No question of size
In the case of a fruit tree, the regular upbringing is not only a means of containing the excessive size of the treetop. Rather, a targeted and correctly performed pruning promotes the number of apple blossoms and thus also the yield. It is important that not all young shoots are cut off, as apple trees prefer to bear fruit on biennial branches. In addition, a light and well-ventilated treetop with a loose structure should be the top priority when shaping the tree.
also read
- Pull an apple tree from a core yourself
- Successfully refine an apple tree yourself
- Properly pruning an old apple tree
Cut from the planting
Many hobby gardeners are grateful for every inch of growth in young apple trees that a seedling pulled from a core, for example, has achieved. A properly performed pruning does not mean a step backwards in the development of an apple tree, but on the contrary stimulates the formation of new shoots. Immediately after planting, a pruning should facilitate the tree's first growth phase until it has connected its roots to the soil again at the new location. After pruning, a young apple tree should be sufficiently watered in dry weather periods.
The right technique for good tree development
With the first cuts on a young tree, the basic framework for the later shape of the tree crown is laid. Interventions should therefore be carried out on the young tree with particularly careful consideration. When shaping through winter pruning and summer pruning, the following parameters should be in focus:
- the development of a strong leading instinct in the middle
- the arrangement of three to four leading branches in a balanced form
- outwardly directed shoot tips at the interfaces
Clean planting shears or loppers should always be used for the cuts in order to promote clean wound healing and to prevent infection with fungi and other diseases.
Tips & Tricks
Even in the first few years of a young apple tree in the garden, care should be taken to ensure that a light and loosened tree crown is the best protection against fungal diseases and other dangers to tree health.
