Almost all trees have hidden buds, which represent a reserve used for the immediate restoration of plants. It is from these hidden buds that the formation of tops on the apple tree begins.
Tops on an apple tree - what are they?
The appearance of spiny shoots can be observed in the following cases:
- with significant mechanical damage to the surface of the bark of young trees;
- after incorrect execution adult apple tree trimmings for rejuvenation;
- due to the addition of large amounts of fertilizers that contain nitrogen.
It is very easy to determine that tops have begun to appear on plants, since they are difficult to confuse with something else. Their peculiarity is that they grow only in an upright position.
Large leaves are formed on them, which are 5-10 cm apart from each other. Tops differ from ordinary shoots in their growth rate. In a few months they grow up to two meters. Experienced gardeners advise removing such shoots, since fruits rarely form on them. They also consume a lot of tree strength, which negatively affects the ripening of fruits.
Reasons for appearance
Some gardeners do not know what can cause spiny shoots to appear on trees. There are several main reasons that contribute to their occurrence:
- Damage to the crown due to strong gusts of wind, frequent snowfalls or other natural disasters. When apple trees are seriously damaged, the tops begin to grow to replace the dead branches and restore the normal state of the plant.
- The development of black cancer and the appearance of dark spots. Pathology leads to drying of the leaves and death of the branches. The spiny stems grow back to form an intact crown.
- Deep planting of apple trees. Often, due to deep planting, tops appear in the lower part of the trees. To remove them, you will have to remove the top layer of soil to get to the base of the shoots and cut them off.
Do tops bear fruit?
Many people are interested in whether apples form on top shoots. Branches that grow in a vertical position rarely bear fruit. Therefore, most tops do not form fruits.Their main goal is to restore the normal state of apple trees after damage or disease.
Fruits rarely appear on such branches due to their increased growth. Most of the nutritional components are spent on shoot development, and therefore nothing is left for fruit formation. To force the stems to bear fruit, you will have to bend the shoot for horizontal growth or trim it regularly.
Timing of pruning
Many gardeners don't know when is the best time to prune the spiny stems to get rid of them. This is rarely done in spring or autumn, since tops practically do not appear at this time of year. Most often they begin to form in the first half of summer. By mid-July, young tops can grow up to one and a half meters.
It is impossible to determine the exact timing of pruning, since shoots appear at different times. It is recommended to cut off the tops when their length increases to 20-25 cm. At this size, they are still in a fragile state, and therefore, after cutting, no wounds remain on the plants.
Not everyone manages to get rid of spiny shoots in time. In this case, you will have to remove them with garden shears. In order to get rid of the stems in time, you need to regularly inspect the trees and remove newly appeared fatty shoots.
How to properly trim tops on an apple tree?
Gardeners prune shoots using special tools. Therefore, you need to prepare all the necessary equipment in advance. To perform pruning you will need:
- Hacksaw. Used to cut old branches that cannot be removed by hand.
- Secateurs. Used to remove mature branches about a meter long.
- Resins and construction paints. With their help, cuts are processed to protect them from moisture.
All top stems are removed under the base so that they cannot grow again in the future. When using a pruner, its cutting part is applied to the trunk. Its blades are then gently squeezed to cut off the shoot. After this, all cut areas are treated with antiseptic agents for disinfection and coated with resins or paints.
In what cases is pruning not necessary?
It is not necessary to remove tops from apple trees, as they do not always harm the plants. There are several cases in which they are left on apple trees:
- For rejuvenation. Sometimes spiny shoots are left on old trees to rejuvenate them a little. To do this, all remaining branches are bent in a horizontal position and tied to supports. Then they are shortened by half so that fruits form on the tops. Most often, fatty shoots are left for rejuvenation if they grow near broken branches.
- To form additional branches with fruits. Sometimes tops are left to increase the yield of apple trees by forming new branches with fruits. To do this, all remaining top shoots are cut to two buds, after which a fruiting branch is formed on them.
Prevention of the appearance of tops
To prevent the appearance of tops on apple trees, you will have to take preventive measures. It is no secret that diseases and damage to plants contribute to the emergence of fatty shoots. Therefore, when growing apples, you need to ensure that they are protected from gusts of wind and insects.
Also, to prevent thistles, it is recommended to regularly inspect apple trees and remove young alpine stems from them.
Conclusion
People who have been growing apple trees for many years often encounter tops.Therefore, before planting apple trees, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of pruning fatty branches and preventing their occurrence.
