Pruning of Fruit Trees Sjoerd Hagen

Introduction Who am I What do I study Where do I work

Content  Why pruning  Two types of pruning  Pruning goals  Winter pruning  In order to produce fruit  Fruit and grow buds  Summer pruning  Pruning plums  Pruning cherries  How to prune

Why pruning  We prune not because to get more fruit  But we prune to get fruits bigger and of higher quality

Two types of pruning  Winter Pruning Winter pruning is the regular pruning of fruit trees, only for apple and pear.  Summer Pruning Summer pruning could be a correction and preperation for winter pruning. And summer pruning can reduce the vegetative growth

Pruning goals  To keep the tree young and vital, if you prune you care for new fruit wood. This wood will produce the fruit for the next years.  To keep the airy shape of the tree, so that the branches will be lightend. And because the heat and light will reach the fruits.

Winter Pruning Apple and Pear  With winter pruning you start to prune away: -Competitors -Too steep branches -Abrasive branches -Broken branches -Dead branches On too steep branches a tree loses his energy. Prune those branches away, but spare at least 3 or 4 branches for the tree to lose a bit of his energy.

In order to produce fruit

Fruit buds and growth buds  Grow buds are located on the twig and are initially only for leaf. These growth buds are necessary to ensure the growth of the tree.  Fruit buds are located on a short twig. At this fruit buds will become first the flower. Through pollination there will be fruit.

Summer Pruning Apple and Pear  In the period of end Juli and August  What to prune away -A large part of the unusable shoots  It reduces vegetative growth  By improved lighting the tree is less sensitive for diseases and infestations  Better lighting allows for a number of rasses for a better color and flavor

Pruning Plums  Pruning plum trees may only take place between mid-April and mid- September. Usually plum trees will be pruned after the harvest. Choose a warm and dry day to prune, so the pruning wounds can dry quickly.  Plum trees can be pruned as less a possible - Don’t prune away more dan 1/3 - By overdue of pruning try to divede the pruning over three years. - Try to prune a plum tree as less as possible - Saw rather a large branch away instead of a bunch of little ones.

How to prune a plum tree  Prune away the problem branches  Prune away the branches who are curved to far by an excess of fruit  Strong upright braches can be bent downwards, so the hole branche will get sunlight.  If there is too much fruit it can be thin out.

Important business  Don’t prune plum trees during the winter the will be extra sensitive for galena  Prune plum trees only during dry weather  Disinfect the pruningtools after every pruned plum tree.

Why pruning cherries  On pruned cherry trees, cherries will be larger and ripen better.  Older trees will be longer vital and give longer production  Pruning can improve the production Before pruning After pruning

Pruning Cherries  Pruning cherries in the youth stadium is almost the same as pruning of plums  When cherries are older, only the crown must be lightend and the problem branches must be removed.  Too steep branches can be pruned away till 15cm  Fast growing shoots can be pruned away till 15cm  Yearly 2 á 3 fruit branches can be pruned away till 15cm

How to prune

 Creat smooth pruning wounds, the plant will heal the wounds faster. And the tree is less alive to intrusion of bacteria and fungi.  After pruning a fruit tree clean and desinfect the pruning tools. Some trees are very sensitive for bacteria and fungi  Prune not to far away form the buds  Make sure you always prune away from the bud, so you can avoid water from the pruning wound on the bud.