How to prune dwarf apple trees: basic methods of formation in spring, summer and autumn

Fruit trees need to be pruned regularly, otherwise their yield will decrease or the fruits will become of lower quality. When pruning dwarf apple trees, you need to consider a number of recommendations.

Do dwarf apple trees need pruning?

Dwarf apple trees must be pruned. Rotten branches are the main source of pathogenic microorganisms leading to a variety of diseases.If they are not pruned in time, rot can spread to healthy young branches. As a result, the tree will suffer.

In addition, if the crown is too massive, the plant will produce little fruit. At the same time, they will be small, wormy and unappetizing.

The crown should not be wider than the root system. If it is too large, the roots will not be able to receive the nutrients necessary for the growth and development of the tree. As a result, the plant will begin to wither until it dies.

Timing for pruning

Typically, pruning of branches is carried out in autumn and spring. Moreover, each type has its own characteristics. Autumn pruning must be done after all the leaves have fallen off. This indicates that the plant’s growing season has ended and it has “gone dormant.”

But it is not recommended to do this too late. If you cut off old branches just before frost, you will be left with an open wound. This can cause rotting.

Spring pruning should be done in early spring, before the buds begin to swell. It is forbidden to perform the procedure during the flowering period - this will cause severe injury to the tree. The plant produces a large amount of juice, which accelerates the healing process. Even if autumn pruning was carried out, in the spring you will still have to adjust the crown by removing branches that froze over the winter.

Summer pruning is rarely done. Thanks to it, the plant will bloom late next season. This will protect it from freezing in case of bad weather.

How to prune a dwarf apple tree?

During the work process, a number of rules must be taken into account. If the crown is pruned too much, few leaves will appear in the spring, which will disrupt the tree’s nutritional process. As a result, the plant will suffer and bear fruit poorly.

Thinning

Dwarf apple trees produce very good harvests. This is due to the fact that the smaller the height of the tree, the more fruits are formed on it. However, a large number of apples leads to sagging branches, which is why the tree will begin to deplete over time. The harvest may remain the same, but the fruits will become wormy, pale and very small.

To avoid such problems, you need to thin out the ovary. Due to this, the tree will produce less fruit. Therefore, there will be a slight load on the branches.

But during the thinning process it is necessary to take into account a number of important rules:

• It is advisable to carry out the procedure in June. It is at this time that the extra ovaries will become sluggish and begin to fall off spontaneously.
• The ovaries should not be cut off. It is enough to shake off the branches thoroughly, thanks to which they will fall off on their own.
• If there are too many ovaries and they do not fall off, they can be thinned out with garden shears.

Thinning helps remove weak or diseased apples. As a result, the harvest will be less numerous, but the fruit will be larger.

Kidney removal

In spring, the apical buds are the first to open. Long shoots will form from them in the future. If these buds are not trimmed, uneven stress will be placed on the branches. It is better to leave only the middle buds, which will also produce strong shoots.

But before cutting them, you need to carefully examine them. It is necessary to leave those buds that are necessary for the formation of the correct crown of the tree.

Crown formation

Young trees grow very intensively. However, over time their growth slows down. Nevertheless, new shoots are formed from dormant buds. As a result, the crown thickens, and fruits are formed only in the upper layers of the crown, and they are absent in the inner layers due to insufficient sunlight.

If you do not form the correct crown, the plant will begin to sag under the weight of the branches. There is an increased risk that the tree will split into two parts.

In the process of forming a dwarf or semi-dwarf apple tree, the following recommendations must be taken into account:

• Regulate the growth of branches. The stronger ones must be lower than the weaker ones, otherwise the latter will become exhausted and dry out.
• Depending on the thickness of the branches, different tools must be used. To trim thicker ones, you need to use pruning shears or a hacksaw, and for thin ones, garden shears are suitable.
• The crown needs to be formed from the first years after planting.

Forming a crown is a rather complex process, since you need to keep it natural. That is, even after removing excess branches and buds, its crown should not have an irregular shape.

Pyramid pruning

In this case, a dense trunk up to 2 m high remains in the center. Side branches extend from it, the average length of which is 1 m. At the same time, the length of the branches is shortened upward. As a result, the tree resembles a pyramid.

Pruning on rootstock

After grafting the plant, you should wait a few years before pruning. During this time, the branches will strengthen and develop well. After about 2-3 years, the main shoot will be formed - it is the thickest and healthiest. And the side branches can be removed. It is better to do this in spring or summer.

Pinching shoots

It is carried out in the warm season. When pinching (pinching), young, not yet lignified shoots are removed. This can be done without special tools, by hand, removing only the tips of the shoot. If you need to cut a thicker part, use pruning shears.

With summer pinching, the necessary nutrients are retained in the plant, and tissue healing occurs faster. The procedure should be carried out in stages. You need to repeat it three times, with a frequency of 2-3 weeks between repetitions. It is advisable that the last pinching be carried out no later than mid-August, otherwise the young shoots will not ripen and will die when the first frost occurs.

Pruning according to tree age

Also, when pruning a tree, it is necessary to take into account its age.

Apple tree 1st year of life

It is recommended to shorten annual seedlings so that their height does not exceed 50 cm. If the procedure is carried out correctly, then by August the tree should already have several developed shoots.

2nd year of life

In the second year of life, preferably in the spring, the central conductors should be trimmed. The distance between the highest part of the tree and the top branch should not exceed 20 cm. Side branches that grow down should also be trimmed.

3rd year of life

Work should be carried out in the spring to reduce the risk of damaging the plant. The side shoots must be shortened by 20 cm, and the central branch - by 5-10 cm. At the end of summer, the shoots also need to be shortened by 3 leaves.

Mature apple tree

Overgrown trees must be pruned annually. Manipulations should be carried out in late autumn and early spring. It is necessary to monitor the length of the side branches so that it does not exceed 0.5 m. The conductors must also be trimmed so that the height of an adult apple tree is no more than 2-2.5 m.

Typical beginner mistakes

Very often people start cutting branches without proper experience. As a result, they cut off too much, use the wrong tools, or do not follow the technique correctly. The plant may suffer from this.

In order not to harm the tree, you must take into account the following recommendations:

• You need to purchase high-quality tools with a sharp blade. If the scissors or pruners are bad, the gardener will not be able to remove excess branches with one cut.
• After work, tools should be washed and dried well. Keep them in a dry place to prevent rust.
• Branches need to be trimmed to the optimal length. If you shorten them too much, this will negatively affect the condition of the tree.
• If fruit-bearing branches do not form, you need to find a healthy bud and slightly tear off the bark above it.
• The procedure can only be carried out when the plant is at rest. It is better to do this in late autumn-early spring.
• If you need to remove too many branches, it is better to do this in stages, in the spring. If you remove all the branches at once, the plant may get shocked.

Getting started pruning apple trees, it is recommended to consult with more experienced gardeners. Otherwise, you can harm your garden.