When is the best time to prune a Chinese toon tree?

Toona sinensis tree pruning time

Spring pruning: Toona sinensis trees can be pruned in April. This is considered shaping pruning and can be done when the toon buds are harvested. For plants that have been cared for more than two years, remove the top buds of the two-year-old treetops and 2 to 3 new buds will soon sprout.

Summer pruning: Summer pruning is generally carried out around 3 p.m. on sunny days from July to August. This is conducive to wound healing. Do not prune in bad weather. On the pruned toon trees, the vigorous, too long, too strong, and too high branches can be shortened and topped to promote the germination of side buds to form new branches.

Winter pruning: Winter pruning can be done in late autumn, early winter and early spring during the dormant period, preferably at the end of October. You can thin out one-year-old dense branches, too weak branches, diseased and insect-infested branches, dead branches and perennial old branches. The pruning knives and axes should be sharp and disinfected in advance. The incisions should be smooth. Avoid moving the tree raw or pulling the bark, as this will affect the later growth.

How to prune Chinese toon trees

In the spring of the following year after the planting of the Chinese toon tree, the top buds of the two-year-old treetops can be pinched off, and then 2 to 3 new buds will sprout. If the trunk height is appropriate, the new buds can be left, and after lignification, they will become 2 to 3 side branches. If the trunk height is too high, it is necessary to pinch the top to promote the sprouting of new buds from the buds below, and keep 2 to 3 sprouted new buds, which will become side branches after lignification.

Precautions for pruning Chinese toon trees

What needs to be noted when pruning Chinese toon trees in spring is that in order to allow the trees to recover faster and better, pruning is generally done in the morning. For summer shaping and pruning, be sure to do it on sunny days. Avoid pruning on cloudy days to prevent the wounds from being difficult to recover.