Can pomegranate trees be pruned in summer? When is the best time to prune?

Pruning pomegranate trees can also reduce nutrient consumption, adjust the tree structure to the optimal state, maximize the effective leaf area, form more photosynthetic products, enhance ventilation and light transmittance, and lay a good material foundation for high yields.

Pomegranate tree pruning in summer

Pomegranate trees can be pruned in the summer, specifically during the flowering period, which is the critical period for the transformation of pomegranate's vegetative growth to reproductive growth. Pruning at this time can greatly affect fruit set and fruit yield. In addition, the best time to prune pomegranate trees is in winter when the temperature is low and there is less damage to the plants.

How to prune pomegranate trees in summer

1. Thinning fruits

Pay attention to fruit thinning on pomegranate trees in summer, which is usually done in mid-to-late June. Observe the fruiting of the pomegranate tree and mainly remove diseased and insect-infested fruits, deformed fruits, small fruits, and rotten fruits in time. If there are two fruits on a fruiting branch, you can keep the larger fruit and remove the smaller fruit on top.

2. Thinning branches

After thinning the fruits, the pomegranate tree also needs to be pruned and thinned. The extra branches, messy branches, and diseased branches on the pomegranate tree should be cut off. There should be no branches that block the growth of the tree. By pruning the branches of the pomegranate tree, the unnecessary consumption of nutrients can be reduced, thereby accumulating nutrients to promote the later growth of the pomegranate tree.

3. Pulling and adjusting branches

In summer, the pomegranate tree needs to be pruned, the branches pulled to the appropriate angle, the branch distribution adjusted, and the space above the crown increased to prevent excessive density from affecting ventilation and light transmission, thereby allowing sunlight to be evenly distributed.

If the main branches of the pomegranate tree are relatively straight and the distance between each main branch is small, the branches can be adjusted. The three main branches and other side branches need to be fixed and propped up with wooden sticks, and the propped-up positions should be padded with paper to avoid damaging the bark and ensure that the tree can receive even sunlight, which is also conducive to fruiting and growth.