Summer plum pruning ritual
The mission of every gardener is to get a decent harvest of plums. It turns out that it is not at all easy to fulfill it. To collect not one, but several boxes of juicy fruits, it is necessary to take care of these exhibits of the summer cottage with love. Summer pruning is an important point in achieving your goal. There are a few simple techniques to help you get the most out of the procedure.
It is based on an elementary principle
For a year, the woody plant grows from 50 cm or more. As a result, young shoots thicken the crown so much that they practically drown out the growth of fruitful branches. This leads to the degeneration of the variety. As a result, large fruits turn into small ones, becoming less sweet.
Why is it useful to prune in the summer? Slices heal much faster, and they do not need to be covered with pitch. Also, abundant greenery helps to see the areas that need to be thinned.
Among other things, pruning plum allows you to control the growth of the tree and the volume of the crown. It is several times more convenient to collect a rich harvest from miniature spherical specimens. Together, the garden turns into an elegant example of landscape decor. To complete a difficult task, it is important to understand the basic principles of pruning:
- all young shoots are removed from the entire surface of the trunk;
- vertically growing shoots are removed on the branches;
- the skeletal lines are shortened by several rings, without reducing the central conductor;
- Branches branched in three different sides are transferred to lateral horizontal processes, which stimulate fruiting.
It is recommended to cut those parts of the tree that are about 1-2 years old. In this case, the so-called spurs are left. The next year or later, they will have luxurious fruits. A hacksaw and secateurs are used as tools. Small branches are simply plucked.
It is recommended to plan the work at the beginning of June. By that time, the fruit on the branches takes on a clear outline. Weak and diseased shoots can also be noticed.
It should be understood that annual seedlings are in dire need of pruning. Therefore, at the end of July they will also have to be cut. Especially such procedures are very necessary for frozen trees. After a strong drop in temperature, sap freezes in the branches. When they leave, they will become inferior as well as sick. In this regard, it is better to shorten them, since the plant activates all forces for the treatment of weak "organs". Such a simple, but competent, approach to pruning plums provides them with active fruiting.