How to prune two-year-old loquat saplings?

Loquat is a kind of fruit that everyone likes to eat. If you want to get a good yield of loquat, you need to manage it carefully on a daily basis, including fertilizer and water management, pruning, flower and fruit management, disease and pest control, etc. So how do you prune young loquat trees and two-year-old trees? Let’s take a look below.

1. How to prune young and two-year-old loquat trees?

For young loquat trees that are 1-2 years old, pruning is not necessary during the shaping period. At this time, the loquat trees are growing a large number of branches, and pruning at this time is not conducive to the growth of the loquat trees. If you want to prune, you can choose to do it after the new shoots stop growing each year, which is around July. This will have less impact on the loquat tree and can also promote later growth and development.

2. How to prune loquat trees

1. Bud removal method

After the loquat seedlings are planted, before they sprout, keep the buds in the correct direction, strong and full, and wipe off the excess buds. This method can save nutrients, make the shape of young loquat trees meet the requirements of shaping, cultivate strong trunk branches, and improve tree vigor; removing buds on adult fruit-bearing loquat trees can make the branches grow in the right direction, be thick, have a suitable distance between layers, and ensure ventilation and light transmission, thereby improving the quality of the fruit. The budding time of loquat trees is divided into 2-3 times before the new buds sprout in spring and autumn. It is not advisable to remove buds too heavily on young trees, otherwise it will easily weaken the tree, prolong the flowering and fruiting time of loquats, and reduce the economic benefits of the loquat orchard.

2. Branch thinning method

This method is to cut off the loquat branches from the base. By thinning branches, you can reduce the number of branches, ease the tree vigor, regulate the yield of a single plant, improve the ventilation and light transmission of the crown, improve the quality and yield of the tree's fruit, and reduce the occurrence of diseases and pests. This method is generally carried out in early spring when loquat fruits are growing and developing, combined with flower and fruit thinning.

3. Short cutting method

This method can be divided into light cutting, medium cutting and heavy cutting. Light pruning means only cutting off part of the branches at the top of the annual branches, usually about 1/3 of the entire branch. The purpose is to weaken apical dominance, ease tree vigor and branching potential, promote basal branch growth, and extract new branch groups. Generally speaking, light pruning is done to prepare for nutrient storage in the fruit branches. Cut it to the saturated buds in the upper and middle part of the one-year-old branches, which is generally about 1/2 of the entire branch. The purpose is to encourage luxuriant branches and leaves, which can be used to cultivate fruiting branches and increase the number of flowers and fruit set. Prune to the middle and lower part or near the base of the annual branches, that is, cut off 3/4 or all of the branches. This method cuts off all or part of overgrown branches, spindly branches, dead branches, crossing branches, and dry branches.

4. Support, pull and hang method

Supporting and pulling means spreading the branches with the help of small sticks or branches ; pulling means pulling the branches on the trunk with a rope; hanging means hanging the branches with heavy objects to change the direction of the branches and increase the angle. This method is often used in large areas of mature loquat orchards. The purpose of these three methods is to weaken apical dominance, promote fruiting of adult trees or shaping of young trees, adjust the density of branches and leaves between branches, improve light within the crown, increase ventilation and light transmission, and make the position of fruiting branches appropriate. These three methods are generally carried out in the autumn after loquat sprouts and before fruiting.

5. Twist the tip to get the branch

Twisting the lower part of the branch with your hands is called twisting the tip; holding the lower part of the branch with your hands to the top, bending and massaging it so that it makes a slight sound but does not break, is called taking the branch. Both operations cause certain damage to the xylem, hindering the transport of nutrients up and down. The purpose is to destroy apical dominance, increase nutrient accumulation in the upper part of the branches, and promote fruiting. It can be used when young trees are growing vigorously. Both methods are usually performed in late summer or early fall.

That’s it