Pruning trees in autumn: video for beginners. Proper pruning of fruit trees in the garden. Is it possible to trim trees in the fall?

Trimming garden trees and shrubs in the fall - the process is simple. Anyone, even a novice gardener, can handle this correctly. The rules for pruning fruit trees and ornamental trees differ in the same way as pruning berry bushes from decorative. The main thing in this matter is a sense of proportion and a little knowledge.

Autumn pruning of fruit trees

Fruit trees need to be pruned regularly. Tree pruning in autumn or spring is necessary:

to obtain a crown with evenly distributed branches, for their proper lighting;
to replace some fruit-bearing side shoots with new ones;
to prevent premature aging of wood.

Dates

You can make pruning in early spring, summer or late autumn . But the most best option for gardeners in the Moscow region - late winter (January and February).

Not every gardener is comfortable traveling to a remote location in winter. country cottage area and wander through the deep snow in the garden. Yes and in spring period gardeners have many different urgent work on the site, you need to hurry to cultivate the land. It is more convenient to carry out the procedure in late autumn, after harvesting, when the weather still allows for work in the garden. At temperatures below -5, pruning is not recommended.

On average, it takes 30-45 minutes to trim one mature tree.

Necessary equipment

To carry out the work, equipment is required:

hacksaw or saw;
lopper;
gardening scissors;
stable ladder;
means for covering wounds (var).

Pruning is an intervention in the life of a plant and it must be carried out as carefully as possible, always using a clean, well-sharpened tool that can cut off large branches, and not crush them and split the edges of the wood.

It is necessary to constantly care for your gardening equipment. Gardening scissors, the saw blade needs to be cleaned and wiped damp cloth with a disinfectant and then wipe dry. Knife blades can be sharpened with a whetstone or whetstone. It is better to keep the garden shears open so that the spring is not under constant pressure and remains tight longer.

Crown thinning

There are no tree trimming technicians as such.. Each plant must be approached individually. Fruit trees are grown primarily into the classic pyramidal shape of the plant. This means that 3-4 evenly distributed branches extend from the trunk at an angle of forty-five degrees. Fruiting branches extend from these skeletal branches.

The remaining branches that do not participate in the creation of the crown must be pruned along with long side shoots that interfere with the main branches. The tops of the conductors are cut off at same height. Then it is necessary to thin out densely growing side branches, especially if they grow inward on the upper side of the conductors.

If strong, upward-pointing shoots grow on the main branch or on the top side of the conductors, they must be removed so that they do not compete with the main branches. Untimely removal of such shoots leads to the formation of forks. When there is a need to replace a damaged skeletal branch, and such a shoot is located in the right place, it can be left.

When trimming side branches, the saw or scissors should be placed at the branching point. In this case, only a round spot will remain, which will heal much faster than a stump affected by various infections. The shoots are shortened at a height of one centimeter above the bud, the cut is made slightly obliquely. If two buds are located at the same height, then the cut should be straight.

How to trim fruiting branches

When trimming fruit trees it is necessary to pay more attention to fruiting branches. An experienced gardener notices on which branches more flowers are formed and on which the number of fruits decreases. Depending on the type of fruit tree, such branches produce a harvest from three to five years. Young branches are easy to distinguish from old ones, so right choice and removing unnecessary branches will not be difficult.

Old hanging shoots must be cut back to larger ones. In trees with pome fruits, the oldest branches, slightly flattened, densely branched, gnarled shoots should be removed.

Stone fruits fruit trees usually highly branched. Thinning is necessary to ensure sufficient lighting of all branches. Old, dead, damaged areas are cut out. There is no need to leave inconveniently growing branches located deep in the crown. In stone fruits, the branches senesce after about five years.

You need to trim at a branch with a younger branch, without leaving any knots.. In this place there is tissue that quickly divides and promotes wound healing. The cut area must be coated with a special varnish. Wound sealant can be purchased from a gardening supply store.

The scheme for pruning quince in the fall is the same as for many stone fruits: the sparser the branches, the larger the fruit. It is better to update branches every three years.

In plum crowns, if the shoots are growing too vertically, it is best to remove the main branch (the so-called hollow crown).

The main varieties of pears are also growing rapidly. In late autumn it is necessary to shorten the main conductors and thin out the shoots.

Pruning ornamental trees and shrubs

Ornamental trees and shrubs do not need as much pruning as fruit trees. The essence of pruning is to remove damaged branches, thin out and give the desired shape to a tree or bush. This procedure also helps many bushes maintain their ability to flower.

Ornamental shrubs are often planted as hedges; it is best to tidy them up in late autumn by cutting them to the required height. In some areas there are regulations regarding the height of the fence of a plot of land.

Shrubs that bloom until late autumn (for example, astilbe) are not advisable to prune in the fall; they can be thinned out a little.

Elegant coniferous trees It's better not to trim. It is only possible to shorten the interfering branches. Evergreens, such as boxwood, mahonia holly, and holly, tolerate autumn pruning well.

Pruning garden trees in the fall will ensure their full flowering and fruiting throughout the summer.

Attention, TODAY only!

" Trees

Tree pruning is the key to success and a mandatory procedure that every experienced gardener knows about. Any fruit tree requires constant and careful care. Only in this case will it produce a rich harvest.

Fruit trees such as apple, pear and stone fruit trees need pruning. They are very picky about pruning. Why prune fruit trees?

By pruning, gardeners solve several problems at once:

Growth and fruiting.
Reducing crown dimensions.
The phytosanitary task is to create conditions unfavorable for pests and diseases.

The procedure of pruning trees prolongs their life and leads to a rich harvest.

If little light enters the crown, then the branches located inside the crown do not bear fruit and die over time. Fruits form only on those branches of the tree that receive light.

AND if tree pruning was done rarely or not at all, then the fruits will be on hard-to-reach branches, located, as a rule, high.

Thanks to the cutting procedure the tree crown is formed correctly. Which leads to the growth of side branches and allows you to get more fruits on the available branches.

When and which trees in the garden can be pruned?

Pruning fruit trees in a particular season depends on the following factors:

what goal the gardener wants to achieve with this procedure;
in what climatic conditions is the garden located?
depending on the type of tree.

What time of year is it best to prune: spring, summer, winter or autumn?

In the central and northern regions of Russia It is not recommended to do autumn pruning, because due to severe frosts, the wounds on the trees will not have time to heal.

This also happens because the movement of sap in the tree slows down as it goes into a dormant state. As a result, the tree may become sick and die.

Therefore, in these regions it is best to prune in early spring rather than fall. It is important to consider that the procedure can be carried out as soon as the air temperature rises above 0℃.

Besides It is important to start pruning from old trees Since the buds on them swell faster than on young ones, it is recommended to prune strictly before the buds swell.

Pruning fruit trees in spring:

In the southern regions of the country, pruning can be done in winter.. This is due to the fact that in the south the frosts are not as severe as in the north.

Winter pruning is primarily carried out in order to rejuvenate old trees and create the correct crown for young seedlings.

Also winter pruning is often carried out to reduce fruiting of young trees. It is believed that a tree that produces rich harvests for 2-3 years in a row should be allowed to rest.

In addition, from high yield thin branches of a young tree may break. Therefore, it is important to trim off unnecessary branches in winter. In winter, gardeners prune first the pome-bearing species, and then the stone fruits.

The ideal dimensions of a fruit tree are 3 m in height and 3 m in width. They will allow you to collect most of the crop without the help of stepladders or ladders.

Some gardeners believe that summer is the most best period for trimming. But in this case we're talking about about trees 3 years old and older. They claim that pruning during the summer months results in vigorous growth of new shoots.

In addition, if you prune while the fruit is filling, the quality of the fruit will noticeably improve.

Another plus summer pruning is the sap secreted by the tree. It covers the wound, which leads to rapid healing, and also acts as protection against pests.

Majority experienced gardeners They believe that pruning is best done when the tree is resting. Therefore, preference is given to early spring.

At what age should fruit trees be pruned?

You can start doing this procedure annual shoots for crown formation.

If the tree has already reached 10-15 years of age, it is considered old. Such a tree has a reduced number of growths and productivity. It needs anti-aging pruning.

To do this, branches are cut into 3-7 year old wood. Thus, the crown is reduced. But already by next year young shoots will thicken it. It is important to ensure that the number of cuts on one side of the branch does not exceed three.

Which plants to do and which ones not to

Almost all fruit trees require pruning. Since it is precisely this that leads to an increase in yield, allows the tree to grow faster, and also protects its numerous pests and diseases.

Trim, apricot, cherry plum It is possible only when leaves appear on the trees. If this is done while the tree is dormant, pruning can lead to damage to the trees by fungi and diseases.

In summer, you can remove dried branches, also shorten new shoots and remove branches that interfere with the crown.

Features of the procedure

It is important to do tree pruning carefully and follow the basic rules so as not to cause harm.

Timing

First of all, you need to decide on the appropriate pruning season. This will depend on the type and age of the fruit trees, as well as the location of the garden and the climate.

Preparing garden tools

The availability of all the tools necessary to carry out this procedure will play a big role in the result of pruning.

In order to avoid increasing the diameter of the damaged area on the tree Only sharp tools should be used for cutting.

garden hacksaw;
pruner;
air pruner - a pruner on a long rod, for cutting branches at the top;
ladder;
glasses;
garden varnish or drying oil paint are the means necessary to treat the cut area.

Do not cut with a rusty tool.. Otherwise, the tree may get sick and die as a result.

Circuit and technology

Before you start cutting, it is necessary to determine why it is needed and draw up an action plan.

Below are the main goals that gardeners achieve using this procedure:

form the correct tree crown;
strengthen thin young shoots;
remove crossing branches, defuse the crown to allow sunlight to penetrate into it;
remove diseased branches, allowing them to grow healthy;
increasing the number of fruiting branches;
prepare the tree for winter period.

If you need to get the most out of a fruit tree rapid growth, during the pruning period it is necessary to reduce the main number of fruit-bearing buds.

Once the goal is determined, it is important to learn pruning techniques. Several techniques are known, among which the most popular are three:

Bud cut. This technique helps set the correct direction for branch growth. You should find a branch with good growth. The cutting blade of the pruning shears should be turned towards the remaining part of the branch. The cut is made at a slight angle of 5 mm. in front of the kidney. The new branch will grow in the direction the bud is facing.
Cut to ring. This technique is used when it is necessary to remove a full-fledged branch that grows inside the crown, interferes with other branches and creates density. The scheme is as follows: in the place where the branches connect, it is necessary to make a cut exactly along the outer ring.
Side branch cut. This technique allows you to change the direction of growth from one shoot to another. Ineffective branches are cut off, and the lateral ones take on the function of the main branches.

Good after care

If the cut diameter is more than 1 cm, the wound should be treated without fail. To do this, you need to buy or prepare your own garden varnish and treat the wound on the tree with it.

If for some reason the garden varnish does not apply to the wound, you can use drying oil paint.

Young fruit trees should only be pruned to form a proper crown. Otherwise, pruning may lead to a deterioration in fruit-bearing properties.

People who take care of their trees and prune them correctly and on time, always receive gratitude in the form of a good harvest.

If a person decides to do this procedure for the first time, it is very important to follow the recommendations of knowledgeable gardeners, since this process seems simple only at first glance.

But in fact, carelessness and ignorance can lead to the death of the plant.

Fruit tree pruning- a complex event that takes place in the garden in November. Sometimes it is very difficult to understand, especially for a beginner, how to prune fruit trees correctly and when to prune.

Let's take a closer look: how to properly prune fruit trees for beginners, where to start, when and how to prune trees, step by step description with photos and videos.

At the end of October - beginning of November, all work in the garden should already be completed: perennial flowers and shrubs should be pruned and covered for the winter, the water should be turned off, the equipment should be put away for storage - you can calmly wait for the next season.

But this is not so, because autumn is the time for pruning fruit trees and shrubs, and is usually carried out before the first night frosts, when the foliage begins to turn yellow.

Firstly, the growing season is over, and pruning will not provoke the growth of new shoots; juice will not leak through the wounds, since sap flow has ended. Compared to winter pruning of trees, the wounds left from autumn pruning, will not freeze, and peeling of the bark at the cut sites will not occur.

Properly pruned trees After winter they begin to bear fruit very well. In the spring, you simply may not have time to prune before the sap begins to flow; it happens that spring comes quickly.

Attention: pruning of fruit trees in autumn (late October - November) is carried out in regions with moderate climatic conditions. It is not recommended to do this in the northern regions; the plants will not have time to recover before the onset of cold weather, and the bark at the cut site may freeze. From such damage, the bark dries out and cracks, which leads to the death of plants.
In the northern regions, it is better to prune trees and shrubs in September - early October.

Tree pruning– it’s not a simple matter, it has many nuances. Let's consider simple recommendations tree pruning that anyone can handle.

Pruning is necessary to form a balanced, beautiful tree, each branch of which will have the strength to bear fruit.

Crown thinning is a creation the best conditions for the formation of not only fruits, but the largest, healthiest and most beautiful ones.

Sanitary pruning – preventive measure aimed at promoting good plant health. By systematically pruning, you give your tree the opportunity to become long-lived.

In the pruning in the pictures, everything seems to be clear, but when you approach the tree, you are simply lost in the sight of a huge number of branches sticking out in all directions in front of you.

For pruning we need the following tools: a hacksaw, regular and long-handled pruning shears, a sharp garden knife, oil paint - if pruning in the fall, and garden varnish - if pruning in the spring.

Attention: Make any cuts strictly to the ring; the health and even life of the tree depends on this.

If you cut a branch with a hole– the layers of the trunk through which the juice flows are damaged. If you leave the stump, the bark will peel off and the wood will begin to rot. Over time, such a cut will turn into a hollow with a bunch of diseases that can spread to the entire tree.

Proper pruning It is carried out in an annular flow; it promotes rapid healing of the wound and healthy bark around the cut. Only the part of the cut branch located near the trunk is scarred.

Slice definitely needs to be processed oil paint- V autumn period. This treatment is carried out annually.

Large branches are cut in 3 stages.

They start sawing a thick branch from below, making an undercut, otherwise under own weight the branch may break and the bark will tear.
Then the branch is cut down above the bottom cut.

And the final stage, when the branch is removed and nothing is in the way, a leveling cut is made onto the ring. Use a sharp knife to clean out all the irregularities and paint.

After autumn pruning of young seedlings, it is recommended to water them immediately after completion of the procedure. You can also fertilize mineral fertilizers who will help young plant cope better with stress.

Correct tree crown shaping it is necessary to start from the moment the seedling is planted. The very first thing to do is to form the correct standard (the lower branches must grow at a certain height from the ground). All branches and buds at a height from the ground to 40 cm are removed.

If there are no branches on the young seedling yet, then it is recommended to trim the crown; in the spring, young branches will begin to grow from all the buds, from which you will need to select the strongest ones.

Video – Master class on pruning fruit trees

At this stage of pruning, the crown of the tree is formed. Basic Rule– skeletal branches should diverge in different sides and made a large angle with the trunk.

The more horizontal the branch is, the better it bears fruit and holds the weight of the fruit. Vertical branches bear fruit poorly and often break.

Trim off all unnecessary and weak branches, leaving 3-4 skeletal. If another tier of branches is formed on the tree, then we do the same.

Now let's take care of getting a quick harvest, for this we need shorten long branches to a bud. The weaker the branch, the shorter we cut it, this will encourage stronger growth next year.

If the frame branches grow incorrectly, they should not be pruned, otherwise you will not get a harvest. It is better to stretch them, giving them the desired direction of growth.

Hello! It’s autumn, which means it’s time to think about whether it’s possible to prune fruit trees in the fall? The most experienced gardeners will tell you how, when, with what tool, according to what scheme and in what time frame this procedure should be carried out.

How to help trees survive the cold

Every gardener considers pruning trees in the garden a mandatory autumn procedure. Why? Pruning helps trees better withstand winter frosts. Properly treated plantings will develop better, produce more fruit, and heavy snowfalls will not break the fragile branches that you remove in advance.

When is the best time to do this work? It is best to treat garden plantings before the first night frosts. If the yellow foliage begins to fall, then it’s time to carry out autumn events. Nature itself suggests that she is preparing for sleep, winter peace.

Before starting this work, garden tools must be disinfected to avoid introducing fungus or other diseases. Wipe it with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.

Tool kit for gardening work:

pruner;
lopper;
garden knife;
garden saw;
copper sulfate;
garden putty.

Methods of pruning

There are two of them: thinning and shortening. Let's consider the procedure for pruning each plant that grows in the garden.

Let's start with cherries. It does not require pruning every year. Annual shortening of bushes can lead to a reduction in the number of fruits. And such events are held in April, not in the fall.

What to do with? Every owner garden plot We have our own varieties of apple trees. Naturally, he wonders whether his favorite apple trees need to be pruned? Of course you need it! It is competent autumn pruning, together with the application of fertilizers and the neutralization of harmful insects, that provides trees with a long life and, most importantly, high yield.

How to prune apple trees

It is important to comply with the deadlines and rules of procedure. First, let's look at how to do light pruning. This type of “haircut” is characterized by shortening the branches that have grown during this season. They are shortened by a quarter of the length. Young plantings (up to 5 years) are subject to light pruning.

With average, a third of the shoots are removed last year. Medium is used for apple trees after 5 years of age.
Strong - cutting branches to half their length. It is used for “ancient” trees as their rejuvenation.

An old apple tree, over 20 years old, can be rejuvenated. First you need to examine the bark to make sure that the apple tree is still alive. Then divide the crown into 2 parts. For 2-3 years, one part of the crown should be heavily pruned on the south side. It is important to prune branches above the outer buds. Then carry out the same procedure with the second part of the crown.

If over the years there have been branches growing inside the crown, then they also need to be removed. Old, diseased, exposed rods are also removed. Don't be afraid to remove large, old branches. After the procedure, the cut sites should be covered with garden varnish. This way they will heal quickly and frost will not affect them. Removed material should be incinerated.

Cut off the trunk at a height of 3-3.5 meters from the trunk;
Remove branches above young shoots;
Remove the tops growing towards the center, and trim those growing outwards from the trunk.

Rejuvenation of adult apple trees is carried out once every 5 years.

Crown formation

In order for the plants to produce good results, it is important to form the correct crown by cutting out unnecessary rods.

Which processes are removed:

Important! Every 3-3 years, replace the main fruiting branches in the crown area, preventing excess shoots from thickening it. Old-timers advise tying multi-colored ribbons to the branches, by which you will notice: which of them were strewn with apples, which did not have them, and which are still very young.

Autumn pruning of pears

To prune, you need to choose a good day in September, when the temperature is above zero. A pear with a pyramidal shape looks beautiful.

Instructions from experienced gardeners for pruning pears. Pear trees can be pruned in both spring and autumn, but we will consider autumn pruning.

First, the tree is formed step by step.

The trunk of young seedlings (up to 1 year) is cut off by 25% of their length so that the crown becomes more branched. The lateral shoots are cut to the first bud.
In the 2nd year of life, a pyramidal appearance of the seedling is formed. The top of the central trunk is shortened by 25-30 cm, the side shoots by 6-8 cm. It is important that the lower branches are longer than the upper ones.
For mature specimens, formative pruning should be carried out once every 3 years.

The formed tree is subjected to treatment starting from the last days of August and continues until the temperature drops below 0. The procedure should be divided into 2 seasons so as not to seriously injure the tree.

First, those shoots that grow at right angles to the trunk and vertically are cut off. The best place The cut is considered to be an influx of bark at the base of the branch. This is where the wound from the cut heals very quickly.

See how a regular pear tree is formed over the years.

If the fruits become smaller, then the pear requires rejuvenating pruning.

How to prune a pear for rejuvenation. The crown is also divided into 2 zones and “cut” gradually:

First, the central trunk is cut off by a third of its length;
Remove old shoots that did not bear fruit;
Get rid of twigs growing inside the crown, vertically, as well as under acute angle;
Strong shoots are shortened by half their length. The sections are treated with varnish.

See detailed picture of fruit tree pruning.

How to increase productivity

What work needs to be done in the garden to have it? Experienced gardeners have noticed that the most productive branches are those that grow parallel to the ground. But do not immediately cut off those trunks that do not grow well, otherwise you will have to wait for more than one year for a bountiful harvest. Try to stretch them so that they take the desired direction of growth.

Stretching diagram

Attention! Excessive effort can lead to a crack or breakage of the bush.

After autumn work, garden plants need to be well watered, fed, and protected from rodents. The most accessible method of protection against mice is to cut plastic bottle, wrap around the trunk.

What to do if the leaves have not fallen

Often fruit trees are left with leaves. There are many reasons, including excessive watering, excessive fertilizing and various diseases.

What to do? Nothing yet! All that remains is to rely on the soft snowy winter. Just don’t prune, much less pick off the remaining foliage. If you can cover it, then cover it, and next season find the reason for this behavior of the plants.

This kind of work can be done. After a light frost, cover the tree trunk circles with a thick layer of needle mulch coniferous species, peat, or dry leaves. And wrap the trunk of the apple tree right up to the crown with covering material. Young seedlings should be covered to the very top.

Pruning stone fruits

Stone seedlings also need processing, but not before hibernation. This is convenient for a gardener, but not so much for trees. If you have plums, apricots, cherries, and peaches growing, then pruning is best done in spring or summer. Then the seedlings can go into winter dormancy stronger and prepared.

In autumn, pruning is carried out for sanitary purposes. Apricot and peach grow so quickly that they can thicken the crown so much that it will be difficult for the fruits to grow and fill, and the branches will dry out and then break.

In the autumn, trees must be freed from damaged and non-viable shoots. This helps the plants gain strength for the next season.

An important goal of autumn pruning is to force out young shoots. It is on them that juicy and tasty fruits will grow.

Autumn processing is recommended to be carried out in mid-October. It is important to form the crown correctly. For this, a tiered method is used, when 6-7 strong shoots are left, located 30-40 cm from each other. Weak branches are cut out.

If the branches on the central shoot grow more than 60 cm, then they are shortened by half. What to do with weak shoots? They are pinched until they are able to support the weight of the fruit.

You can also watch the video for tips for beginner gardeners. How to prune fruit trees correctly:

Dear gardeners, the question of whether it is possible to prune fruit trees in the fall, even for beginners, is already closed, thanks to the advice of experienced garden owners.

Pruning trees in the fall is one of the stages of caring for fruit trees, important and mandatory. Properly carried out pruning heals the tree, stimulates its vitality and prepares it for fruiting next season. This procedure is carried out not only in autumn, but also in spring, but in this article we will look specifically at autumn preparation trees for the winter. From proper care Trees depend on their productivity, durability and quality of fruits.

Autumn pruning of fruit trees, timing

It is important to know that autumn pruning of fruit trees and shrubs is allowed only in regions with a mild climate, where the winter is not too cold, and garden crops are not at risk of bark freezing.

Tree pruning in the fall is advisable primarily for sanitary purposes only. First of all, dry branches and twigs, as well as branches with breaks, are removed.

If you live in the northern regions of our country, then it is better to refuse autumn pruning and postpone this procedure to spring.

Shaping the crown and removing old or damaged fragments is recommended for trees of all ages. Thinning branches, as well as their proper shortening, not only improves the condition of the trees, but also subsequently prevents the accumulation of large volumes snow masses on the branches, thereby preventing them from breaking.

In this situation, the main thing is not to overdo it and not to cut out too much, because in the new season the fruits will also need to develop on something. In addition, some fruit representatives do not need to be pruned annually, for example, cherries or pears - this can significantly reduce their yield, and the tree can also become diseased.

Proper pruning of old trees, on the contrary, will be beneficial and will rejuvenate them, allowing you to maintain harvest volumes at the proper level.

The timing of pruning trees in the fall depends on the region and climate in which they grow. The main rule is to carry out this process before the first night frosts arrive. Choose a time when the foliage has already turned yellow and has practically fallen off the branches.

Pruning fruit trees in the fall - what needs to be removed:

We remove all dried, broken and unhealthy branches, as well as those that do not bear fruit.
Intertwining small branches.
Branches growing inside the crown (towards the trunk), as well as crossing.
The top of the tree, if it has dried out, is also cut off, and the cut is made with partial capture of the living tissue of the branch.
If the branches grow too close to each other, then it is recommended to remove the weakest one.
Young shoots near the trunk.
Top shoots.
Branches that grow towards the ground.

The cut areas must be treated with garden varnish or oil paint. IN Lately More and more often I come across the following advice for processing cuts and cuts: use garden paint for trees rather than garden varnish. Garden paint for trees will protect the cut area from rotting and fungal infection.

All cut fragments should be burned; it is better to do this at a distance from the garden. If you do everything according to the rules, then the fresh cut must first be cleaned with a sharp knife (if there are burrs on the cut), and then covered with a disinfectant solution (50 g of copper sulfate/1 l hot water, solution of potassium permanganate, Bordeaux mixture). After some time, when the cut dries slightly, it is covered with the above-mentioned paint or varnish.

You can also purchase an excellent product for these purposes - Artificial Bark balm. Only the middle of the cut is covered, the bark along the edges is not affected - over time, it forms a kind of roller, which will subsequently completely close the wound site.

Methods for autumn tree pruning

The two most commonly used methods for pruning branches are:

on the ring
on the kidney

The “ring” technique - we look at the branch at the desired location of the cut, determine the ring, which looks like a roller (ring) of bark at the junction where the shoot departs from the main branch. Using a pruner or other sharp tool, it is necessary to make a cut strictly along the outer edge of this very roller-ring. This method good for regulatory pruning; with its help you can change the direction of branch growth - make a side branch one of the main ones. This technique is also suitable for removing excess fragments that take away the vitality of the tree.

The “bud” method makes it possible to change the course of branch growth in the desired direction; this technique is especially relevant when forming the crown of a tree. To prune for a bud, you should select a shoot that is 1 year old and find a bud on it that faces in the desired direction. A cut should be made near the bud so that the length of the stump located immediately behind the bud does not exceed 2 mm. The cut angle should be 45º, the upper end of the cut and the crown of the bud should be at the same level.

Pruning fruit trees in autumn

Autumn pruning of apple tree

When the leaves fall from the tree, you can begin this procedure. In the process, it is necessary to remove dried and injured branches, as well as thin out (remove) the weakest of those that grow very close to each other.

In young apple trees, all branches that have grown during the season should be shortened by 1/4 of their length. After this, over the next 3 or 4 years, the branches can be left untouched, just remove dry and broken fragments.

If your apple tree is already 5 or 6 years old, then the longest and most powerful branches can be cut by 1/3. If the crown of the tree is too thick, then severe pruning is allowed (branches are cut in half).

Autumn pruning of an apple tree that is 8, 10 or more years old is carried out in three stages: in the first year, 1/3 of the old branches are removed, in the second year another third, and in the third year, also one third of all old branches.

Pruning a columnar apple tree in the fall is done a little differently: when cutting off the “extra” fragments, the remaining branches actively grow. For example, by cutting a branch by more than half, new strong shoots will grow from the few buds remaining on it in the new season. If you cut the branches to less than half, the remaining buds will produce approximately 6-8 medium-sized shoots.

To avoid branching of the crown and maintain its desired shape, the main conductor growing in the center is not cut off. If the side branches have grown too much, they are cut into a ring. And, of course, dried and damaged branches must be removed.

Pruning plum trees in autumn

As soon as the tree has dropped its leaves, you can start pruning - this is the basic rule of leaf fall. Plum pruning in autumn is done around mid-September or October. In this way, all dried and damaged branches are removed from the plum tree, and the crown can also be shaped if it has grown too large. This is done so that the branches do not break from strong winds or from the weight of snow on them.

In general, experienced gardeners do not recommend performing autumn manipulations with plums. If some procedure can be postponed until the spring, then better in autumn don't disturb the tree. For a sick plum, sanitary measures will be relevant. autumn processing, as well as removal of damaged fragments.

If you think that pruning a plum tree in the fall is necessary, then this process It is recommended to start in the middle or end of September, when the tree sheds its leaves. The shoots of a relatively young plum (first pruning) are shortened by one third. If the top of the tree has exceeded the height of 2.5 m, it also needs to be trimmed a little. Fast-growing branches are cut back to two-thirds of their length. If the crown is too thick, then all branches growing inside should be removed. There is no need to be afraid to actively thin out the crown - this will benefit the plum tree.

Old trees should not be pruned in the fall; it is better to postpone this procedure to the spring.

Features of autumn pear pruning

As for the pear, the harmonious shape of its crown should be established from the first years of life. For further symmetrical development, already one-year-old pears are given the correct crown shape when pruning.

The branches of young pears are cut at a height of 50-60 cm from the soil level.

For trees that are already 2 years old, 3 or 4 main (skeletal) branches are determined and cut at approximately the same level, while the central conductor should be 20-30 cm higher than the other branches (in pruned form).

In adult pears, the branches are cut by 1/3, as well as the top. When performing this procedure, try to general form the crown retained the shape of a pyramid.

If the tree is very old, then it is better to postpone anti-aging pruning until the spring, until the buds awaken.

Cherries: how and when to prune

As for cherries, pruning trees in the fall should rather be of a sanitary nature - removing old, diseased and injured branches. For crown formation and anti-aging procedures, it is still better to choose spring.

It is better to take action in September or even October if you live in a warm region. Here, as in the cases described above, you should first wait until all the leaves fall from the tree.

Annual trees should not be considered, but for older representatives it is recommended to remove excess branches, leaving only the 5 or 6 strongest ones - the distance between these remaining branches should not be less than 15 cm. Overgrown small shoots also need to be removed, they are of little use , it only weakens the tree.

Old cherries are rejuvenated in the spring.

Apricot, peach, cherry and others, do they need to be pruned in the fall?

As for other, beloved and widespread trees in our regions, such as apricot, peach and cherry, then for them autumn time recommended only sanitary pruning! For example, like in the picture below. If you didn’t have time to trim the top branches in the summer, do it in the fall.

For example, in cherries, fruiting may generally slow down after autumn formative pruning. Of course, you can try to shape the crown or rejuvenate pruning after the end of leaf fall, but most experienced gardeners are inclined to believe that these procedures are best carried out in the spring. Autumn “operations” have a much worse effect on these trees than, for example, on apple and pear trees. In the spring, they will tolerate stress more easily and will quickly come to their senses in the atmosphere of approaching warmth.

Before the onset of cold weather, it is recommended to remove all injured, shriveled and diseased branches from peach, cherry and apricot trees, that is, to prepare the trees for the winter period. With the arrival of autumn, viburnum, quince, shadberry, and sea buckthorn are also subjected to only sanitary pruning.

To summarize, we can say that pruning trees in the fall means sanitary manipulations, as well as shortening and thinning branches of certain varieties. Shortening allows you to form a beautiful, regular crown and set the branches in the required direction. Depending on the age of the tree, weak, medium or strong thinning is used. This procedure helps the tree concentrate its vitality on the “working” branches, removes all unnecessary fragments, and prepares it for winter.