Apricot pruning in the spring: how to do it correctly, diagrams, photos and videos, including for beginners

Apricot is a frequent guest of domestic garden plots. But for the effective cultivation of this thermophilic stone fruit, it is necessary to observe the basic agricultural practices - watering, top dressing, disease prevention and certainly pruning - without it get along. Without this, the crown of the tree thickens, productivity decreases, the quality of the fruit deteriorates. Apricot needs annual sanitary, regulatory and shaping pruning in the spring. In order to grow a healthy tree and get a stable crop, you need to learn the basics of this procedure.

What types of pruning are there and what does this procedure affect?

Pruning is one of the main agrotechnical forms of fruit tree care. Apricots are prone to thickening the crown, and if we take into account that the fruiting branches of this crop live for no more than 5 years, then definitely, without proper pruning, growing apricots is not effective.

Experienced gardeners recommend the following spring pruning methods:

• formative - aimed at creating a neat, compact, moderately thinned crown of an aesthetic appearance;
• regulatory - thinning of the crown, removal of interwoven and growing shoots inside;
• anti-aging - minting of shrunken shoots to living wood, the procedure is required for “aged” trees that have lost the ability to grow, and their fruiting has decreased;
• sanitary (wellness) - removal of dry, damaged and diseased shoots.

It is believed that it is better to remove 1-2 large thickening branches than a significant number of small growth branches.

This procedure allows you to:

• stimulate the growth of young shoots;
• to improve light transmission and air exchange in the crown of a tree, thereby reducing the risk of various diseases and pests;
• conduct rationing of the crop on tree branches.

The annual pruning of the apricot tree allows you to get a neat well-groomed tree, not devoid of decorative qualities, especially in spring. And during fruiting, proper pruning simplifies harvesting.

What is preferable - spring or autumn pruning

Pruning fruit can be carried out at any time of the year - even in winter (from the 2nd decade of February). But spring pruning of apricot trees is preferable and it is recommended to carry out it before the sap flow, provided that the threat of frost has passed. In the southern regions this event is usually organized in late February - early March, in Central Russia the best time for pruning is the 2nd decade of March, depending on the prevailing weather conditions. In the harsh conditions of the northern regions, including the Southern Urals (in Chelyabinsk, Orenburg and other cities), as well as in the Sverdlovsk region, Perm Territory gardening experts recommend forming sanitary and forming pruning of heat-loving fruit trees exclusively in spring - at the end of March - at the beginning April.

In the spring, plants are most easily tolerated by "surgical interventions." You can choose the optimal pruning period according to the weather and condition of the kidneys. Autumn saw cuts heal much worse than spring ones, as cambium growth slows down and callus influx forms more slowly. If you can postpone some work until spring, it is better to leave the tree alone.

Apricot pruning features

Starting the procedure, the gardener should prepare tools for trimming - a garden knife, secateurs, a hacksaw for larger branches. Proper pruning is when:

• the owner of the garden plot uses a quality tool - it is selected according to the thickness of the branches; by the way this not necessarily a new and high-tech tool, an old but well-sharpened sterile pruner or garden knife - great option;
• in the arsenal of the gardener there is a stepladder and gloves;
• with annual pruning, the crown is reduced by no less than 20%, last year’s growth is removed by 1/3 (thick branches older than 5-6 years old should be cut away);
• shoots are cut at a distance of at least 0.5 cm from the kidney;
• the sections are treated with garden varnish or any other garden putty (for example, Rannet garden paste, garden gum Zhivitsa, Pharmaiod biological product and others);
• cut “into the ring” (“ring” - an influx at the base of the branch), when you need to remove the whole branch, do it correctly: cut the branch with a hacksaw or cut with a pruner (the tool so that its smooth cutting part is near the trunk) from top to bottom parallel to the trunk, without leaving burrs and stumps, the saw cut is smooth and even, it is immediately treated with a garden putty.

In order to form new fruit formations and give the branches the desired growth direction, pruning is carried out “on the kidney”: a kidney is located on the right side of the branch, make a cut above it (0.5 cm above the kidney), while the angle of inclination should be parallel to the kidney at an angle of 45 degrees, otherwise the cut will provoke the accumulation of bacteria at the base the kidneys. Incorrect “kidney” pruning can cause the shoot to dry out and die.

Recommendations of the specialists of APPYaPM: before the buds open in spring, with the exception of cold weather (-5 ° С) and rainy cloudy days, pruning can be performed apricot trees; if cutting caused bark damage with a diameter of more than 2 cm, it is recommended using a sharp blade, pruning shears or garden knife the surface of the damaged area, clean it and cover it with garden varnish or yellow or brown paint, prepared on vegetable linseed oil.

First of all, pruning is carried out on adult trees, and then on young ones. The procedure is not recommended to start in wet windy weather.

Video: bush form - pruning fruit, including apricots in the form of a bush

We have seen from our own experience that apricot withers without pruning. It so happened that in the second year after planting an apricot seedling, a hurricane passed and the two-meter-tall tree fork simply split, we had to cut 2 shoots on one side “into a ring”. One “live” branch grew, in the 3rd and 4th year this tree was not touched at all - it was not cut, did not wait for a harvest from it, I wanted the apricot to be fully restored. But in the 3rd year, our tree bloomed profusely and there were 2 apricots. In the 4th year - flowering was not so massive, 2-3 apricots again. This year we cut it to the maximum and, if possible, formed a crown. The result pleased - there will be apricots.

How to prune apricot seedlings when planting

In the first year of life, apricot only needs forming pruning:

• after planting, the main task is to form a shtamb; for this, the crown of the seedling is cut off at a height of 0.7–0.8 m from the ground;
• lower lateral offspring (at a height of 0.4-0.5 m) are cut "into a ring";
• the remaining upper 2–4 shoots are cut in half.

On apricot seedlings: when the crown reaches a length of 1.5 m, above the 5th or 6th skeletal branches, the central conductor (trunk) is shortened. The upper skeletal branch in thickness should be almost equal to the central conductor, and its angle is located at least 45 °. Then the lateral shoots of the skeletal branches of the upper tier are shortened.

In early summer (June 2–3), a young tree will start fresh shoots - removal of the apex stimulates revitalization of the sleeping buds of the central conductor (trunk) - they are again shortened, leaving twigs long 30-40 cm.

Video: Apricot seedling formation pattern in spring after planting (first year)

The first pruning of two-year-old young apricots

Before entering fruiting, apricot shoots grow strongly in length, but weakly branch - they need to be shortened. Thus, young second-year apricot seedlings need shaping and regulatory pruning:

• inwardly directed, thickening the crown young shoots are completely cut out;
• 4–5 branches with two branches in the form of a fork leave outward, ideal when the shoots are directed in different directions without interfering with each other;
• each process is shortened by 20-30 cm, leaving a length of about 40 cm each.

Video: we cut apricot in the second year after planting

In the second year, several strong stem shoots were left (from 4 to 6 pieces), new ones were formed on them offspring (semi-skeletal shoots) - 3-4 of them leave them, shortening by half, the rest are cut to the point growth. Thus, the first tier of the crown is formed, always observing the same distance from the conductor (trunk) in the skeletal shoots, and from the last to the semi-skeletal shoots - 30-40 cm

• The trunk of a tree (conductor) is the main (central) part of the tree located above the ground - from the soil level to the top inclusively.
• Skeletal branches are large branches extending directly from the trunk.
• Skeletal branches (semi-skeletal branches) are called branches that extend directly from the skeletal branch.

In the third year of life, the apricot tree grows the second tier - at a distance of 0.5 m above the first regular shoots are formed - they are shortened in mid-June in the same way as they were done in the 1st and 2nd year. This is necessary so that the tree does not fat and does not grow excess vegetative mass. The thickening internal “tops” are completely cut out.

It is believed that by the 4th year of growth, the stone crown is fully formed. In the following years, the tree will need sanitary and thinning (regulatory) pruning.

Video: pruning a young apricot tree

Methods for pruning fruit-bearing apricots

After 3-4 years, the apricot tree reaches a height of 2-3-3 m, it all depends on the method of forming the crown and observing the rules of pruning. The fruit-bearing apricot requires closer attention - more on this below.

• Regulatory pruning - removal of “tops” (young growth), thinning of the crown by removing growing sideways and branches directed inward to the trunk — this is also necessary to regulate the crop. Apricot itself is incapable of self-regulation of fruiting - all flowers turn into an ovary - branches break under the weight of the fruit, apricots grow in large numbers, but mainly small ones.
• Wellness (sanitary pruning) - dry, irregular shoots, growth branches affected by diseases are removed.
• Rejuvenating pruning is sometimes required for trees at the age of active fruiting - this happens when there are 5-6-year-old shoots: usually harvested oversized branches that violate the rule of subordination - they form too many competing shoots that cause tree overload, they are necessary cut "into the ring."
• If necessary, gardeners resort to the formation of crowns.

Video: how to cut apricot - features of spring pruning of an adult fruit tree

How to prune an old apricot tree

The drying out of annual growths on old trees causes a decrease in yield - the most abundant fruiting is noted on the upper and side shoots. Apricot older than 15 years is more in need of anti-aging pruning, all others - sanitary, regulatory - go together.

• The trunk is shortened, leaving a height of not more than 3.5 m.
• The shoots (up to 0.5-0.7 m of the height of the central conductor) are completely removed.
• The shoots of the first tier are cut “into a ring”, the skeletal branches of the second order are removed if necessary - damaged, diseased, dry, etc.
• Then, pruning of damaged, rubbing and intertwining, shading branches, also growing inward, is carried out - the peripheral part of the crown is highlighted depending on thickening by 15–25%.
• The crown width is reduced to the optimum length - the branches are shortened by a maximum of 50%.
• To form new fruit-bearing shoots, pruning is carried out “on the kidney” - on existing healthy young growth branches.

In order to extend the productivity period of old apricot trees, they are rejuvenated. During rejuvenation, skeletal branches and growing shoots are shortened by 1/3 - 1/2 parts. At the same time, skeletal, semi-skeletal and growing branches, broken, dried and damaged by pests and diseases, are removed from the base. After rejuvenation due to the grown new shoots, to restore the crown, well-developed shoots are left, and the extra ones are removed. After 2-3 years, the tree goes into full fruiting with good quality fruits.

Video: old apricot - spend spring pruning

A well-groomed garden and stable fruiting of apricot trees are the result of proper agricultural technology, including pruning. This agricultural event is the key to longevity and tree health - apricots are less likely to get sick, are not overloaded with fruits, and this procedure also helps to improve the quality of the fruits and the productivity of the tree. But first you need to get acquainted with the biological characteristics of culture and determine the tasks of trimming - then the procedure will not seem complicated and will not cause difficulties.