How to prune a columnar apple tree?

To obtain a good result and preserve the decorativeness of the tree, you should regularly cut the columnar apple tree and shape it. This kind of apple trees began to appear on the territory of our country quite recently, but very quickly became popular. This is probably due to their growth and originality, because the plant does not have a crown in its usual form. Apple trees of this species take up little space on the site, but at the same time they give rich yields, which can be achieved by properly caring for the plant. How to prune a columnar apple tree, what pruning affects, when to carry out this procedure and what care is needed to get stable rich yields, we will tell you in this article.

How to prune a columnar apple tree or how pruning can be the start to larger yields

Tree pruning must be approached with all responsibility, given that the columnar apple tree is a unique species. It does not form a crown, the trunk is covered with leaves and fruits growing directly on it. Thanks to this, the plants can be planted tightly and good harvests can be harvested. Since the crown is missing, pruning becomes unusual.

There are no classic rules and the decision whether to carry out this procedure or not is made by the gardener himself. Taking into account the fact that the buds on such a tree are located on the crown and in no case should they be damaged, it is not advisable to carry out shaping crown pruning.

Pruning is carried out primarily to remove annual shoots that interfere with the development of the branches. Such a growth absorbs many useful substances, which is why the fruit ovary is formed in a smaller volume. So that the seated sprouts do not get tangled, it is important to thin them out. If you do this work, the yields will become noticeably higher, and the apple tree will take on a decorative look.

Are columnar apple trees pruned

The columnar apple tree is a stunted tree, and it is important to take this factor into account when caring for it. Thanks to a special artificial gene, the plant has the shape of a column.

If the type of columnar apple grows in natural conditions, then they form a pyramid shape, on which lateral branches develop. Their appearance is similar to that of cypress and poplar.

In fact, growing such an apple tree in your garden, you do not need to participate in the process of its development. It will be enough to pinch the lateral processes only occasionally. But, it is worth knowing that pruning helps to preserve the unique appearance of the tree, preventing it from becoming an ordinary bonsai with a spreading crown.

Why do you need pruning

In order for the shape of the column to be classic, it needs help, which consists in trimming the side shoots that grow in the spring. This contributes to the regulation of their growth and forms the shape inherent in the columnar apple tree.

In addition, pruning will help prevent branches from tangling together if the plants are very tightly planted. The emerging branches will become stronger, and the weak, old ones will change to new shoots. Thanks to this procedure, light and nutrients will penetrate into the crown to a greater extent.

All these factors will lead to higher yields of delicious apples.

Columnar apple trees have weak growth, this, perhaps, can be considered their main feature. This is due to the fact that growth hormones in the plant are contained in small quantities. But flower buds on the tree appear in large numbers and cover the entire trunk entirely. This fully compensates for the disadvantage associated with slow growth.

To create a strong and strong trunk that can hold many fruits, it is necessary to remove the side branches from it, which weaken the apple tree.

By planting trees one meter apart, you will make the planting dense enough to require certain conditions to be met.

Rules that are important to know before forming a columnar apple tree

One of the main tips is considered to cut through more branches, as this will help more active development of those that remain. It is important to know that it is necessary to cut the columnar apple trees and form the crown before the active movement of the sap in the tree begins. If this was not possible, then pruning should be postponed until the first days of summer or before the preparation of the plant for the winter cold begins.

Forming a bonsai is easy enough. It only takes some painstaking and attentiveness. Gardeners who grow apple trees professionally talk about the need to prune in stages in the spring. It is important to remember about the characteristics of the plant during its development and its age, and they must be taken into account.

In order to actively develop new strong, abundantly fruiting shoots, it is necessary to leave no more than 4 buds on the branches when pruning, removing most of them. Don't waste time on small cuts. Since in this case, active growth of weak branches will begin on the apple tree, which will not bring satisfaction when harvesting. Sometimes forming plants, gardeners create more than one column, but make about three strong trunks.

How to properly prune a columnar apple tree

During formation, it is necessary to cut the shoots of the first year of life in such a way that no more than 2 buds remain on them.

The procedure must be carried out annually. By doing this, a fruit link will be formed, which will consist of a branch bearing fruit, located horizontally, and two young shoots. Fruiting lasts for 5 years. Next, the tree is cut to the very base.

During summer formation, the young shoots are panned and nutrients are redirected from the lateral shoots to the plant.

The apple tree of the columnar type has a weak point in the form of the crown. Freezing in winter, young shoots appear on it in spring. In this case, the strongest is chosen among them, others are shortened so that no more than two buds remain on them.

The scheme according to which trimming is carried out

Fanaticism when pruning dwarf trees is unnecessary. This procedure is aimed at balancing growth and increasing yields with minimal losses to apple trees.

When shaping, it is important to remember about the features characteristic of undersized crops. The shoot, located in the center, is a rod that is never shortened. The branches located on the sides can be vertical or horizontal. This is where you should pay maximum attention to pruning. The lateral branches are the foundation for the formation of those zones where fruiting will occur. By cutting them correctly, it will be possible to obtain consistently high yields for 5 years.

Pruning includes 2 steps:

1. During removal, the branch is cut to a certain length.
2. The entire branch is trimmed.

To form the right tree, you need to pay attention to it for several years. It is necessary to carry out the formation of the apple tree in stages:

• In the first year of life, the trunk must be shortened immediately after the tree is planted in the garden, and the side shoots must be completely removed.
• After a year, you need to pinch young shoots that have reached 30 centimeters in length.
• The shoot located at the very top does not need to be cut, since it will serve as an extension of the trunk.
• In the third year of the plant's life, it is necessary to shorten the lateral branches so that about 40 centimeters remain. The shoot located at the top must be pinched 25 centimeters from the main stem.
• In the fourth year, it is necessary to thin out all the branches, leaving only young, strong and growing correctly.

Over the next years, branches that bear fruit or dry out poorly must be removed. This will stimulate new growth and increase yields.

How to avoid mistakes

It is very important that after the shaping procedure there are no too short or, on the contrary, long hemp. In the first case, this will serve as an obstacle to the growth of the kidneys, and in the second, it will cause possible death.

Also, a shaggy and oblique cut should not be allowed, this will injure the wood. The cut should be straight, so sharp and sterile instruments should be used. When forming lateral branches, pruning should be applied to the bud.

Slice rules:

• The cut must be done starting from the base moving towards the top.
• It should be directed away from the kidney.
• The cut should be two fingers up from the kidney.

When pruning shoots, it is important to leave three buds on each. This is necessary for the growth of the branches.

Recommendations

• Pruning should only be done with sharp and clean tools.
• After the procedure, it is necessary to process the sections with the help of a green varnish.
• You can safely remove small green shoots growing on the trunk, as this will not be harmful to the tree. On the contrary, this will be one of the reasons for the formation of a powerful pillar located in the center, and will contribute to the growth of fruits on the tree.
• When pruning branches in the future, it is necessary to leave those whose age does not exceed 4 years.

If there is uncertainty about pruning, you should look at the branches. If their thickness is equal to 1/2 of the centrally located trunk, then they must be removed.

How to prune a columnar apple tree throughout the year

The timing of formation depends on which variety the columnar apple tree belongs to.

The four stages of pruning an apple tree:

• Winter. It is considered the main one and is held at the end of winter. This is the best time for this procedure.
• Spring. This pruning will help determine the center shoot. It must be carried out after the tree stops blooming.
• Summer. The period is most suitable to remove excess, newly formed shoots.
• Autumn. During this period, it is necessary to cut off the vertical shoots and thin out dense areas.

All these stages are different and have their own characteristics.

Winter pruning of a columnar apple tree

There are no permanent branches on the columnar apple tree. Its shape, like a cylinder, creates poor conditions for the branches located below, as they receive less sunlight.

Pruning in winter helps to shape the areas where the fruit grows, pushing it towards the top. It is at this point that all dry, damaged and weak branches can be removed. This helps to significantly reduce the load on the plant, which will bear fruit in the future.

How to prune a columnar apple tree in spring

During this period, the most important thing is to prune before the start of sap flow. If this can be done, then the plant will develop much faster. This is due to the fact that each bud remaining on the branch after pruning produces a new shoot.

Such pruning is called panning or pinching.

Spring pruning serves not only for the emergence of new shoots, but also for the removal of frozen tips, and the renewal of the apple tree.

How to prune a columnar apple tree in summer

During the summer procedure, all excess green shoots that have grown this year are removed. They are located on the center conductor, so it is difficult to miss them.
For summer pruning, you do not need to use pruning shears, as normal plucking is sufficient.

Be careful not to damage the bark when removing small growths. Even large wounds in small numbers are not as bad as small wounds in large ones.

How to prune a columnar apple tree in the fall

When the sap flow ends and the entire crop is harvested, it is necessary to carry out the autumn pruning. It is also called sanitary. During this period, it is necessary to remove all unnecessary, damaged, including pests, dried or tangled branches. Having rid the plant of them, it will be easier for it to survive the winter. When removing shoots in summer, one must understand that by autumn it may reappear and it will also need to be removed.

Each variety of columnar apple needs the care that it needs. It is necessary to take into account the age of the apple tree and the specific situation. The most important thing is to prune trees at a young age.

Rules for thinning the crown to obtain large fruits

When planting young trees in the garden, it is necessary that the width between the rows does not exceed one and a half meters. So the branches will grow more actively, the flowering will be abundant and the fruits will ripen faster. The new processes must be regulated, leaving the stem bud at the very top. For continued growth. The rest must be cut at a thirty-degree angle so that the second kidney is at a distance of 3 centimeters from the trunk. After 12 months, strong, young shoots will appear here.

During the next spring pruning, the shoot that has grown next to the horizontal branch remains. The one that is upright is trimmed in the same way as last year. Flowers will begin to form on a short, horizontal branch. And the one that is vertical will have new processes, 2 pieces.

One sturdier one is retained, and the other is cut off. Over the next 5 years, the pruning principle will remain the same. The saw cut must be lubricated. For this, garden var, clay or oil paint are suitable.

It is important to know that pruning of the top occurs only in case of freezing of the upper shoot, from which other shoots began to appear.

The formation of the crown can also take place in another way, but this method is considered the most difficult. It provides for both trimming and pinching. In this way, it is possible to transform a common apple tree into a columnar apple tree. Or, on the contrary, by planting a columnar apple tree, immerse a dwarf rootstock strongly in it. In this case, roots will appear at the top, and the apple tree will grow in a typical size.

A seedling is a rootstock with a scion that takes root in the nursery. Associated with this is the need to prune a young plant in the first code of life after planting, when it has not yet had time to take root. Further pruning is carried out according to the scheme that was described earlier.

How does correct pruning affect the duration of fruiting?

The entire columnar apple tree at the time of flowering is completely covered with flowers, but not all of them turn into bulk apples. This is due to the impossibility of undersized crops to provide the necessary nutritional composition to all their numerous fruits.

In the first year of life, many buds will form on the tree, which must be removed completely. After a year, only a small part is left, which will bring about 5 apples.
Bouquets are formed from the buds, which are located on the branches of several pieces. Leaving them all, bunches of fruits will grow on the trees.

For standard fruiting, one horizontal shoot is enough. When flowers appear on it, you need to remove everything, leaving only two bouquets.

The trunk is cleared of inflorescences following the same principle. It is important to know that there are half the number of fruits on the plant. Therefore, this should be taken into account when you remove the inflorescences from the tree.

An adult apple tree is capable of producing up to 15 kilograms of apples.

When forming the ovaries, it is necessary to thin out the plant again, leaving one bouquet on the branch. The trunk is also cleaned, half of the buds untouched the previous time are removed from it.

As soon as the fruits reach the size of a cherry, no more than two apples should be left in each bunch, and the rest should be removed. When their size matches the size of a walnut, you need to remove all the fruits, leaving only one in place of the bouquet.

With this thinning, you will help the plant redirect all its energy towards ripening the fruit.

The sprouts that bear fruit are cut off with the onset of spring. For 5 years, all work is carried out in the same way, and the branches are cut to the ground, since all the resources have been worked out.

Conclusion

If you properly care for the columnar apple tree, then it will delight with its fruits for 15 years. After this time, the tree degenerates.

You can achieve tree renewal by cutting off the trunk, leaving only a height of 60 centimeters. After new shoots appear on it, you need to choose the longest and strongest one and attach to a peg that will support it, and cut off the remaining ones.

Thus, a new tip will appear, for a new apple tree. Each columnar apple must be approached individually. This is the only way to grow a tree capable of regularly producing large yields of quality apples.

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