Apple trees are usually pruned in autumn and winter every year. When planting apple trees, it is necessary to prune from the junction of spring and autumn branches or the junction of annual and biennial branches on auxiliary branches, and prune invalid branches, overlapping branches, cross branches, overgrown branches and competitive branches of apple trees to enhance the ventilation and light transmission of plants.

Pruning method of apple tree

First, the dormant period pruning

1, shortcut

The pruning method of cutting off some annual branches is called short cutting. According to the degree of chopping, it can be divided into light chopping, medium chopping, heavy chopping and extremely heavy chopping. Long-branched summer bamboo shoots are light and short above the middle, short above the middle, heavy and short above the middle, and extremely heavy and short at the base.

Step 2 take it back

Shortening perennial branches is called retraction, also called reduction.

3. Slow release

Letting annual branches grow naturally without pruning is called slow release. Slow release is mostly used to increase the growth point of branches and the total growth of the whole tree, and is generally used for young trees and early fruit trees.

4, refinement

Removing branches from the base is called thinning. Branching is generally used in the case of dense, overlapping, crossing, juxtaposition or short fruit branches in the crown. Thinning is also used to prune pests and useless branches.

Second, pruning during the growth period.

1, coring

Removing the top of the top of the new shoot is called enucleation, which can promote the development of lateral buds of the new shoot, easily form fruiting branches near the main branch, adjust the growth balance of the main branch and promote fruit growth.

2. Bud carving

0.3-0.5 cm above the bud, cut the wound horizontally with a small saw blade and reach the xylem. The function of bud carving is to promote the germination of broken branches and increase the number of short and medium branches. The general principle of engraving buds is to engrave buds on both sides, and to engrave fewer back buds and not to engrave back buds.

3, girdling

Girdle the tree with girdling shears, or cut it sideways. The function of girdling is to increase the accumulation of vegetative branches above girdling mouth, promote flower formation, or girdle the trunk or main branch of an overgrown tree to inhibit its overgrowth.

Step 4 twist the tip

Twisting means that when the new shoot grows to 40 cm to 50 cm, the base of the branch is twisted in one direction at 3 cm of the lignified part in the lower half of the base, so that the xylem and phloem of the branch are damaged and the new shoot is twisted downward. Twisting shoots can slow down growth, promote flower bud formation and prevent new shoots from growing white.

Step 5 pull the branches

Branching refers to shaping the branches with ropes, weights, iron wires, etc. in the soft stage, so that the branches can be opened at a suitable angle.

6. Smooth branches

When the autumn shoots of apples just came out, the new shoots held them and bent down slowly, hurting the xylem, but the branches could not be broken.

What are the benefits of pruning apple trees?

1. Results Early years and prolonged economic life.

Pruning of apple trees can effectively adjust the growth and extension direction of branches, which is conducive to improving the light conditions of trees, the accumulation and distribution of nutrients, shortening childhood, thus regulating the growth and development of fruit trees and promoting flowering and fruiting.

2. Improve the lighting conditions of trees.

Pruning can improve the efficiency of photosynthesis of fruit trees. For example, choose a suitable tree type, widen the angle of main branches, appropriately reduce the number of main branches, reduce the height of trees and the thickness of leaf curtains. It can improve the lighting conditions and increase the effective leaf area. Then by reasonably increasing fertilization, the leaf quality and photosynthetic efficiency are improved, and the photosynthetic time is prolonged, thus increasing the accumulation of photosynthetic products, which is beneficial to flowering and fruiting.

3. Improve tree nutrition

Plastic pruning can improve the metabolic capacity of trees and improve their nutrition. The contents of nitrogen and water in pruned tissue are much higher than those in untrimmed tissue, while the contents of starch and sugar in pruned branches are lower than those in control. This shows that pruning changes the nutritional composition of fruit tree branches, which is beneficial to the formation of flower buds and early yield improvement.