CATEGORIESBlogs
Pruning: Brichome's Tips
Here are Brichome's tips for best pruning the trees in our vegetable garden or garden. In this guide we answer a few simple questions: Why prune? When to prune? Which pruning tools to use?
Updated[07/03/2016]: discover the video tutorial to learn how to prune peach trees correctly.
Pruning is a fundamental and indispensable cultivation technique; carrying it out in the best possible way allows the trees in our garden to grow luxuriantly.
Why prune?
What is the purpose of pruning? Pruning is a technique that allows our plants to grow following their characteristic natural conformation; This not only does it have an aesthetic purpose, but it also allows you to maintain the plant on which the pruning interventions are carried out, in its better health conditions.
In fact, pruning allows you to:
- prevent the onset of diseases following wounds caused by the rubbing of two branches born too close together;
- suppress the weakest branches (typically central) by aerating the plant and reducing humidity;
- eliminate dry and injured branches.
Are all plants pruned in the same way?
Obviously not. Plants of different species require various types of interventions; However it's not just the difference in species that makes the difference.
Even plants in different stages of vegetative development require interventions with different intensities and objectives:
- the plants more young require interventions aimed at defining the structure of the plant, therefore it is a question of light and limited cuts;
- plants adults require interventions to keep the plant in its period of maximum splendor for as long as possible; To prevent premature aging of the plant it is important to observe two fundamental rules:
- Do not encourage excessive elongation of the branches, but contain the shape and size of the plant;
- Reduce interventions when the plant has high vigor
- plants in the old age phase present a drastic reduction in branch production; to regulate the duration of this period it is possible to carry out targeted interventions through pruning and fertilizing.
When to prune?
What is the most suitable period for pruning? Depends. Depending on the moment in which you choose to carry out pruning, the effect you obtain is different.
Pruning carried out at the end of the winter period, when the plant begins to awaken, it has a stimulating effect on the vegetation causing the buds to open
Pruning carried out in the presence of leaves has a depressing effect, as the shoots will be shorter since they will not have the necessary time to develop.
If you run pruning at the end of summer, (September-October), when the plants begin to go into rest, theeffect obtained will be rebalancing, and it will be possible to thin out the excess shoots that have appeared since spring.
What tools to use for pruning? And how to use them?
The best known tools for pruning are certainly simple and double blade scissors which allow you to easily make cuts on small diameter branches.
Advise: Avoid twisting the blade when cutting: this causes cracks which can lead to the onset of infections. To make clean cuts position the branch at the intersection of the blades and use the blades by swinging the scissors vertically.
It can be used to cut larger branches the lopper: a shear to be used with both hands which, if telescopic, also allows you to reach the highest branches.
The pruning professionals they also use pneumatic scissors which significantly reduce effort and allow you to make clean cuts.
Update: here's one for you tutorial to learn how to prune a peach tree correctly, made by our supplier Stocker.
And now there are no more excuses: get to work!
