Spring tree pruning for beginners in pictures

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

You can get a good harvest of fruits and berries only if you prune fruit trees correctly. It is better to carry out this procedure in the spring, before the swelling of the kidneys has yet begun. Detailed instructions and a video for beginners will make this process easier.

Pruning fruit trees in spring step by step

Planned pruning not only gives the tree a well-groomed appearance, but also improves the taste of fruits, accelerates their ripening period, and increases their number.

When pruning trees in spring, the first thing to do is thin out the crown, remove excess branches that interfere with the penetration of the sun's rays. In more detail, this process can be seen in the pictures step by step.

When pruning in spring, those branches are removed that strongly thicken the tree, as well as those that are too long, because it is difficult to get to them when picking fruits, and besides, they can break. Pruning in the spring is especially important for young, fruit trees, if it is not done, the branches will begin to grow, thereby moving the center of gravity of the tree, which will lead to the curvature of the trunk.

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The diagram for beginners shows how you can correct the shortcomings of the previous procedure.

When pruning trees, the following rules must be observed:

1. The trunk of a tree is never touched.
2. Young branches should be cut off no more than 1/3 of the entire length.
3. The branch that grows from the center should be located 30-40 cm higher than the rest.
4. It is necessary to strive to ensure that all branches are the same at the same level.
5. The inner branches are cut at the same level as the outer bud.
6. All cuts must be smooth, so before the procedure, sharpen the knife sharply.
7. The cut must be treated with a disinfectant or oil paint in order to avoid tree diseases.
8. After removing the branch above the bud, it is unacceptable for the branch to remain.

For beginner gardeners, pruning trees in the spring is better done with a delimber, and the images in the pictures will be a good help step by step.

Crown formation

This process is carried out during the first 7 years of tree growth, to increase the effect, crown formation is combined with constant watering, feeding and pest control. Carrying out the formation of the crown regularly, we get the following advantages:

• yield will increase;
• the fruits will become juicier and more aromatic;
• the tree will rejuvenate;
• excellent prevention of tree diseases.

There are several types of crown formation, which can be seen in the table, and a video for beginners will highlight this process in more detail.

View	Goals	Dates of the
Formative	Creates an illuminated and powerful crown that is easy to care for. Giving decorativeness.	First 3-4 years
Rejuvenating	Restoration of the crown of old trees, regeneration of branches and stimulation of bud formation.	After 2-3 years of growth, every 3-4 years.
Pruning to reduce growth	Increased illumination and productivity.	The first 2-4 years.
Sanitary	It is carried out for neglected crowns that have remained without care for a long time.	Carried out every year as needed.

If you follow all the rules, then we get a strong and healthy tree with a strong skeleton.

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Pruning mature fruit trees

To maintain the result obtained, after the formation of the crown, it is necessary to prune already mature trees constantly. This operation is rejuvenating, it allows old trees to return a second youth. The procedure can be performed only if there is a healthy trunk and strong skeletal branches.

Consider the sequence of actions:

1. The first step is to remove dried and broken branches, then you need to cut off those that grow inside the crown. We also remove diseased and bare twigs, they will no longer bear fruit.
2. Then you can remove some skeletal branches, but only if they do not grow properly and interfere with the development of new shoots.
3. Now you need to shorten the crown a little, for this we cut off all branches above 3-3, 5 meters. And also remove the knots that are located above the young shoots.
4. If there are many tops on an adult tree, it means that in the past the pruning was done incorrectly, and you need to get rid of them. However, 10 pieces should be left, only those that grow up and out at an angle.

You can see the process of pruning mature trees in more detail in the video for beginners. If the tree is 10 years old or more, it is necessary to carry out regulatory pruning, this will allow new shoots to appear and will not allow strong thickening.

Schemes for pruning pear, cherry, apple and other trees

Pruning trees in spring is a guarantee that there will be a beautiful and blooming garden in the summer; for beginners, a diagram of the entire procedure in pictures is provided step by step. You can see it in more detail in the video.

To do this, delete the following:

• branches growing at an acute angle;
• shoots directed inward;
• empty branches that do not bring crops.

Experienced gardeners advise you to follow certain rules:

1. It is necessary to start the process immediately after the severe frost has subsided, thus, by the beginning of the movement of the juices, the wounds will already heal.
2. The branches are pruned over the eyes growing inside the crown.
3. The branches, which, as it were, are an extension of the trunk, should be longer than the rest.
4. If the tree is very weak, then a short pruning is performed over the second or third eye.
5. If the tree grows strongly, then perform medium pruning, remove the shoots above the fifth eye.
6. If the tree is very elongated, then a long pruning is carried out, cutting off the branches above the eighth eye.

For beginners, a video has been specially prepared where the cropping process is shown in detail.

Consider the general principles of pruning an apple tree, starting from the root, which can be clearly seen in the pictures step by step:

• remove young growth from the trunk;
• we cut off the branches that look down;
• cut off branches growing very close to each other;
• we remove the shoots that look down;
• eliminate the branches facing the trunk;
• we cut off the branches that crossed themselves;
• we shorten the top of the tree.

In the pictures, the whole process of pruning trees in spring is shown step by step, this scheme is especially useful for novice gardeners.

When pruning cherries or cherries, there are some nuances:

• remove all weak shoots from a young seedling;
• we leave only 5-7 strong branches looking in different directions, while the gap between them should be about 10 cm;
• the central shoot, so that at the same time, it is longer than the others by 20 cm.

The process of pruning cherries can only be carried out in the spring.

The pear pruning scheme is as follows:

• if, after winter frosts, tops appeared on the tree, that is, empty branches that will not bear fruit, then they must be removed or shortened;
• moderate pruning is necessary so as not to weaken the tree;
• branches that need to be slightly shortened for a year or more, from this they will become stronger.

The pictures show the whole process step by step more clearly.

Which tool to use

To fully process all the trees in the garden, you will need the following tools:

• lopper;
• secateurs;
• brush cutter;
• hacksaw;
• scissors.

They must meet the following requirements:

• the blade must be sharp, thanks to this the cut will be smooth;
• the tool must have tapered ends so that you can reach the most difficult-to-reach places;
• lightweight but durable tool will facilitate the work;
• the handle should be made of a non-slippery material, preferably a bright color so that it can be easily found in the grass.

Thanks to such a tool, the processing of trees will be easy and efficient.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Spring Pruning

Pruning young trees in the spring, which can be seen in the video, especially for novice gardeners, has several advantages:

1. The wounds on the tree will have time to heal before the juices begin to move.
2. Already in the coming year, you can get a large harvest of fruits.
3. The fruits will grow larger and have a richer flavor.
4. Good air circulation will prevent many diseases.
5. It will help increase the life of the tree and prevent it from aging.
6. Gives the wood a more aesthetic appearance.

If you perform the procedure on time and correctly, then it will not have any drawbacks.

Tips from experienced gardeners

Following the recommendations of specialists, the procedure will be easy and efficient:

1. The pruner should be held with the narrow part towards the branch.
2. When a year has passed after planting the seedling, it is necessary to cut the branches by 7 cm, and the trunk by 20 cm.
3. You need to cut the branches right at the base of the trunk so that there are no stumps.
4. When removing a massive and heavy branch, it is necessary to file it from the bottom, and then from above, so as not to damage the bark if the branch suddenly begins to fall.
5. If the tree is frozen, then it is better to postpone pruning it until next spring.

Following these simple rules, in the summer it will be possible to harvest a rich harvest of juicy and mouth-watering fruits.