Pruning and Training

Link Training to Productivity Productivity is all about - Quality - Quantity - Price - Timing to Market All the areas of training and pruning should link back to these main points.

What is Pruning ? Could be defined as: Could be defined as: The removal of any part of the plant to encourage it to grow, flower and fruit in the way the grower wants. Pruning is a key factor in quality and quantity of a crop.

Why Do It ? The main purpose is to achieve the optimum crop possible. The main purpose is to achieve the optimum crop possible. Factors to consider Factors to consider - Light - Light - Size of fruit/plant - Shape of plant - Spacing - Maintain continuous supply of quality flower buds It is important to maintain a balance between growth, flowering and fruiting while keeping the plant vigorous and in good health. It is important to maintain a balance between growth, flowering and fruiting while keeping the plant vigorous and in good health.

Training Fruit trees Important to train fruit trees to develop a framework to let light reach all the leaves and have enough space to pick the fruit. Important to train fruit trees to develop a framework to let light reach all the leaves and have enough space to pick the fruit. Modern day training reduces structural wood (which is non-productive) into budding and therefore fruit bearing, wood. Support to the tree is provided by posts and wires or simply by the strength of the single (centre) leader. Modern day training reduces structural wood (which is non-productive) into budding and therefore fruit bearing, wood. Support to the tree is provided by posts and wires or simply by the strength of the single (centre) leader. Smaller trees, producing more fruit are easier to spray, faster to pick, easier to train. Growers can have a much higher tree density when the trees are small. Smaller trees, producing more fruit are easier to spray, faster to pick, easier to train. Growers can have a much higher tree density when the trees are small.

Helping Hand POSTS AND WIRES HELP PROVIDE SUPPORT TO MODERN TREES

Single Leader

Compare the plant density in the photos in the next 2 slides

OLD STYLE ‘VASE’ PRUNING

MODERN, SMALLER TREES TRAINED ON POSTS AND WIRES

Apples The Pruning of apples helps with: disease control because the spray can get into the middle and tops of the trees. (QUALITY) disease control because the spray can get into the middle and tops of the trees. (QUALITY) the size of the fruit because it has space to grow and the the size of the fruit because it has space to grow and the colour because light is let into the middle of the tree. (Quality, quantity, Price and timing?) colour because light is let into the middle of the tree. (Quality, quantity, Price and timing?)

Stonefruit trees Peaches and Nectarines get pruned and trained to ensure the fruit doesn’t rub on the branches or each other. Branches don’t shadow each other a vase shape is no longer used and has been superseded by the Central leader system. Peaches and Nectarines get pruned and trained to ensure the fruit doesn’t rub on the branches or each other. Branches don’t shadow each other a vase shape is no longer used and has been superseded by the Central leader system.

Old Style Vase Shape for Stonefruit

Grapes Prune to two main stems - the plant doesn’t grow too much fruit so the fruit produced is of a higher QUALITY. Space to develop. Thormery-espallier system is widely used. Prune to two main stems - the plant doesn’t grow too much fruit so the fruit produced is of a higher QUALITY. Space to develop. Thormery-espallier system is widely used.

Pine Trees Trained to grow straight and tall by pruning the bottom branches to, roughly, a third of the overall height. This improves the QUALITY, QUANTITY & PRICE of the end result – timber, ie longer, straighter timber. Trained to grow straight and tall by pruning the bottom branches to, roughly, a third of the overall height. This improves the QUALITY, QUANTITY & PRICE of the end result – timber, ie longer, straighter timber.

Root Pruning Plant growth is reduced and slowed. This stops over vigorous growth and keeps plant smaller. Eg Bonsi, plum trees. Smaller trees mean cost of production is reduced. Plant growth is reduced and slowed. This stops over vigorous growth and keeps plant smaller. Eg Bonsi, plum trees. Smaller trees mean cost of production is reduced. Root bags are used extensively with cherries in the South Island of NZ. These do the same job as root pruning because they restrict the growth of the roots, putting more growth into the flowering and fruiting of the tree. Root bags are used extensively with cherries in the South Island of NZ. These do the same job as root pruning because they restrict the growth of the roots, putting more growth into the flowering and fruiting of the tree.

Hedges

Formal Hedges

Pruning cuts

Pruning a Large Branch

Equipment

What is the problem?

Pruning a Shrub

Pruning Rose Bushes