Best time to prune apple trees

1. Pruning time

Apple trees grow relatively slowly and do not easily produce new branches, especially after they have borne fruit. Therefore, special attention should be paid to pruning, and it is best to do it after the leaves fall in winter and before they sprout in spring. This will not affect its wintering and germination next year. On the contrary, it can keep the branches warm, which is beneficial for wintering and can promote the differentiation of branches and buds.

2. Pruning method

When pruning, the pruning method should be changed according to the growth age of the fruit tree. If the young branches have just been planted, they can be pruned appropriately if they grow vigorously. Cut long branches short to save nutrients and promote the growth of main branches. If the fruit trees have been planted for a long time and have reached maturity, you should cut off the overgrown branches, dead branches, and diseased branches, and leave more side branches, so as to adjust the column shape. In addition, some main branches need to be pruned using the ring cutting method to control the looseness of nutrients and make it bloom more.

If some fruit trees are not growing well, heavy pruning can stimulate their growth and gradually restore their growth. When pruning, start from the full leaf buds, leaving more side branches and fewer back branches. Keep more fruits on large branches and fewer on small branches.

3. Notes

If you want your fruit trees to bear more and bigger fruits, it is not enough to prune them only in winter, you also need to comb the fruits in time when they bear fruit. Pick off those that grow too densely, otherwise it will affect their growth, causing most of the fruits to be smaller and reducing the yield.