Apricot is a tree that retains all its ovaries, and in order to make it beautiful and bring a stable crop, gardener must conduct annual pruning.
Through such work you can make a lot of mistakes, so it is very important to know the correct algorithm of actions and approach this procedure as seriously as possible.
Table of contents
Why apricot need pruning?
Given the individual characteristics of apricot, we can say that apricot needs pruning for the following reasons:
- To make the apricot crown neat and beautiful it needs to be formed independently, otherwise the branches will grow strongly.
- If the apricot is not cut, then initially it will be very fruitful, with the crown becoming very thick and powerful. But after a certain amount of time, the internal branches grow bald and very quickly grow old, begin to break and fall off.
- Fruiting buds are laid in smaller quantities., and the remaining fruits become smaller.
- Also, if you do not regulate the amount of the future harvest in the first years of the tree’s life, the branches will begin to break under the weight of the fruit.
- The growth of new shoots stops.
With regular pruning apricot crown acquires the correct form, and over the years it will be possible to get a large, juicy and annual harvest. Also the life of a tree becomes much longer.
What season can be cut in spring, summer or autumn?
Apricot needs complex pruning, which is why such the procedure is carried out in spring, autumn and summer.
Starting from the first year of life in early spring the tree needs to properly form the crown. This work helps to normalize the number of fruits and significantly improves their quality.
Sanitary pruning is done in autumn.which will help prepare the apricot for winter and improve it. During this procedure, all diseased, dry and damaged branches are removed.
Summer tree rejuvenate, thereby increasing the number of young gains. This procedure is carried out 1 time in 3 years.
In order to annually get a bountiful harvest of delicious apricots, you need to take care of the tree and follow all the rules.
How to make the procedure
In order not to harm the apricot, but rather to help, pruning should be carried out according to special rules. They will help to avoid mistakes and carry out work with the highest quality possible.
Choosing the moment to form the crown and to rejuvenate the old tree
All work should be carried out in the period of low activity of the tree, until the active sap flow has begun, with the exception of the summer rejuvenating pruning.
Tool preparation
For work may need:
- pruner;
- hacksaw;
- delimber;
- garden knife.
Before use all tools must be disinfected with a special liquid. This procedure will help avoid the spread of diseases and pests.
Also, so that the tree does not suffer, all blades should be well ground.
Scheme and technology
Experienced gardeners recommend form apricot crown discharged-tier method. At the same time, 5-7 main branches of the first row are removed at a distance of 40 centimeters.
The scheme will vary depending on the year of the tree.
For the formation of the correct crown it is very important not to delay the pruning, they begin to carry out this work from the first year of the tree’s life.
First year
If there are no branches on the acquired seedling, shorten and leave 80-90 centimeters from the ground.
If there are already sprouts on a young tree, the work is carried out as follows:
- the main conductor is cut in such a way that it would be 20-30 centimeters taller than other branches;
- even the most powerful branches located along the row reduce exactly 2 times;
- the remaining processes are completely removed, while the presence of hemp is also not allowed, therefore pruning is carried out “on the ring”.
Further throughout the whole season, it is necessary to follow the development and growth of the tree and time to remove the branches that grow inside the crown or in the wrong direction.
Second year
During this period, work on the formation of the crown continues and the main goal will be laying a new main branches.
To do this, perform the following steps:
- pick up some more strong branches so that they are at a distance of 30 centimeters, both from last year's shoots, and from each other. Then they are cut using the method of subordination. The method of subordination in horticulture expresses that the upper branches should be shorter than the lower ones;
- the length of the main conductor should be 40 centimeters from the last branch growing to the side;
- those shoots that were formed last year are also pruned a little;
- shoots grown on skeletal branches for the season, shorten, taking into account the individual characteristics of the variety. Thus, in fast growing varieties, they are halved, and in moderately growing ones by 1/3.
Third year
In this period laying the last skeletal branches, while the work is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- the main works on crown formation are performed in the same way as in the second year of apricot life;
- the only difference is that this time the conductor is not shortened, but removed completely;
- in addition, you need to take care of overgrowing branches, whose presence is obligatory on a healthy tree. For their formation, it is necessary to slightly reduce the branches that grow from the trunk, but are not skeletal.
Fourth year
From now on, the crown of the tree is considered formed. In addition, it is at the age of four that many varieties begin to bear fruit.
From this period over 3 years pruning will be performed only as sanitary and recreational works.
Forming pruning apricot:
Old apricot
In adulthood apricot needs rejuvenation every 3-4 yearsbecause it is precisely at this time that the old branches lose their ability to tie fruit and need to be updated.
To rejuvenate the old apricot, you need to shorten several branches of the skeleton to a length of 20-30 centimeters.
If fruits are formed only on distant parts of the tree, then in the spring, you can completely expose all skeletal branches. By the summer a lot of young, fruiting shoots will appear on them.
Features at different times of the year
Trimming may differ from each other depending on the time of its implementation. In each period there are several features that you definitely need to pay attention to.
Spring
In the spring usually choose the end of March-beginning of Aprilwhen the air is already relatively warm, but the sap flow has not yet begun.
During this period, carry out the following types of work:
- crown formation;
- sanitary and maintenance pruning.
The very first such work in the life of a tree should be carried out in the spring.
Otherwise, apricot will spend a lot of effort on the restoration of diseased shoots, which will not in the best way affect the quality and quantity of the crop.
Spring pruning and spraying apricot:
Summer
In the people such works are called “chasing”. Usually they are carried out in the late spring and early summer, the main thing is to keep within 10-15 June.
The goal of summer pruning will be rejuvenation of the tree., which in turn will increase the number of harvested crops. The algorithm of actions for this procedure is as follows:
- young shoots that were formed in the current year, shortened so that their length was 20-30 centimeters;
- after 2-3 weeks, young shoots should appear, 3-4 of the most powerful shoots are selected from it, and the rest are removed.
By the onset of autumn, all the foliage on the tree should already recover, and the places of the cuts should be tightened. On the secondary shoots will begin to form additional fruit buds.
In that case, if for any reason the tree does not have enough moisture, these works should be postponed.
Otherwise, the apricot will weaken and will recover for a long time, with the entire positive effect of the procedure turning into a negative one.
Apricot summer pruning in August:
Autumn
During the autumn pruning, it is necessary to clear the tree of diseased shoots and restore the balance between the fruiting and deciduous branches.
All fruit branches, except for skeletal ones, are cut to 1/3 of the length.. It is also necessary to completely remove dry, damaged or diseased branches.
The best time for such work is mid-October., at the same time, if the weather is rainy or early frosts set in, it is better not to perform pruning.
Good care after
After pruning apricot especially needs high-quality and complete care. In order for the tree to recover as soon as possible, it is necessary to carry out the following work:
- Slices need to grease a thin layer of garden warrior.
- With a large wound size, it is treated with a solution of copper sulphate to further disinfect.
- In order for the tree to have more strength to restore, nitrogen, phosphorus and organic fertilizers are added to the tree circle.
Apricot pruning only seems very difficult at first.. After a certain amount of time has passed, all actions will start to become a habit and their implementation will not require any special efforts.