branch;
3. Don't delete all old branches entirely. remember, that old wood needs to be replaced with new wood gradually for several years, so as not to weaken the growth of the tree and not destroy it.

And finally, we offer you some useful tips:

So, if you follow all the rules, then every year you will receive excellent harvest fresh apricots.

Video instruction

If you have any difficulties or problems, you can contact a certified specialist who will definitely help!

» Apricot

Apricot is a tree characterized by very intensive growth. Due to this feature, crown growth is very rapid, which can adversely affect the condition of the entire plant as a whole. Often, due to the rapid growth of shoots, the apricot tree is exposed to various diseases , may even dry out and die. To avoid such consequences, it is necessary to regularly trim your pet in the fall.

Before considering this process, you need to determine why apricot needs such a procedure at all. The reasons may be the following:

1. Formation of a beautiful crown. In this case, pruning is necessary for the aesthetic beauty of the apricot: removing protruding and too long shoots, forming the desired shape of the tree’s crown.
2. Shoot rejuvenation. Intense fruiting and an excessively dense crown of the plant lead to aging and death of internal shoots.

1. In the absence of circumcision the fruits become smaller, and their number is significantly reduced.
2. Also without this procedure branches will break under the weight of fruits. It is necessary to regulate the amount of ovary on the shoots.
3. The growth and development of young branches is reduced, then finally stops. The apricot “gets old”, and, as a result, the fruits lose their varietal qualities, being inferior in size and taste.
4. Freezing of shoots. If a tree grows in mid-latitudes, it is inevitably exposed to severe frosts. In this case, all damaged or dried branches must be removed for sanitary purposes.

Thus, in order to form a neat and beautiful crown for your pet and ensure regular and abundant fruiting, as well as prolong life fruit tree, it is necessary to systematically cut off its shoots.

When to prune a tree

When it comes to the right time to prune apricot tree, it should be noted that it is necessary to carry out a complex procedure. This means you need to prune apricots in autumn, summer and spring.

Sap flow, regardless of the time of the procedure, must be stopped, that is, pruning is carried out either before it begins in early spring, or after it ends in late autumn.

In the fall, the plant is pruned for sanitary purposes.. At the same time, all diseased, damaged and dry shoots are removed to improve the health of the whole tree.

In summer, branches are pruned to stimulate the formation of young shoots. This procedure is carried out to rejuvenate apricots with a frequency of once every two or three years.

How to prune an apricot in the fall

In autumn, apricots must be pruned to remove damaged and non-viable branches. In this way, they prepare the plant for the upcoming winter and help it gain strength for the next season. Also An important result of cutting off weak branches will be the formation of young shoots. Often it is on them that most of the fruits of the apricot tree are formed.

Also distinctive feature this fruit tree is that excess ovary is not shed by the plant. This leads to branches breaking off and plant disease.

Therefore, in the fall it is necessary to carry out not only sanitary, but also regulatory and rejuvenating pruning.

In the fall, only the middle and middle ones are pruned. early ripening varieties apricot

Preparing tools

To care for an apricot tree you need the following tools:

• pruner;
• garden grafting knife;
• garden saw;
• whetstone for sharpening;
• twine to support shoots and branches;
• means for closing cuts and wounds (for example, garden pitch).

First of all, everything gardening Tools must be carefully sharpened. A garden knife is sharpened on a wet block to remove iron filings. A new pruner, or one that has become dull, must be disassembled and its blade sharpened. After this, check the tool. The pruning shears can be adjusted by controlling the tension of the nut: if the grip is too tight, loosen it; if it is loose, tighten it.

Before starting work a garden saw needs to have its teeth set in opposite directions, alternating their tilt to the right and left. The angle of bending of the teeth is maintained the same; the sharp side of all teeth should be directed inward.

Immediately before the procedure, all instruments are disinfected to protect the plant from diseases and pests.

Scheme and technology of pruning

in autumn formative pruning of apricot carried out so that the plant supplies the next season nutrients fruiting shoots evenly. That is why this type of pruning is practiced from young trees.

In order to form the crown, pruning is carried out in a discharged-tiered manner. To do this, leave 6-7 main strong shoots located 30-40 cm from each other.

Such pruning is carried out in the following way:

1. In the first year of life, the trees form a crown, cutting the whip by a quarter. On young plant two main shoots are left, ensuring a distance of about 30 cm between them, the remaining branches are removed. The remaining branches are cut to a length less than the length of the whip by 20-30 cm.
2. The next year, two young branches are pruned in the same way., leaving a distance of up to 40 cm between them.
3. In subsequent years, the same procedure is carried out., increasing the gap by 10 cm.
4. Branches on the central shoot cut in half if they exceed 60 cm in length. The short ones are left unchanged.
5. If the apricot tree has short and weak branches, but they will be able to bear fruit in the future, it is recommended to pinch them until they are strong enough to support the weight of the fruit.

In an adult plant, the growth of new shoots often stops. In order to rejuvenate mature plant, it is subjected to autumn pruning:

1. After a thorough inspection of the plant, several non-fruiting branches are selected. Their cut with a garden saw at an angle of 45 degrees.
2. Several of the strongest shoots, relatively young ones, are identified. Necessary remove branches growing on them, all or several large ones.

Old branches should be cut off gradually during each autumn pruning over several years, without waiting for the plant to die.

How to care for a tree after pruning

After pruning, the apricot needs attention. After the procedure, the following care steps must be taken:

1. Seal all cuts garden varnish.
2. Used to disinfect large wounds copper sulfate solution.
3. For subsequent adaptation and restoration of apricot, phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers are applied.

Properly pruning an apricot tree can seem like a time-consuming process, especially for novice gardeners. But this necessary requirement for plant health and ensuring the required quantity and quality of fruits.