Content
- Thin out the treetop at the apple tree
- Protect against dangers with light and air
- The right time for the cut
- The right cutting technique
- Tips & Tricks
Thin out the treetop at the apple tree
A regular pruning not only provides the apple tree for a visually appealing crown shape and the sprouting of young branches. The thinning of the tree crown also provides for other reasons for a greater vitality of the apple tree.
Protect against dangers with light and air
If the tree canopy is cut out regularly in winter and summer, the leaves can be better ventilated by the wind. The faster the leaves are dried by the wind after each wet weather period, the better the apple tree is protected against fungal attack and mildew. In addition, thinning also helps to achieve a sweeter and juicier harvest. On the one hand, the energy of the apple tree concentrates more on the remaining branches and leaves in the case of a lighted crown, on the other hand it is achieved by more sunlight, which improves energy absorption.
The right time for the cut
If you want to thin out the crown of your apple tree, there are various possibilities for this. As a rule, a tree pruning should be done by default during hibernation between December and March. In the summer cut, aberrations can be corrected and the long water shoots at the top of the treetop removed. If an educational cut is made in the fall, it can be conveniently combined with the apple harvest. With the right amount, the following goals are achieved by cutting the apple tree:
The right cutting technique
In principle, a planting scissors with a sharp blade should be used for the planting and all other cuts to allow clean cut edges and thus a good wound healing. When cutting, you should let stand around the trunk three to four leaders in the first place in a harmonious arrangement. The branches should, if possible, protrude from the main branches at an angle of at least 45 degrees, so that a high degree of stability in fruit stocking is ensured.
Tips & Tricks
If you cut branches, then make the cut just above a leaf bud. This results in beautiful branches without "dead ends" on the branches.