FORMING THE CROWNS AND FURTHER CARE OF FRUIT TREES
By planting fruit trees on the plot or in the garden, we are trying to do it, for their crowns to grow as quickly as possible, because only then can we count on a large yield of fruit. Young trees should not be cut heavily, as this encourages them to overgrow and delays the formation of flower buds. Only in the first year after planting, trees are strongly pruned, to restore the disturbed balance between the aboveground part and the root system of the tree, which was damaged when removing the tree from the nursery. Thus, damaged roots cannot supply sufficient water and minerals right away. If we don't make a strong cut, it is from all the buds that many leaves will develop, which by transpiring intensively (steaming), cause dehydration of a still poorly rooted tree.
Cutting (except the first – necessary) it has an undesirable effect only on young trees. After the trees enter the fruiting period, moderate pruning can be used, and still later, when the tree's growth slows down, and fruiting becomes very abundant and irregular (usually approx 15 year of life of the tree) it is necessary to cut very hard. By removing and shortening branches, the tree is stimulated to grow, rejuvenating them in this way. The pruning of fruit trees is generally done at the end of winter and spring. Currently, summer cutting is more and more recommended, which allows you to get faster results.
The formation of crowns begins in spring with the trimming of the trees planted in autumn (planted in spring are also pruned after planting). The height depends on the height of the trimming of a one-year-old maiden, on which the first tier of boughs will form. Usually the main shoot is trimmed over 6-7 eyelet, counting from place, where the crown is to begin, e.g.. above 60 cm. Side shoots, which we want to leave shortens, and removes others. All shoots of two-year-old apple and pear trees are shortened by about half, and stone trees (plum trees, apricots) – O 2/3 (we leave only 1/3). The choice of side shoots left behind depends on the type of crown, what we want to form. We have many forms to choose from: wireless, colists, lined. Cutting trees in our garden should start with apple and pear trees. From among apple trees, we first choose frost-resistant varieties, like for example, Wealthy, Inflancka, Cortland, Antonówka i Close. We cut the other varieties later – not earlier than the beginning of March. Then the plum trees are also cut, cherries, apricots and peaches.