To prolong the life of an old apple tree, gardeners carry out a special anti-aging pruning. Reducing the size of the crown helps to restore fruiting. We will learn how to prune an old apple tree so that it will bear fruit for several more years.
Signs of an old tree
An apple tree is capable of producing a full-fledged crop for at least a quarter of a century, but this is not the limit. If a tree has received the necessary care throughout its life and is properly pruned, it can easily bear fruit for another ten years. Without pruning, the apple tree ages faster, its yield drops rapidly, and the apples become smaller.
What are the signs of recognizing an old apple tree:
- Age. A tree after 30 years of life that has the strength to bear fruit should be pruned according to a rejuvenating scheme.
- Productivity. The quality characteristics of the yield have noticeably deteriorated. Fruits become fewer and smaller than usual.
- The length of the annual growth. If it is less than 10 cm, anti-aging pruning is performed.
- Dry branches. If the branches dry on the apple tree, the number of fruiting shoots decreases and the top dries out without any signs of disease, the tree is definitely aging.
How to rejuvenate an apple tree?
For an aged apple tree, the usual autumn-spring pruning will not help prolong its life and the ability to bear fruit. For rejuvenation, more serious measures are required, which are designed for 3-4 years, and sometimes even more.
Rejuvenate the apple tree in stages. First, the crown is thinned out. The branches are cut in such a way as to ensure uniformity of the load. The overgrowth of cuts should be accompanied by the growth of new fruiting processes.
Rejuvenation rules:
- It is forbidden to cut many branches at one time. The tree will experience a shock that can lead to death.
- The first to remove are branches with damage that grow inside the crown and interfere with the flow of sunlight and air to the fruiting branches.
- Thinning new shoots, they leave the strongest ones, directed upward and away from the trunk. Others are removed throughout the growing season.
- No more than 2 skeletal branches are allowed to be cut in one cut.
- Large branches are cut off only during periods of complete cessation of sap flow - in early spring or late autumn. The branches on the south side are cut first.
- The cut is performed at an acute angle - approximately 45 degrees.
- The branches are cut off "on the ring", the hemp is not left.
- Cuts directly on the day of pruning are sanded and lubricated with garden pitch. Large cuts are wrapped with foil.
When cannot a tree be saved?
Not in all cases is it possible to save an aged apple tree. Chances decrease if, throughout its life, the tree received less care, was cut incorrectly, froze, suffered from drought, diseases and other unfavorable factors.
Signs in which it is better to cut an apple tree:
- Tinder fungus infection. If this fungus is parasitic on a tree, things are bad - it is impossible to remove it. It has penetrated deep into the trunk and will continue to destroy it.
- Exfoliation of the bark. If the bark begins to peel off in the lower part of the trunk, and wood is visible under it, the tree has exhausted its vital resource.
- Damage. If the trunk has large through-holes, and its core is rotting, the tree is not suitable for further fruiting.
- Dry branches. If the apple tree has more dry branches than healthy ones, it is inappropriate to rejuvenate it.
Experienced gardeners manage to reanimate almost hopeless trees. But it takes a lot of effort, and success is not guaranteed.
It happens that an old tree is already doomed, but you want to extend its life. Then proceed in this order:
- Saw off large branches that are already badly damaged.
- Try to remove all polypore mushrooms.
- Heal wounds - disinfect them and lubricate them with garden varnish.
- Thin and lighten the crown.
The tree after such "reanimation" measures will live for several more years and will even delight you with apples.
If you do not want to lose the variety, take cuttings from an aging apple tree and graft them onto young rootstocks. After a few years, you will receive full-fledged apple trees with the varietal characteristics of the parent tree.
Rejuvenating pruning of old apple trees
There can be no one universal recipe for rejuvenating old trees. An individual approach to each apple is practiced. First, the gardener conducts an inspection, and, taking into account the results of the diagnosis, chooses the tactics of tree rejuvenation, the timing and pruning scheme.
Pruning time
Pruning old trees is recommended in spring or fall. Many gardeners believe that summer is also good for rejuvenating apple trees, but only after harvest.
The best time to rejuvenate trees is spring - March or April. The main condition for the start of activities is the exclusion of the threat of severe frosts (from -15 ° С). There is no exact pruning date - gardeners take into account the weather.
What signs to focus on when determining the timing of pruning:
- in spring - the buds have not yet blossomed;
- fall - the leaves have already fallen.
It is not recommended to prune apple trees from May, as the risk of infection is significantly increased. If the old apple tree picks up cytosporosis, it will most likely die.
Types of anti-aging pruning
With old apple trees, you have to be very careful during pruning - any mistake leads to a decrease in yield, disease or even death.
According to the principle of rejuvenation, there are two types of pruning:
- Shortening. It consists in reducing the length of the branches by 1/3. This procedure is recommended in the spring so that the tree does not waste its energy on feeding extra shoots. The procedure also prevents the tree from freezing during the wintering period.
- Thinning. Provides for phased pruning over 3 years. With this approach, the size of the tree is reduced gradually, thus avoiding stress.
Types of pruning (1 - shortening, 2 - thinning):
Today, gardeners have developed several methods of rejuvenating pruning of fruit trees:
- Shock. This is a relatively new method of extending the life of an apple tree. Its goal is to restore the productivity of the tree. The result is achieved by reducing the crown. Recommended for old trees of great height. Stages:
- Removal of dry branches.
- Shortening the crown to 3 m. Pruning is carried out in 2 steps to reduce stress on the tree.
- Pruning of lateral skeletal branches up to 2.5 m and thinning of old fruiting branches - to unload the central part of the crown.
- Sparing. The method involves stretching over time to minimize injury to the tree. It is designed for a long awakening of vital activity and restoration of fruiting functions, as a result of which the tree gives low yields for a number of years. Features of the gentle technique:
- designed for 5 years;
- old branches are removed gradually;
- shoots are cut so that their length is no more than 2 m.
- Gradual. The process is designed for 2-3 years. Its key principle is to remove thick shoots that are larger than 10 cm in diameter.
See the video about Shock Cropping below:
What tools do you need?
Trimming is carried out with a sharpened and disinfected instrument. For a rejuvenating treatment, you will need a set of tools and protective equipment.
Prepare for work:
- several hacksaws with teeth of different sizes;
- garden knife;
- secateurs;
- ladder;
- gloves;
- safety belt;
- disinfector for instruments.
If there is a lot of work ahead, it makes sense to use a chainsaw.
How to carry out the procedure correctly?
Pruning an old apple tree comes down to eliminating unnecessary branches and reducing the volume of the crown. It is recommended to prune a tree in 3 stages:
- Shortening the trunk. An ordinary tree reaches a height of 7-8 m. It is difficult for an old apple tree to “maintain” such a voluminous crown. Cut the trunk at 2 m.
Saw the stem, slightly stepping back from the large skeletal branch. Do not leave too large a stump, otherwise when it dries up, a depression will appear in it, into which water will flow, which will cause the tree to rot. - Cutting thickening branches. Remove the large branches growing towards the trunk first, as they thicken the crown and obstruct air circulation. The crown should eventually acquire a bowl-like shape. To prevent branches from breaking off, cut them in stages:
- Having retreated 50 cm from the base, file the branch from the bottom - by 1/2 of its diameter.
- Step back 20 cm higher and again file it to 1/2 diameter, but this time from the top. The branch will break off along the notch lines.
- Saw off the rest of the branch into a ring.
- Pruning skeletal branches. Cut them so that they are no more than 2.5 m in length.
- Pruning small shoots. Delete branches:
- located one above the other;
- that grow at an acute angle to the trunk / skeletal branch;
- crossed with each other.
Rejuvenation of the crown (a - shortening the crown, b - thinning, c - pruning sagging branches, d - pruning processes, e - removing tops):
Rejuvenate in stages:
- First year. Do a standard sanitary pruning and cut the tree down by a third. Cut off large branches on the south side, but no more than three pieces.
- Second year. Repeat sanitary pruning. Shorten the branches - for a medium-sized apple tree by 1/3, for a vigorous apple tree - by 1/2. Try to keep the crown in the shape of a triangle. The upper branches should not cover the lower ones.
Leave one shoot on each large branch. It is better not to touch the skeletal branches, with the exception of those that die off, are affected by a fungus, or have dried up. - Third year. Perform preventive pruning and finish shaping the crown. Remove excess branches - about 1/3. Leave only the strongest and most viable ones.
After cutting the branches on the south side of the crown, place supports under the branches of the northern part - they will experience increased stress.
A video about pruning an old apple tree is below:
Post-rejuvenation care
Rejuvenation is good for the apple tree, but at the initial stage it still experiences considerable stress. The tree needs serious maintenance.
How to care for an apple tree after rejuvenation:
- Treatment of wounds. Usually gardeners use a garden pitch, but, according to scientists, it does not help wounds to heal, but on the contrary, inhibits healing. To cover the sections, it is better to use oil paint with the addition of natural drying oil. And cover the slices less than 2 cm in diameter with plasticine.
- Top dressing. A cut tree actively grows green mass, therefore it needs fertilizers:
- April. The tree needs nitrogen. Add 1/2 of the norm (from the specified in the instructions) ammonium nitrate or urea.
- May. Fertilize the apple tree with superphosphate (according to the instructions).
- June. Re-add superphosphate - half the rate.
- September. Add calcium sulfate (according to the instructions).
Fertilizer is scattered dry. Moreover, not only along the near-trunk circle, but also along the entire diameter of the crown. After that, the tree is watered at the rate of 20-30 liters per 1 sq. m.
How does the apple tree behave after pruning?
After strong pruning, the tree actively releases spinning shoots from dormant buds. A new crown is formed from them. As a result of anti-aging procedures, the following is observed:
- Activation of dormant buds and active growth of young shoots.
- Redistribution of nutrients and increase in yield due to uniform crown formation.
- Improved air circulation in the crown, improved lighting of branches. This contributes to the formation of ovaries and full ripening of the fruit.
- Lack of fungal infections due to the timely removal of damaged and dried branches.
Useful Tips
Pruning is one of the most difficult agrotechnical activities, especially for novice gardeners. Before starting work, carefully study the rules of the procedure, since the mistakes made cannot be corrected.
Gardening tips:
- start pruning with large branches;
- Dispose of all trimmed material to destroy pathogens and insects;
- when cutting tops, leave about a dozen on the tree, but also shorten them by 2-3 buds;
- think carefully about the lifting system and fasteners (you may need a ladder).
If the apple tree has always received decent care, its life and fruiting can be easily extended by at least several years. Do not rush to saw your "nurse" - just a few sanitary and rejuvenating scraps, and your favorite apple tree will again delight you with bountiful harvests.
Author of the publication
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Russia. City Novosibirsk
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