Many novice gardeners often wonder about how to cut apple trees in the fall and whether this can be done at this time. And although, according to many professionals, late winter is the best time for this procedure, any time when the tree has already stopped bearing fruit, but has not yet entered the next phase of rapid growth and development, can be considered a favorable period for pruning.
Why do this
Successful pruning greatly helps maintain healthy trees. In apple trees, in addition, after this procedure, an increase in productivity and an increase in the size and taste of the fruit are observed. It should be remembered that no matter what the answer to the question of how to cut apple trees in the fall, this should be done only with clean and very sharp tools. Wet plants should never be exposed to this procedure. The cut is best done on healthy wood and processed immediately after the process.
When to cut apple trees
At first, after planting, it is better to let everything drift. The tree will delight its owner with large, juicy and very tasty fruits for at least several years. However, even a completely inexperienced gardener will soon notice that from year to year the yield and quality of apples will fall. Do not attribute this phenomenon to bad weather. The strong neglect of the tree is to blame. Anyone who was interested in how to prune apple trees in the fall will say that this procedure can radically change the harvest next year. This is due to the fact that by removing some branches, the gardener reduces the total number of ripened fruits and provides good illumination directly inside the crown. This technique leads to accelerated fruit growth, which is not surprising, because they receive much more nutrients and have a very attractive appearance. Pruning is best done when there is no juice circulation inside the tree, and its wood is not frozen. The ideal time is the end of autumn or the very beginning of spring.
When can I prune an apple tree?
It is best to perform this operation from the second year of a tree’s life, when its crown can be formed. After the fruiting starts, it will be necessary to produce strong pruning, cutting and shortening many branches. Such a measure can greatly increase the yield of a tree and create a special crown structure that can hold a larger crop.
Any novice gardener who needs to know how to prune apple trees in the fall needs to remember a few key points:
- the procedure must be repeated every year, then the plant will suffer the loss of its part less painfully;
- you can not remove more than one third of the total number of branches;
- branches need to be cut obliquely above the kidney on the outside of the branch, this method allows for very fast water runoff and an shoot that does not thicken the crown;
- you need to cut the oldest branches, over the years their productivity will fall, and removing them, the gardener directs the tree sap to the development of new shoots.
Follow these simple rules, and your apple trees will each year bring large bulk fruits of excellent taste.