How to prune peach trees in winter

Currently, fruit farmers across the country are busy pruning peach trees . Considering that peach trees of different shapes require different pruning methods, today we will learn how to prune peach trees in winter.

1. Remove the low and keep the high

In the past, in order to pursue yield, the pole was fixed at a low position, which resulted in a decrease in the quality of the lower fruits and caused inconvenience in operations such as spraying pesticides, weeding, bagging, and fertilizing. It is now recommended to set the pole at around 60 to 80 centimeters to improve ventilation, light transmittance and fruit quality.

2. Remove competing branches from the main branches to maintain single-axis extension

Removing competing branches from the main branches and maintaining the single-axis extension of the main branches is conducive to the rational development of the tree shape.

3. Remove the rough and keep the fine

Directly remove branches that are thicker than 1 cm and are in the wrong position. The appropriate thickness of fruiting branches is generally recommended to be between 0.5 cm and 0.8 cm. If it is too thick, the fruit will easily fall, while if it is too thin, it will not produce high-quality fruit.

4. Go high and keep low

The total height of the tree is controlled at about 2-2.5 meters to facilitate operations such as spraying pesticides and picking fruit.

5. Thinning out the branches on the back

Remove the back branches to facilitate ventilation and light transmission, and to help the renewal of branches and avoid the phenomenon of alternate bearing.

6. Remove the dense and keep the sparse

Thin out overcrowded branches to improve ventilation and light conditions.

Pruning should be carried out according to the above principles based on the growth, location and number of branches of each tree. First, observe the growth of the tree to determine whether it is a weak tree, a strong tree, or a moderately strong tree. Then calculate the number of fruiting branches that need to be retained for each tree based on the yield per mu.

Taking a moderately strong tree as an example, start pruning from the bottom, removing branches that are too thick or in the wrong position, and improving ventilation and light transmission. Then prune the main branches and remove any overgrown branches that are more than 1 cm thick on the upper and lower branches. For fruiting branches, follow the principle of removing dense branches and leaving sparse branches, and adopt the pruning method of "removing the two sides and leaving the middle" or "removing the middle and leaving the two sides" to make the fruiting branches arranged in a "fishbone shape".

When thinning branches, pay attention to the buds. If there are buds at the base, you can remove them directly. Otherwise, you should leave stumps and buds when pruning. At the same time, thin out weak branches, diseased and insect-infested branches, and pinch back and rejuvenate the fruit-bearing branches that are beginning to weaken to prevent the fruit-bearing branches from moving outward.

By following this set of procedures, the peach tree pruning work can basically be completed. This long branch pruning method is simple and easy to learn. As long as you master the above principles, even a novice can easily get started.