Content
- Cut an apple tree in autumn
- Prepare the cut in the fall correctly
- The ideal tree canopy as a guideline
- The cutting technique at the apple tree
- Tips & Tricks
Cut an apple tree in autumn
For the apple tree, the winter cut between January and March is actually the most important tree cut for tree health and yield. However, a substitute or additional cut in the fall may be useful to send the apple tree strengthened into the new garden season.
Prepare the cut in the fall correctly
Conveniently, two steps can be taken at once when cutting the apple tree in the fall. So this cut can also be connected directly to the harvest in late ripening varieties. Especially with apple trees with a high stem, reaching high treetops can be a time and physical challenge. For the cut itself you should have the following equipment:
After cutting, when removing fallen branches from the ground, you can also dispose of moldy fruits and excessive amounts of fallen leaves. To protect your apple tree from fungal attack and other diseases.
The ideal tree canopy as a guideline
A treetop, according to an old adage, should be light enough at the apple tree for a hat to be thrown through. This is not an optical end in itself, but it serves the yield and plant health. If all branches and leaves are well reached by the wound and the sun, they will dry out more quickly after periods of damp and will not easily be infested with the dangerous powdery mildew. In addition, all parts of the tree are optimally supplied with the energy of light, so that large and aromatic fruits can ripen on the branches. In order to achieve an optimal crown shape, the growth should be steered in the right direction after the apple tree has been planted with a parenting cut.
The cutting technique at the apple tree
In autumn cutting, not only arid branches and fruit mummies should be removed, but also branches too close to the crown. As the apple blossoms usually only sit on the biennial wood, not all annual twigs should be cut off. When shortening individual branches, the uppermost pair of buds should be directed outwards, so that a beautiful crown shape can result.
Tips & Tricks
When cutting thicker branches off the apple tree, treat wounds larger than three centimeters in diameter with a special wound closure. How to protect the tree from various pathogens.