Peach pruning must be carried out not only correctly, but also in a timely manner. The volume of the harvest directly depends on this. You will learn when and how to do this in this article.
What type of crown to choose?
As a result of pruning the tree, a strong, powerful crown should be formed, allowing the tree to produce a bountiful harvest. The shape of the crown is influenced by the height of the plant and the stem.
If the shape of the crown is low-stem, then form it for plants growing in the southern regions. If the height of the stem is from 0 to 40 cm, then these are the so-called bush or stemless forms of crowns. Use these in the northern regions.
The branches can also be shaped like a bowl with a slight drop in the length of the branches in the center or in the form of a bush.
Why trim a peach?
Peach is a whimsical tree, capable of producing high yields only if carefully cared for. One of the factors is correct pruning, that is, the formation of the crown of the tree. With it, you can provide the necessary care for the plant.
The peach will respond to the manipulation of pruning with timely flowering and regular fruiting with large fruits of high taste. They begin to form a tree at the age of one year. The grounds for pruning are:
- the existence of sharp forks of branches;
- thickened crown, preventing the penetration of sufficient sunlight to all fruits;
- weakening of the plant due to the large number of buds;
- avoiding premature growing up.
What tools are needed?
In order to efficiently and efficiently perform peach pruning, acquire the following tools:
- pruning shears with long handles;
- special garden knife;
- a hacksaw for wood with a thin sharp blade;
- paint brush.
To reduce plant injury, control the sharpness of all tools and the proper level of disinfection.
Before starting work, disinfect the tools. To do this, use alcohol.
Types of pruning
Prune the plant for different purposes. The types of this manipulation are divided into the following scraps:
- Household pruning - serves to remove dead dry branches. With this pruning, remove branches with damage - breaks, curvatures, cracked bark, delamination.
- Restorative pruning perform if the tree has been damaged by frost. Then restore its crown. This can be done if you carry out a thorough inspection of all branches and identify dry and non-viable ones - remove them.
- Detail cropping serves to shorten branches approximately 1/2 of the length of old branches. You can also intensively thin out the branches.
- Contour trimming carry out by removing the outer branches of the tree, thereby eliminating their spread in width.
- Reconstructive pruning spend 1 year after the anti-aging has been carried out. In this case, shorten the entire length of the branch by 30-50%.
- Differential trimming produce only on the upper branches to thin them out.
Formative
The main purpose of formative pruning is to stimulate the growth and development of the tree. After its implementation, the tree's nutrition is balanced, and the crown acquires the optimal size and shape. Young shoots become more powerful, which directly affects the yield and taste of the fruit.
Pruning recommendations:
- When forming the crown of an adult tree, keep in mind that in spring, the branches are pinched, the point of which is at a height of no more than 0.4 m. As a result, the plant will form a second wave of shoots.
- You need to start forming a tree from the age of two. Moreover, as the tree grows, leave about 7-8 branches in the crown, which will be the main ones. Such a plant should be fully formed by the age of 5, maximum 6 years.
- You can form the crown in the shape of a bush. Prune immediately after planting for the first time. Read about autumn planting here. Then, in the second year, leave only four main branches with a mandatory central one. These branches will be able to give a harvest in two years.
- In subsequent years, up to the fifth, prune the branch approximately at the neck level. Each year, it is necessary to leave about five branches capable of fruiting near the tree, and also leave two more shoots to replace.
Watch in the video how the formative pruning of a peach is carried out:
Restorative
Only perform this type of pruning if the tree has been exposed to intense frost during the wintering period. Perform in spring or autumn. Mainly for those plantings that have suffered intense frosts or are damaged by the disease.
Regulatory
Regulatory pruning can be carried out in any season and in order to preserve the fruiting of the tree and the number of ripe fruits on the branches.
It must be done, since an excessive amount of ringlets is formed on the tree. Just cut the oldest ones. Such manipulation will allow you to adjust the period and duration of the formation of fruits on the tree.
For regulatory pruning, prune young branches that are more than 1/2 m in length. Choose those that project sharply beyond the overall crown shape.
Anti-aging
Perform this type of pruning on a mature tree to rejuvenate it. This allows you to extend the fruiting process.
During this procedure, remove the old branches from the tree, leave the young ones instead, at the age of 2, maximum 4 years. It is allowed to leave the top that grows from the bottom of the old shoot.
If anti-aging pruning of an adult tree has not been carried out for a long period of time, then more intensive removal of branches and even possibly part of the tree will be required.
What time is the peach cut?
Each type of pruning has its own, strictly defined terms. They must be adhered to, otherwise it will negatively affect the fruiting of the tree, and change its vegetation.
The set of scraps can be divided into two types:
- full branch cutting;
- partial cropping.
Spring pruning
Start spring pruning in late February and continue into spring. It is necessary to shorten the shoots at this time to form a wide, branched crown. The procedure must correspond to the type of crown chosen.
As a general rule of thumb, cut about 1/2 or 1/3 of how much the branch grows in a year. Also, be sure to keep in mind that on the branches of the first order, you need to do more cutting than on the branches of the second order.
When pruning, make sure that the young growth is maintained as intensively as possible. After all, it is the branches that are 2-3 years old that give the best fruits and in large quantities.
In order for the peach to recover faster after the pruning process, it must be started when the internal juices have not yet begun to move in the tree.
In the video below you can see how spring pruning of a peach is carried out:
Summer pruning
In the summer, cut off those branches that are either completely dry or have begun the drying process. Eliminate branches that are shedding color. They tend to grow incorrectly, that is, towards the center of the crown.
The main rule of summer pruning is that it should be done in June or early July. During this period, a stone is laid inside the fetus.
Autumn pruning
Many experienced gardeners recommend pruning peaches in the fall. This is due to the fact that the plant will have a longer period for its recovery. So you can expect a more intense flowering, and, accordingly, fruiting.
Fall pruning is worth doing in warm climates. The autumn period is usually warm here, and frost occurs at the beginning of winter. Therefore, before the onset of the first frost and cold, the tree has time to fully recover after the procedure.
The main rule for autumn pruning is the start time, which comes from about mid-September to the end of October. At this time, the harvest from the trees has already been fully harvested.
Pruning, carried out in the autumn in warm regions, can speed up the process of fruit development.
It is important to never prune in autumn in temperate areas, as the tree will most likely not be able to overwinter and will die.
Is peach pruned in winter?
In winter, the peach pruning procedure is not performed - this can destroy the plant. The only thing that can be called winter pruning is that spring pruning can begin in mid-February.
In warm regions, spring comes much earlier and at this time the likelihood of severe frosts disappears - so you can start pruning.
Pruning by years
When pruning, be sure to consider the age of the tree. Because in a young specimen, all pruning efforts should be aimed at ensuring that it grows and develops. Prune the next year to stimulate fruiting.
In more mature trees, prune in order to form a crown, prevent thickening, increase the number of formed inflorescences, and, accordingly, fruits. For old peach trees, prune in order to rejuvenate and maintain the fruiting process at a certain, optimal level.
Immediately after landing
As soon as a young peach tree sapling is planted (the spring planting of a peach is written here), make the first pruning for it. To do this, simply shorten the central shoot, that is, the top of the plant. Also shorten by about 1/3 all the remaining side branches of the seedling.
1 year
Pruning is also necessary for an annual plant. The main goal is the correct formation of the crown of the future adult tree. Make sure the skeletal branches are positioned correctly and at the right angle.
At one year of age, shorten the branches about 1/3 of their total length. Make sure that the shortening is not carried out at a distance of less than 1/4 of the total length of the branch.
Measure the new growth before you start pruning. If, for any reason, it is weak enough, that is, it has not grown by more than 30 cm, then you can in this case not carry out pruning for a young tree.
2 year
During the second year of the plant's life, perform the same pruning as in the previous year. This is important to form the correct crown. By repeating this pruning, you will really form the necessary crown for the plant and prepare it for abundant fruiting in the following years.
The gardener provided a video about pruning a peach in the second year of life:
3 year
As the plant reaches its third year of growth, it enters into a period of active fruiting. Peaches form abundantly only on young branches and those that have undergone the pruning process.
Pruning recommendations:
- It is important to ensure that the tree does not thicken or age. Each such branch takes away strength from the tree, so every year a not well-groomed peach will bear fruit less and less.
- From now on, change your tree pruning strategy. The most important thing now is to focus on the need to remove the weakest branches. In addition, remove the frozen branches as well.
- At this point, it is necessary to ensure that the crown of the tree does not thicken. To do this, cut off excess branches over the entire surface of the tree.
- The basic rule in this case is that if new young branches grow more than 0.5 m in length, then they must be shortened. As a result, this will lead to the accelerated formation of new growth.
Subsequent years
In all other subsequent years, take into account both the age of the plant itself and its activity in fruiting. While the peach is young enough, repeat the previous pruning that is common for the third year of plant growth.
When the tree has aged, be sure to rejuvenate it. In this case, carry out such pruning, which obeys the following rules:
- be sure to shorten the skeletal parts of the branches by 1/3 of their total length;
- tops that remain on the tree, reduce until about 1/2 m remains.
Care after pruning
After pruning a tree, it needs proper care. This will help the plant recover faster after the procedure. It will allow him not to be exposed to diseases or pests.
Read the article on peach diseases and pests.
Here are the basic rules:
- burn everything that is cut from plants to prevent the spread of diseases or fungal infections;
- cuts that formed after pruning, that is, wounds, treat with garden pitch;
- small violations of the integrity of the bark, obtained during the cut, treat with potassium permanganate or boric acid;
- treat the whole tree with a special solution;
- after the pruning is done, water the tree abundantly;
- in the spring, lay mulch around the trunk (you will learn how to mulch the soil from this article).
Useful Tips
Beginning gardeners can be given the following useful tips:
- Before pruning, carefully examine the tree for possible damage from the winter frost.
- It is necessary to form the crown, depending on the region of growth of the plant.
- When cutting to a specific length, if you are not sure of the accuracy of the eye, check the dimensions of the branch with a meter. It is better to overdo it with care, as over-shortening can lead to stunted growth of the tree and have the exact opposite effect from what is expected.
- Use good quality gardening equipment to reduce pruning wounds on the tree.
Remember that it is necessary to disinfect your garden tools to avoid possible infection of the peach from other plants.
Possible mistakes
If you prune the peach tree incorrectly, it will cause the most negative consequences. For a young tree, this will be slow growth. Whereas a fruiting peach will begin to have problems with the formation of inflorescences, and subsequently with the formation of tasty fruits in the right amount.
What errors are more common:
- If you over-shorten the branches of a healthy plant, it will delay the formation of flowers, and then the fruit of the peach. Undoubtedly, excessive zeal in pruning will negatively affect the plant.
- Indifference on the part of the owner of the plantation to pruning a tree does not bode well either. Many people believe that this procedure can be avoided and nothing negative will happen.
- The result of carelessness in caring will be small, tasteless fruits. They will not differ in aroma and the required sugar level. The tree will bear fruit irregularly, thicken as it grows and age faster.
- It is important to start pruning the peach at the age of 2 years. It is necessary to monitor and measure the angle of inclination of the branch to the main trunk. It should not be less than 45 °. If the angle is less, then it is necessary to fix it to the peg.
- Pruning too early in season can cause branches to freeze during early frosts.
Following the above guidelines will help to form a healthy plant with abundant, regular fruiting and slow aging.