Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE WHEN PRUNING
▪ Don't leave stubs that will rot later. The exception is for sweet cher-
ries and plums, discussed later in this chapter.
▪ Make cuts cleanly using sharp, properly adjusted tools. If you are
struggling to make a cut, either the tool you have is too small or you
have the wrong tool. Use the proper tool, not brute force!
▪ Don't allow the bark to tear.
▪ Avoid pruning in the late fall or early winter whenever possible.
▪ When cutting out diseased wood, disinfect your tools between cuts.
▪ Make cuts at a slant so that water cannot accumulate on the cut
surface.
▪ When heading, cut back to a bud that is pointed in the direction that
you want the new growth to go.
▪ Make a pruning cut only when you have a specific reason to do so.
Think before you cut.
The advantages of summer pruning are that you generally have good work-
ing conditions and, when it is properly done, the trees regrow relatively little.
The disadvantages are that there are many other tasks that must be done
during the growing season, and the leaves can make it difficult to see the
overall tree or shrub shape.
Types of Pruning Cuts and Plant Responses to Them
Despite the many different orchard crops and training systems, there are
only two types of pruning cuts: heading and thinning.
