4 reasons for pruning -safety -health -aesthetics -production
TRANSCRIPT
Strong Tree Framework
Balanced Renewal
Facilitate Management
Harvest Sunlight Efficiently
Maintain Productivity
What happens if you do not What happens if you do not prune?prune?
Faster growthEarlier fruiting
Less light penetration
Poor spray coverage
More difficult to manage
Establish a Strong Tree FrameworkEstablish a Strong Tree Framework
Vertical trunk
Well Distributed Scaffolds
Establish a Strong Tree FrameworkEstablish a Strong Tree Framework
Wide branch angles are stronger
Narrow angles are weak and increase shading inside canopy
A Strong Tree Framework:A Strong Tree Framework:
Major objective of the first three years
Must last the lifetime of the tree
Structural support for fruit crop
Should not be crowded
Harvest Sunlight Harvest Harvest Sunlight Harvest Efficiently:Efficiently:
Poor fruit color Poor fruit distribution
◦Less fruit bud developmentPoor fruit sizePoor fruit flavor
Poor Light Intensity Leads toPoor Light Intensity Leads to
Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:Harvest Sunlight Efficiently: Light Intensity Affects Fruit Color and Size
Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:Harvest Sunlight Efficiently: Light Intensity Affects Light Intensity Affects Fruit Color and SizeFruit Color and Size
Maintain Productivity:Maintain Productivity: Remove Unproductive WoodRemove Unproductive Wood
Fruiting wood which hangs down
Fruiting wood which is shadedWater sprouts and root suckersDiseased or damaged woodWeak or thin wood
Maintain Maintain Productivity:Productivity:
Remove Remove Unproductive Unproductive
WoodWood
◦Remove weak or thin wood
Maintain Productivity:Maintain Productivity: Maintain good Maintain good
vegetative:fruit balancevegetative:fruit balance
◦Thin out excessively vigorous vegetative growth during summer
◦Allows light into center of tree
Maintain Productivity:Maintain Productivity: Maintain good vegetative/fruit balanceMaintain good vegetative/fruit balance
Remove excessive fruiting woodIn peaches - remove 40-60% of new fruiting wood each year
Tools used in Tree TrainingTools used in Tree Training
Manipulation of apical Manipulation of apical dominancedominance
Controlled by the plant hormone auxin
Produced by actively growing shootsMoves down the branch with gravity
Effects of auxinEffects of auxin
Inhibits lateral bud break
Inhibits lateral shoot growth
Affects branch angle
PruningPruningRemove the Source of AuxinRemove the Source of Auxin
Heading CutHeading CutRemove part of the branch
Stimulate bud break near cut
Stimulate localized branching
PruningPruningRemove the Source of AuxinRemove the Source of Auxin
Thinning cutThinning cut
Remove branch at point of origin
Least invigorating cut
Promote light penetration into canopy
Maintenance pruning