Spring pear pruning. How to prune a pear in autumn - we collect comprehensive instructions for a gardener

Pear, by its nature, is one of the light-loving plants. For the development of buds and good fruiting, it is necessary to provide the tree with good lighting.

Under all conditions, the crown growth of the plant occurs quickly, so pruning is necessary in spring and autumn.

In order for the procedure to give the desired results and be painless for the plant, you need to choose the right time for the procedure.

Incorrectly chosen time can lead not only to a decrease in yield and an ugly aesthetic appearance, but even to death. So, the processing of branches is spring and autumn, let's take a closer look at each type.

spring

The best time for pruning is early spring (March - April). The temperature outside should be positive.

But do not wait until the kidneys swell and the period of juice movement begins. The pear loves light very much, so in the process it is necessary to ensure that the rays of the sun and heat are evenly distributed over all parts of the tree.

The main activities should be carried out in stages:

• shaping pruning - made to form correct crown, both in young and fruit-bearing trees for more than a year;
• sanitary - to remove dry branches and those infected with various diseases;
• supporting - used to shorten thicker branches, which saves from unnecessary congestion during fruit ripening.

Note: when cutting thick knots, be careful. First file the branch from below, then from above. After that, you can delete the entire branch. This will prevent the tree's bark from tearing.

Experienced gardeners can process in two ways:

• shortening shoots - shorten upper part branches and shoots. This helps the side shoots below the cut level to wake up faster, less shade is created;
• thinning - removing an extra branch to the very base, gives more light to the side shoots. When cutting, it is important that no stump remains.

Gardener's advice: when pruning in the spring, you should not feed the trees.

For quick healing of wounds, you need to treat the places of saw cuts with paint based on drying oil or.

autumn

Considered sanitary. It is produced in positive temperatures, but when the foliage has already flown from the trees.

If frosts unexpectedly hit, or you missed warm time, then pruning should be postponed until spring. Because the wounds do not heal, freezing of the branches can occur and lead to death.

Older plants are cut off for the purpose of rejuvenation and healing.

If the tree grows quickly upwards, you can shorten the crown - this will give it additional strength for better branching and the growth of new buds. But do not forget about the possibility of breaking the pyramidal crown.

Note: Illiterate pruning will not bring any benefit.

When processing old pears, it is often necessary to remove not only old branches, but also cut out entire trees that have already ceased to bear fruit. Such measures allow you to add a lot of light, and the garden becomes cleaner.

After the procedures, be sure to process the cut points by special means: on dry and old branches immediately, and on young ones after a day. First, the branches located perpendicular to the trunk are cut, then those growing along the trunk, and the branches growing inward are necessarily removed.

If timely processing is not carried out, this will adversely affect the state of the tree. Without removing excess old branches, the growth of young ones is difficult, the crown becomes thick and will lead to a decrease in yield.

Pear pruning is often compared to similar apple tree care, but there are several significant differences, both in the shape of the tree itself and in its preferences, as well as its ability to tolerate injury and change. environment. For example, pruning a young pear is a more delicate task. This type of fruit tree grows more slowly than an apple tree and does not like such strong shortening of shoots. At the same time, pruning pear trees pursues the same goals as those of others. fruit crops, namely, the formation of a crown and the creation of a sufficiently stable and strong skeleton to withstand the load of fruits. Also correct pruning pears should improve the illumination of the crown, making it convenient for spraying and harvesting. For this, it is necessary to artificially create favorable conditions so that each skeletal branch is covered with several fruit branches.

For a pear, care and pruning must be carried out from the moment of disembarkation and throughout life, until the moment of drying. It should be said right away that there is no universal garden care scheme, and throughout the life of one fruit plantation, the gardener will have to solve many different tasks, focusing on his desires, the selected fruit variety, the state of the soil and the climatic features of the region.

When to prune a pear, timing, time?

Even novice gardeners know that there are certain deadlines pear pruning, when certain manipulations should be performed with a tree to obtain the best result, whether it is the formation of a crown in a young tree or the rejuvenation of old fruit plantings. Here is just a mention that pear pruning time is somewhat relative concept, and largely depends on the climatic zone, the weather forecast for the coming days, the expected weather changes in the next month and the experience of the gardener, usually leads people to a stupor, especially those who have just decided to devote themselves to the garden. For example, having received the question “When can pear pruning be done in spring?” a fairly exhaustive answer: “from February to May”, an amateur gardener cannot bear any useful information. It would be easier for such people to know what, when and how much can be done, so that the end result would allow them to be proud of the work done. Therefore, let's try to figure out in more detail when and what kind of care is needed for both old and young. fruit trees. What are the possible exceptions?

Pruning pear trees in the spring is the most important part of fruit planting care, and therefore the most difficult. The fact is that the pear belongs to light-loving plants, and if some part of its crown is heavily shaded, then flower buds will not appear there. In addition, failure to pruning or the wrong course of action will cause the tree to become tall but lean in yield.

To prevent this from happening, the first pruning of pears in the spring is done to seedlings, starting from the age of one, as soon as their height exceeds half a meter from the ground. This removal of the top will stimulate the growth of the lower branches, which means that the crown will form from the lower branches. On the next year using a similar technology, it will be necessary to plan the second tier of skeletal branches.

It is better to start all work with the orchard in the spring so that frosts no longer threaten the plants, but the juice has not yet begun to circulate through the branches. If everything is done correctly, then the pear will not even notice the wounds inflicted on it during the formation of the crown, and the nutrients will not be wasted on the branches to be removed. The important thing is that if the gardener rushes, and severe frosts hit after pruning, the tree may die. It is the confluence of such factors that requires the gardener to carry out all the main procedures for the removal or formation of fruit plantations in the spring. Therefore, before removing extra branches, it is necessary to wait for a stable increase in air temperature above -5 ° C and check the forecast for the next week.

Pruning of a young pear in autumn is carried out annually, except for the year when the tree was planted. It's connected with slowly growth and poor frost tolerance.

For older plantings, the timing of care procedures depends on the variety and climatic zone of the garden. So, early varieties growing in middle lane, it will be possible to cut already in the second half of August until mid-September. During this period, branches damaged during the fruiting period, as well as those that create crown thickening, are subject to removal. The same applies to diseased branches.

Proper pruning in the fall, in addition to removing extra branches, should include shortening annual shoots. However, this should be done without fanaticism, no more than 1/3 of the length. If everything was done correctly, then in the spring you can expect the appearance of new shoots.

When pruning a pear, you should try to create optimal conditions so that new young shoots continue the pyramidal shape of the crown, but at the same time the crown itself does not expand much. Otherwise, in the harvest season, horizontally sprouting branches may break off.

Winter pruning has one significant advantage over similar operations in other seasons, namely, due to the fact that the plant is in a state of maximum dormancy, all wounds inflicted on it will cause minimal damage. Pruning old trees in winter has been especially good, as the cold and lack of sap make the wood more pliable for sawing, and the cut is more uniform. With a certain experience with pruning shears and a hacksaw, the likelihood of bark scuffing is reduced to almost zero.

They start pruning pears in winter, usually in February, when the average air temperature even at night is above -15 ° C. winter care outside the garden, you should start with the most mature and fruitful trees, since their fruit buds will wake up earlier than deciduous ones. If a Orchard comprises various kinds plants, then the removal of broken and diseased branches begins with apple trees, and only then they move on to the pear as a less frost-resistant crop. Having finished with branches that are sick and broken under the weight of snow, the gardener can move on to work on the formation of pruning of a columnar pear, as the most common work pattern. Indeed, with the complete absence of leaves on the branches, it is possible to more easily and accurately assess the density of the crown and the presence of competing shoots.

In order for the wound to heal quickly and not freeze over in winter, it is very important to use the cleanest and sharpest possible tool. After removing the branches, the gardener must carefully process the sections garden pitch.

Summer pear pruning

Summer pear pruning is carried out in the presence of strongly growing shoots. In this case, removing part of the shoots will increase the flow nutrients to the fruits. Also, one should not forget that this tree belongs to the photophilous and, if necessary, thinning the crown, the gardener will provide better illumination to the fruits and uniformity of their ripening. If fruits get enough sunlight, then it will strengthen them taste qualities, making pears more fragrant, soft and juicy, which is fully consistent with this variety.

It should be noted right away that, unlike the spring and autumn pruning, work to remove part or whole branches in winter and summer is carried out only in case of great experience and emergency. That is, summer pruning in most cases should be a minor cosmetic intervention, while autumn pruning can be called a major redevelopment.

So in the summer they do not form a crown, with the exception of removing vertical tops and trimming the central conductor in order to slow down too active growth. All other manipulations are aimed at removing broken and diseased branches, as well as pruning those that can break off under the weight of the shoots.

After summer pruning wounds are allowed to dry for 1 day, and the next day they are covered with decoction or oily paint.

Incorrect pruning of old pears by amateur gardeners is one of the main causes of the death of old fruit trees. However, very often rejuvenating pear pruning is necessary and the only way to return the plant to fruiting, health and optimal shape for processing and harvesting. The latter is most relevant if the garden has passed from one owner to another, and the tree has not previously been subjected to any crown formation schemes, and therefore, due to its specificity, it has grown large, but not fruitful.

If there is such a need, then the pruning of the old pear begins with its shortening. But if the tree has been systematically properly cared for and its height corresponds to the optimal indicators for harvesting, then the gardener needs to start the rejuvenation process with thinning the crown. They do this at the end of winter - the beginning of spring before the plant wakes up, and buds and leaves begin to form on it. First of all, they remove broken, dry, frozen and non-fruitful eyelids. This will open up the center of the crown to sunlight and show you how much work is left. Then they begin to shorten the shoots, remove shoots of competitors, shoots growing parallel to the trunk or having too sharp corners. The remaining young shoots can be slightly shortened (by 1/4 of the length), and then the wounds can be treated with a decoction.

The correct technique for pear rejuvenation can save an old tree, which, due to the lack of fruits, was already wanted to be written off for felling. It all depends on the experience of the gardener, who must carry out all the necessary manipulations after the winter cold, but before the formation of buds. You should also be prepared for the fact that in the process of rejuvenating an old pear, its yield will temporarily decrease, and the period of optimizing the height of the plant without the risk of its death may take several years.

Pruning a young pear

The first pruning of a pear seedling occurs immediately after planting and performs two tasks at once:

• because when transplanting root system damaged, plant nutrition can be facilitated by shortening;
• the first tab of the pear trimming scheme, shortening the conductor.

Pruning of pear seedlings in the fall in the year of planting is not carried out, since there is no such need. If everything is done correctly in the first year, then the young tree will fold the crown quite well and naturally, requiring, basically, only regular pruning of last year's shoots and the formation of tiers of skeletal branches. When pruning a young pear, the conductor should protrude above the cut shoots, which will contribute to the natural pyramidal shape of the crown.

Pruning of young trees older than 1 year is carried out at least twice a year, which allows to increase branching, strengthen the fruit branches of the lower part of annual growths and contribute to the formation of semi-skeletal branches that carry fruit branches. To do this, every spring, annual growths are shortened by ¼ length. Then the gardener needs to turn his attention to the tops. Tops in a young pear are formed very often, especially after winter, when even a slight freezing of skeletal branches leads to the growth of tops. Tops can very quickly develop into strong branches, thereby thickening the crown, so in the spring the gardener needs to turn them into semi-skeletal and overgrowing branches. And too powerful and vertically growing in the shady parts of the crown, cut out entirely. If the winter was too cold and above the appearance of tops, the wood was very frozen and the leaves do not grow well on the pear, then shoots will not develop at the edges of the skeletal branches, only rosettes of leaves. In this case, everything above the tops is cut off, as well as part of the tops. The second part turns into overgrown branches, thereby restoring part of the crown.

The second tier of young pears is laid only in the fourth year of life. After the fifth year of life, there will be a decrease in annual growth, so shortening will need to be done more moderately.

Pruning columnar pears

Pears of columnar varieties require special attention at all stages. It rocks and trims columnar pears. The technology of pruning these trees is due to their characteristics. In order to maintain the shape of the crown and increase the yield, all side shoots should be completely removed.

The Sovereign company is always ready to help and make your garden well-groomed, fruitful and aesthetic. We will timely and correctly perform any type of pruning of ornamental and fruit trees and shrubs, process them and carry out disease prevention. late autumn our specialists will competently carry out sanitary pruning of pears, the tree will be fully prepared for winter. We are ready to help our clients quickly, efficiently, and taking into account all requirements.

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Pear trees not only give us a harvest of delicious, juicy, useful fruits, but also decorate the garden with openwork flowering in spring. But in order for the plant to be strong and healthy, you need to provide it with good care, an important part of which is proper cropping. Beginning gardeners often believe that pear trees should only be pruned in the spring. This opinion is erroneous; it turns out that pruning can be done at almost any period, it is only important to know the basic rules.

Why pear needs pruning

Pear refers to horticultural crops that need sunlight. She needs it for growth and fruiting, so pruning is needed, first of all, to thin out the crown. Regular removal of young shoots provides the tree with the opportunity to give all its strength to already formed branches. So everything useful material go to ensure the growth of fruits, which means that the harvest will be larger and better.

Proper pruning will rejuvenate the tree, form a crown and increase yields.

In my opinion, the point is not only that the pear should give as much juice as possible to the fruit. This tree grows very tall and spreading if not pruned. Not only will it shade neighboring plants, it will also be extremely difficult to collect fruits, especially if you have to climb up. On the beds planted nearby, it is unlikely to be good harvest: thick branches spread out to the sides do not give any vegetable culture no chance of getting enough sunlight. Here my neighbors did not cut their pear tree, it grew in breadth and height, shading the plot and showering it at the end of summer large quantity non-marketable fruits. True, in spring the tree blooms simply luxuriously. In addition, under such a crown it is good to relax on a hot day.

In addition, the tree may need sanitary pruning, namely the removal of sick, frozen over the winter, dry and broken branches. Any damage to the branches can lead to plant disease over time, becoming a vulnerable place for bacteria, viruses and harmful insects to enter.

Rules for pruning pears for each season

Each period has its own climatic features, and the development of the plant in spring, summer and autumn varies greatly. Therefore, when pruning in each of the seasons, you must strictly follow the rules.

Note! In winter, pruning is strictly not recommended. The cuts will not have time to heal, there is a high probability of death of branches from frost, which will affect the health of the entire tree.

spring pruning

After graduation severe frosts and before the start growing season(before the buds swell) you need to carry out spring pruning. Work should begin when the temperature reaches 5 °C.

Spring pruning should be done before the buds begin to bloom.

Before starting work, remember the basic rules that must be followed so as not to harm the tree and get the most positive result from it.

1. For work, use a pruner, after making sure that its blades are very sharp. Large branches are best cut with a hacksaw. Before and after trimming, be sure to disinfect the tools with alcohol-based products.
2. First of all, the crown is thinned out. So you will provide access to light and air in sufficient quantity for the tree.
3. The next is the shortening of the central trunk. It is recommended to cut it by about ¼ part. Due to this, the tree will not grow and a bowl-shaped crown will form.
4. All places where cuts were made should be lubricated with a protective substance as soon as possible. It can be Rannet, oil paint, garden pitch or drying oil. Runnet is also recommended to impregnate any damage on the surface of the wood.
5. Traditionally, pruning methods such as cutting into a ring and shortening branches are used. In the first case, the cut is made in the area where the branch grows from the trunk, at the very base, “under the ring”. To prevent the bark from lifting up, first make a cut at the bottom, and then cut the branch from the top side. The second method ensures the acceleration of the growth of lateral shoots and the awakening of the buds, which are located under the cuts.
6. Pear branches can grow both horizontally and vertically. It is recommended to remove vertical shoots, and provide horizontal support with a prop if necessary. In addition, it is imperative to cut branches growing in the downward direction: their productivity is too low.
7. When pruning in the spring season, you do not need to feed the pear with nitrogen fertilizers: now it receives enough nutrition from the ground.

If a spring pruning will be done correctly, by the next season all cuts will heal, the tree will be healthy and ready for harvest.

Video: rules for pruning pear trees in spring

summer pruning

AT summer period pruning for pear trees consists of pinching, or tweezing. This is the name of the removal of shoots extending from the top of the plant. You can easily pinch with your nails, and if you need to remove most of the young branch, use a pruner.

For tweezing, we spend much more time than for pruning. But this procedure, as experience has shown, really has a very good effect on the plant: as a result of it, nutrients from the soil are used sparingly and evenly. I think this is because, thanks to pinching, the growth of the shoot stops, and its optimal length is reached. At the same time, in the spring of next year, we shorten the one-year-old shoot, removing a significant part of it, for the growth of which useful substances were spent.

Pinching can be done in different dates during the summer, and depending on the time, the plant may react differently.

Pear pruning in the summer season can be done if the young shoots have thickened the crown too much.

Pinching carried out in June, during active vegetation, will delay the growth of shoots. Due to this, premature, summer shoots are formed faster from axillary buds, and nearby weakened branches will get stronger and enhance growth. Leaf buds will turn into fruit buds. But remember that pinching in this period can have a bad effect on the vegetation of the tree and its wintering.

If you pinch at the end of July, when the growth of the shoots ends, then you can achieve an improvement in the ripening of the shoots and better development axillary kidneys.

Video: rules for pruning pear trees in summer

autumn pruning

The optimal time for the last autumn pruning of the year lasts from the last decade of August to mid-September. It is used on early and mid-ripening pear varieties.

Video: rules for pruning pear trees in the fall

Rules for the formation of the crown of a pear tree

If you have not grown pears before, then you probably think that pruning the old and young plant- the same process. This is a misconception; in fact, each tree age has its own pruning rules for crown formation and healthy branch development.

Pear pruning scheme

There is certain rules pruning the plant from the moment of planting until the beginning of fruiting. They also include crown formation schemes. To prevent pruning from becoming stressful for the tree and causing its death, use the following materials and tools:

All tools must be sharpened and disinfected before use. In addition, you will need garden pitch or oil paint to cover up the cuts.

Pruning a pear seedling after planting

As soon as you plant a pear seedling, you need to make the first, main pruning, which has 2 goals at once:

In the autumn of the first year of growth, the tree will not need pruning, since it was carried out when planting in the spring. When you follow all the rules, at the first stage you will provide a pear good conditions for healthy crown growth and formation. You will only need to remove damaged shoots if necessary.

Pruning an annual and young pear

A one-year-old seedling that was planted last year needs to cut the trunk by at least a quarter of the total length (25%). This will help the crownplants become more branched. The lateral shoots are also shortened, but they are cut to the first bud.

After another year of the life of the tree, the top of the trunk should be shortened by 25–30 cm, and all branches of the tree by 6–8 cm. In order for the crown to form correctly, the lower branches must remain longer than the upper ones. This pyramid-like crown shape is considered one of the best for pear fruiting.

After all these stages of pruning, follow the rules for caring for a pear plant. They are as follows:

The formation of tiers in a pear seedling

A year after the planting, the pear tree has already taken root and fully adapted. At this time, you need to start the process of crown formation, which lasts three seasons and consists of several stages.

There are 5 types of crown shape for a pear:

• sparse-tiered;
• improved longline;
• fusiform;
• bowl-shaped;
• semi-flat.

The shape used to trim the branches will depend on the choice of shape.

There are different opinions about which crown shape is best. For example, a sparse-tiered form is recommended for beginners in gardening - it is easier to implement and allows you to subsequently correct some mistakes made during pruning. Gardeners with more experience, on the contrary, argue that the most practical are spindle-shaped and bowl-shaped. The first one is great for small plot, on which the pears are close to each other, the second greatly facilitates the collection of fruits.

Sparse-tiered form

Despite its simplicity, the sparse-tiered crown scheme requires a careful approach. Let's consider it in more detail.

1. In order to form a crown according to this scheme, in the first year of growth, a pear seedling must be cut to a height of 80 cm. If desired length the tree has not been reached, it is not worth trimming the top.
2. The second year is the period of stem formation (trunk to the level of lower branches). To do this, all branches below 50 cm from the soil level are cut from the central conductor. It is necessary to leave the 3 strongest side branches extending from the trunk at an angle of 45 °, and the central shoot. The rest of the branches are cut off.
3. Lateral shoots are pruned so that their length does not exceed 50-60 cm. Subsequently, branches of the second order will be formed on them above the lower tier. They should grow at a distance of 40–50 cm from the trunk. The branches left as skeletal (main, extending from the trunk) branches that have not grown longer than 50 cm are cut to a length of 35 cm. The central conductor should be 20–30 cm higher than the branches of the tier. If the conductor is weak, not exceeding the diameter of the skeletal branches in thickness, it should rise 40 cm above the pruning line.
4. In the third year, in the spring, young shoots should be left, the length of which is 25–40 cm (they will become fruitful). Skeletal branches, if necessary, shorten up to 50 cm. Branches with a diameter greater than the thickness of the conductor must be cut “on a ring”.
5. If in the third year of growth the height of the pear is 2.5–3 m, it is necessary to limit the growth of the tree. This is done by transferring "to the side branch": the conductor is cut at the chosen height above the young side branch.

So, a pear tree, the crown of which is formed according to the principle of a sparse-tiered scheme, consists of:

The space between the tiers should be 50–60 cm. Leave branches for the skeleton at an angle of 45–60 ° from the main conductor. Please note that they should not interfere with the access of light to each other. To ensure this, check the angle of divergence between such branches: it must be at least 120 °. Semi-skeletal branches are recommended to be left only at the lower level.

Video: how to form a sparse-tiered crown on a fruit tree

Improved Tiering

This method is similar to the previous one. The only difference is that you need to leave more skeletal branches. So in the lower tier there will be 4 skeletal branches, and in order to lay the second tier, you need to leave 5-6 buds. Of these, over time, strong healthy shoots will appear, half of which will become the frame of the tier. So the pear will have two levels 50-60 cm apart with 6-8 frame branches.

1. The lower tier - 3–4 frame branches, the second tier - 2–3 frame branches, the third tier is absent, two single branches are left above the second tier.
2. Lower tier - 3–4 frame branches; the second tier - 2-3 frame branches, the third tier - 2 frame branches, 1-2 single branches are left above the third tier.

spindle crown

Among professional gardeners, the formation of a spindle-shaped crown is very popular. Fruiting in trees with such a crown begins early, and the yield increases. This is due to good ventilation and illumination of the branches.

Feature of the spindle-shaped scheme - in in large numbers semi-skeletal branches. Using the garter method, they are given a horizontal position. The branches are placed spirally, between them a distance of 2–4 shoot buds is observed.

Experienced gardeners most often choose a spindle-shaped crown.

This scheme has a drawback: the lower branches sag, making it difficult to care for the soil around the trunk and clean the trunk. To avoid these troubles, you need to leave branches up to 1.5 m long in the lower tier, growing at an angle of 50–60 °. Those branches that grow higher should have a horizontal direction.

Video: rules for the formation of a spindle-shaped crown

bowl crown

This type of crown is also called vase-shaped. The scheme is referred to as a leaderless formation, in which the skeletal branches grow at the same level (tier) on a stem 50 cm high.

In the first growing season, the central conductor is cut out. In this case, 3-4 frame branches remain, equidistant from each other. Each has 2 taps of the second level and 3-4 of the third level.

The bowl-shaped crown is very convenient for harvesting.

The bowl-shaped crown is well lit by the sun from all sides, besides, it is very convenient when harvesting. The disadvantages include the fragility of the skeletal branches, which easily break under the weight of the fruit. But on the other hand, such trees have less susceptibility to fungal diseases.

Semi-flat crown

This scheme is recommended for use on pears grafted onto medium-sized rootstocks. Also often a semi-flat crown is formed on small areas, where fruit trees are planted near fences and buildings due to lack of space.

Pears with a semi-flat crown - a good option for a small area

The semi-flat crown is characterized by the presence of 4–6 skeletal branches located relative to the stem at an angle of 45–55°. The bottom row consists of two branches growing mirror to each other. Optimal distance between them should be 20 cm. Above, several next tiers are formed, each of which has 2 skeletal branches. For vigorous varieties of pears, an inter-tier distance of 100 cm is considered optimal, for medium-sized ones - 70–80 cm.

Pear pruning for replacement knot

The replacement pruning method is usually used on grapes, but is also often used on fruit trees, including pears. Its purpose is to form a fruit link, consisting of one or more fruit branches and a replacement knot directly. It should remain outside below the fruit branch so that when pruned, the fruiting shoot lengthens slowly.

Pruning a pear for replacement consists in pruning a part of the shoots on which flower buds are located, a third or a quarter of the length for fruiting, and all the rest for growth, leaving 2–3 buds. As a result of this procedure, 2 shoots are formed from the remaining buds on shortly cut branches. The first, in turn, is also cut off for fruiting, the second is also short for replacement. When a long branch ceases to bear fruit, it is removed.

Proper pruning to the replacement knot will help form new fruit shoots.

Replacement knots are located below those that were cut for fruiting. So branches with fruits will not shift to the outer part of the crown.

After reading a lot of information about the replacement knot, I concluded that on fruit trees, especially pear trees, such pruning can be done no earlier than the fourth year. At this time, the crown is already, as a rule, formed, and the tree will soon begin to bear fruit. But still, pruning for a replacement knot is a troublesome business. It really applies to grapes: vines are easier to deal with. But with fruit trees, whose crowns consist of many branches, you have to tinker. In our garden, we decided to no longer practice pruning for a replacement branch with respect to pears: there are a lot of worries, but we did not notice any special result. Nothing better or worse than other types of pruning. But maybe it was necessary to work with this method for a couple more years?

How to rejuvenate an old pear with pruning

In order for the plant to regain healthy growth and fruiting, it may need anti-aging pruning. It must be remembered that for an old fruitful pear, improper pruning can be fatal.

Such rejuvenation activities will be especially useful if you inherited a penny garden from a previous owner who did not take care of the plants. In this case, pears can be tall and thickened, but do not bring a good harvest. It is enough to shorten the tree by cutting off its top.

By pruning an old pear, you will rejuvenate the tree and return it to fruiting

For well-groomed old pears with a height suitable for picking fruits, rejuvenation should be carried out starting with thinning the crown. This is done at the end of winter or with the onset of the first spring heat, before the buds swell. The optimal period is considered to be when the air temperature is about 0 ° C.

1. First of all, cut branches with signs of disease and freezing. You also need to remove broken and dried branches that will no longer bear fruit. This will help you to correctly estimate the volume further work, and the crown will subsequently be better illuminated by the sun.
2. The next step is to remove excess shoots that grow parallel to the crown or at an acute angle. Next, competitor shoots that grow too close to healthy, fruit-bearing skeletal branches are cut off.
3. Some of the remaining shoots can be shortened by a quarter of the length if you see the need (for example, they are too long, which can make harvesting difficult).
4. After completing all anti-aging pruning activities, treat all cuts with garden pitch or oil paint, which is better kept on the tree at low temperatures.

Rejuvenation, carried out according to the rules, will save the old pear from felling. After this, the tree may not give the expected yield for 1-2 years, but over time you will get a good result.

The need to form a crown is due to the characteristics of the tree. Firstly, the pear is a light-loving culture. Secondly, during spraying it is easier to process the entire tree. Thirdly, crown formation will greatly simplify the harvesting process. And, fourthly, having lost all unnecessary branches, the plant will spend useful substances only on the harvest, and not on the growth of shoots.

Formation of the crown of a fruit tree

Properly performed pruning contributes to the formation of a strong skeleton that can withstand even very large fruits, improve yields and have the most positive effect on plant development. If you ignore this operation or do it irregularly, this will lead to increased growth of the flora representative, and the quantity and quality of the crop will deteriorate significantly. Young annual seedlings do not need pruning, but already in the second year attention should be paid to this procedure and care should be continued throughout the life of the tree.

It is worth noting that pruning young and more mature trees has some differences. In the first case, the main task is to choose the right skeletal branches. And in the second, it is necessary, so to speak, to unload, brighten and rejuvenate the plant. And in order to achieve this goal, sometimes it is not enough to remove even fairly large branches, you have to sacrifice entire trunks. In this way, unwanted upward growth of the plant can be halted. Also in the fall, all diseased branches are removed without fail.

The pear belongs to tall plants, which means that the process of processing and harvesting is somewhat difficult, so it is necessary to regularly shorten the shoots and young branches. There are two methods of cropping - thinning and shortening. In the first case, the shoots are removed completely. This will provide sunlight access to the inside of the crown, which will positively affect the yield.

But shortening contributes to the branching of the tree and stops its growth upwards. In this case, only the tops of the branches are cut off.

Cutting off the tops of pear branches

Depending on the goal pursued, pruning can be of several types. If the main task is the formation of the crown, then we are talking, respectively, about forming pruning. It is carried out mainly in the first years of the tree's life. Properly positioned branches guarantee not only beautiful view but also a strong, healthy plant.

But more mature representatives of the flora, who have lived more than half of their life cycle are in need of rejuvenation. With the help of anti-aging pruning, it is possible to activate the processes of growth and the formation of high-quality fruits. In addition, each pear should be pruned throughout its life, thus regulating the number of fruit-bearing branches.

In this paragraph, we will Special attention technology, we will talk about how a pear is cut, because the desired result can be achieved only if all the work in the fall is carried out correctly. Moreover, even the choice of inventory should be taken seriously. We will need a sharp pruner or lopper. The latter has longer handles. If the tool is blunt, then it will tear the wood and only harm the plant. Large branches are removed with a garden saw. Some craftsmen cut small branches with a garden knife, but this is quite difficult.

Be sure to prepare a garden pitch or paint based on drying oil for processing cuts. Before pruning, clean the tool, otherwise you risk introducing an infection into the tree. To remove a thin twig, you must correctly position the pruner. This tool consists of two blades - thick and sharper. We attach the first to the part of the branch that we want to delete, and fix the pruner. Then, squeezing the handles, cut off the branch with a sharp blade.

The very first pruning is shaping. We select a kidney at a certain height of the bole and take it as the so-called reference point. The next 3 buds are removed to allow free growth of the guidewire. But the second branch should grow from the fifth kidney, and it is located on the opposite side of the first. A cut of an annual shoot is made above the ninth bud, all intermediate rudimentary shoots are also removed.

Formative pruning pear branch

Next year, the central conductor should be at least 20 cm longer than the rest. However, sometimes some branches can go well in length, in which case they must be shortened to the desired size. If necessary, we make spacers so that the branches are located under given angle. After 3–4 years, the central conductor is shortened to the highest branch, and all branches that can cause crown thickening are removed. It is mandatory to cut off all shoots growing towards the center of the tree or at an acute angle from the trunk. Young growth is simply shortened by 1/3. It is better not to touch fruit-bearing healthy shoots at all.

We need to say goodbye to the wolves. It's pretty easy to recognize them. They are located parallel to the trunk, and the harvest from them will not work. Before you prune a tree, evaluate the scope of the work, because removing many branches at once in the fall can harm the pear tree. In this case, it is necessary to stretch the work over several seasons. In order for the cut to heal as soon as possible, the shoot should be removed “on the ring”, leaving no stumps and deep cuts. Thick twigs are difficult to cut so that there is no scoring of the bark. A little trick will help to avoid the latter. First you need to slightly trim the shoot from below and only after that - from above. And too large branches should be cut in parts.

All diseased, dried and branches that interfere with the development of the desired shoots are also removed. In conclusion, it is necessary to treat all the "wounds" with garden pitch or paint. After pruning, the plant experiences an excess of nutrients, so it does not need further feeding. All sawn and cut branches should be burned, especially if they are sick. Otherwise, bacteria can get over and infect healthy flora growing on the site.

When is the best time to get to work?

Very often, but many are interested in whether this can be done in the fall? In fact, it is best to carry out this operation a couple of times a year. Deadlines largely depend on climatic conditions region. For example, in the spring, pruning is carried out as soon as the temperature is at least 8 ° C. During this period, the juice has not yet begun to circulate, and the plant is at rest.

Starts in June and lasts throughout the season. During this period, young shoots are pinched. This allows you to convert leaf buds into fruit buds. And after such a procedure, cutting a pear in the fall will be much easier. However, at this time of the year, such a procedure should be treated with extreme caution, as you can remove a lot of the desired foliage.

If you decide to carry out work in the fall, then everything should be done before the start of frost. Otherwise, the cut sites will not have time to heal, and there is a risk of losing the tree. It is worth noting that at this time of the year pruning is most often carried out with sanitary purpose. All dead, diseased and weak branches are removed. But in winter it is better not to touch the representative of the flora at all due to severe frosts.

To pear trees made you happy excellent harvest every year, they need to be cut properly. Don't know how it's done? We will tell you.

It is not difficult to follow the basic pruning rules. The main thing is to follow the verified algorithm and then juicy and ripe pears will always be on your table.

Rule #1

Pruning is done annually. In order for the tree to develop and grow to its full potential, pruning must be done every year. This will speed up the formation of the crown and fruits.

On the left - pruning of an annual pear seedling, on the right - pruning of an adult tree

Rule #2

The stem height must be at least 60 cm and not more than 90 cm. It is determined by pruning in the first year. If the seedling is cut at a height of more than 1 m, then the crown will be laid too high, which will subsequently complicate the harvest.

At the same time, too low-lying branches will not allow you to comfortably cultivate the soil under the tree, and the crop in this case will lie practically on the ground.

Pears need proper care This affects the yield of trees.

Rule #3

Vertical escape and top removal

Rule #4

When pruning, you need to make the crown as transparent as possible.

When the crown is not thickened, the fruits receive a sufficient amount of light, which allows them to ripen faster and accumulate precious vitamins.

Rule #5

Strong growths must be transferred to well-developed side branches, observing the principle of subordination. It lies in the fact that the most powerful shoots should be located below, and the weaker ones above.

Formation correct form crowns

Rule #6

Skeletal branches growing upwards must be cut to the outer bud, directed to the side.

This will help make the escape more horizontal later on.

Rule #7

You can not allow the presence of competitors in the crown. All strong shoots located near the central conductor or appearing on skeletal branches should be cut or weakened by cutting off up to 3-5 buds.

Rule #8

The branches are cut not into a ring, but into a well-developed lateral shoot. Unlike the apple tree, the pear tree has a good shoot-forming ability.

If you cut the shoot into a ring or leave a small knot, tops will appear in this place.

By following all these rules, you can grow a beautiful and fruitful pear garden. Good harvest!