Pruning pear trees in summer for beginners. Detailed diagram of pear pruning in spring

A good pear harvest is the result of proper care, which necessarily includes regular and timely removal of unnecessary branches. Knowledge of the rules and features of pear pruning in the spring will help create a tree Better conditions for fruit growth and formation.

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Why is spring tree pruning necessary?

In the absence of pruning, the plant tends to expel vertical shoots and become very tall. This worsens yields and weakens the ability to resist disease and frost. Regular removal of damaged and unnecessary branchesspend, hto extend fruiting time and improve fruit growing conditions.

Main purposes of pruning:

formation of a strong skeletal foundation;
uniform distribution of branches in the crown;
maintaining the desired size of the branched part of the plant, convenient for maintenance and harvesting;
ensuring access of light and air inside the crown - if there is a lack of them, the formation and growth of buds in shaded areas may slow down and stop;
reducing the risk of disease and pests;
rejuvenation of mature and old trees, extension of the fruiting period.

The video shows the formation of the crown by bending the branches. Filmed by the channel Sam Sadovod.

Types of pruning

Pruning varies in terms of timing and the nature of the work performed; it can be grouped into three main areas:

formative;
sanitary;
supporting (rejuvenating).

Formative

This type is carried out mainly on seedlings and young pears. Timely and correct formative pruning determines how the tree will grow and develop. The correct distribution of skeletal and overgrowing branches contributes to the early onset of fruiting and the formation of full-fledged fruits. On mature plants, this method includes removing tops on the main branches.

Excessive growth of shoots is stopped by shortening pruning. It is done mainly for young plantings. The branched part of the tree becomes more compact and bushy.

You should first select one of several types of crowns for the pear based on growing conditions and your preferences. The most common are sparsely-tiered and cup-shaped crowns.

Sparsely tiered crown

This type of crown, common in growing fruit trees, is close to natural forms. On the trunk, the branches are located in groups (tiers) of two or three and singly.

The crown begins to form in early spring in a one-year-old seedling. On the main conductor they lay 50 cm from the surface of the earth - this is the bole zone. If you reduce it, it will be inconvenient to care for an adult tree in the future. An enlarged trunk makes the tree trunk vulnerable to frost and sunburn. Above the trunk, another 30-40 cm is measured, on which the skeletal branches of the first tier will be located, and the conductor is cut off. The cut is made over a healthy, developed bud - it will give rise to a shoot that continues the trunk. During the formation of the crown, the central shoot is left above the level of the lateral branches by 15-20 cm.

When pruning a pear tree, the cut must be done correctly, without a stump, otherwise the conductor may deviate greatly to the side during further growth. Shoots that compete with it are cut off as they appear.

Correct and incorrect pruning of a shoot above a bud

In the spring of next year, the trunk is cleared of growth. Three are left in the first tier strong escape with intervals along the trunk of 10-15 cm. They are cut to length at approximately the same horizontal level. It is desirable that they grow evenly around the circumference with an angle of 100-120º between each other. Other side branches are pruned or temporarily bent to a position parallel to the ground. This will slow down their growth and increase the likelihood of fruiting. Branches up to 30 cm long can be left - they are more prone to fruit set than to growth.

In the third year, 50-70 cm from the lower tier, the next one is laid - two or three future skeletal branches. Repeat the same steps as when forming the first tier. When the conductor has grown excessively, it is shortened. Bent branches are not touched, and if they thicken the crown, they are shortened or cut out.

In the spring of the fourth year, after another 40 cm from the second tier, one or two shoots of the third level can be identified. After a year or two, the stem conductor is shortened to the upper lateral skeletal branch. It is undesirable to make the height of the formed crown higher than 4-4.5 m.

Formation of a sparse-tiered crown by year

Cupped crown

There are regular and improved cupped crowns. In the usual case, the main branches originate very close to each other. In the improved version, at intervals of 15-20 cm. The trunk area is made 50-60 cm in size.

In annual seedlings, the frame branches of the crown are formed from 3-4 lateral shoots. Their symmetrical distribution around the trunk is desirable. Other branches are removed, the main conductor is shortened to the upper lateral branch. Skeletal shoots are shortened: the upper ones - by 10-15 cm, the middle ones - 20-25 cm and the lower ones - 30-35 cm. Pruning to expand the crown is done on the outer bud. It is advisable to direct the upper branch to the north, this will prevent it from stretching unnecessarily.

In the second year in the spring, pruning is reduced to a minimum in order to limit the growth of excess shoots and bring the fruiting time closer. Shoots growing vertically or inside the crown, as well as those that thicken, are removed. Skeletal branches are slightly shortened if necessary. The direction of their growth can be changed by cutting the conductor above the branch directed towards right side. On skeletal branches, two shoots are selected to make second-order branches from them, and they are shortened. Branches that compete with conductors are removed.

In the third year, if necessary, the skeletal branches are cut back to the outer bud, expanding the crown. Branches of the second order, which are faster than the main ones in growth, are shortened. Shoots directed into the crown are cut out completely or left two buds high. In the central part of the crown, small branches with fruits are evenly driven out.

Correct angle of cutting branches

Supportive

Maintenance pruning is carried out on adult plants during March and the first ten days of April. Every year, excess growth is removed from the entire crown. Be sure to remove young shoots growing vertically. Individual branches are shortened by a third to enhance the forcing of fruit branches. To reduce the load on the plant, parts of large and old branches are removed.

Trimming the crown of an old pear tree

The main branches of the tree are shortened. They should not be left longer than 4 meters, since they will bend towards the ground under the weight of the fruit. Then thinning pruning is carried out, removing shoots that thicken or are directed into the crown. You can safely prune old thick branches that bear little fruit - their productive capabilities are depleted. It is better to replace them with new shoots.

Activities after pruning

At the end of the work, all cut branches should be removed from the tree, and it is better to burn the diseased ones as soon as possible. The cut areas are treated with garden varnish or painted over. oil paint. This prevents the penetration of infections and pests, reduces losses nutrients during sap flow. At temperatures below 8 ° C it is better to use paint - garden varnish does not adhere well to wood.

Preface

The fruits of a well-groomed pear are very tasty, but for the tree to give good harvest, you should trim it every fall. We will look at how to do this correctly in our article.

The need to form a crown is determined by the characteristics of the tree. Firstly, pear is a light-loving crop. Secondly, during spraying it is easier to treat the entire tree. Thirdly, the formation of a crown will greatly simplify the harvesting process. And fourthly, having lost all unnecessary branches, the plant will waste useful material only for the harvest, and not for growing shoots.

Crown formation fruit tree

Correctly performed pruning contributes to the formation of a strong skeleton that can withstand even very large fruits, improves productivity and the most in a positive way will affect the development of the plant. If you ignore this operation or do it irregularly, this will lead to increased growth of the flora, and the quantity and quality of the harvest will significantly deteriorate. Young annual seedlings do not need pruning, but already in the second year you should pay attention to this procedure and continue care throughout the life of the tree.

It is worth noting that pruning young and more mature trees has some differences. In the first case, the main task is to choose the right skeletal branches. And in the second it is necessary, so to speak, to unload, lighten and rejuvenate the plant. And in order to achieve the goal, sometimes it is not enough to remove even fairly large branches; you have to sacrifice entire trunks. In this way, unwanted upward growth of the plant can be stopped. Also in the fall, all diseased branches must be removed.

The pear is a tall plant, which means that the process of processing and harvesting is somewhat difficult, so it is necessary to regularly shorten the shoots and young branches. There are two pruning methods: thinning and shortening. In the first case, the shoots are completely removed. This will provide access sunlight inside the crown will have a positive effect on productivity.

But shortening promotes branching of the tree and stops its upward growth. In this case, only the tops of the branches are cut off.

Cutting off the tops of pear branches

Depending on the goal pursued, pruning can be of several types. If the main task is the formation of the crown, then we are talking, accordingly, about formative pruning. It is carried out mainly in the first years of the tree’s life. Properly positioned branches guarantee not only beautiful view, but also a strong, healthy plant.

But the more mature representatives of the flora, who have lived more than half of their life cycle, need rejuvenation. With the help of anti-aging pruning, you can activate the processes of growth and formation of high-quality fruits. In addition, each pear should be pruned throughout its life, thus regulating the number of fruiting branches.

In this paragraph, we will pay special attention to technology, we will talk about how a pear is pruned, because the desired result can only be achieved if all the work is carried out correctly in the fall. Moreover, even the choice of equipment should be taken seriously. We will need a sharp pruner or lopper. The latter has longer handles. If the tool is blunt, it will tear the wood and only harm the plant. Large branches are removed using a garden saw. Some craftsmen cut small branches with a garden knife, but this is quite difficult.

Be sure to prepare garden varnish or drying oil-based paint for processing cuts. Clean the tool before pruning, otherwise you risk introducing infection into the tree. To remove a thin branch, you need to position the pruning shears correctly. This tool consists of two blades - a thick one and a sharper one. We place the first one on the part of the branch that we want to remove, and fix the pruning shears. Then, squeezing the handles, we cut the branch using a sharp blade.

The very first pruning is formative. We select a bud at a certain height of the trunk and take it as the so-called starting point. The next 3 buds are removed to ensure free growth of the conductor. But from the fifth bud a second branch should grow, and it is located on the opposite side of the first. A cut of the annual shoot is made above the ninth bud, all intermediate embryonic shoots are also removed.

Formative pruning of pear branch

On next year the central conductor should be at least 20 cm longer than the others. However, sometimes some branches can go well in length, in which case they need to be shortened to the right size. If necessary, we make spacers so that the branches are located at a given angle. After 3–4 years, the central conductor is shortened to the very top branch, and all branches that can cause thickening of the crown are removed. It is imperative to trim all shoots growing towards the center of the tree or at an acute angle from the trunk. Young growth is simply shortened by 1/3. It is better not to touch fruit-bearing healthy shoots at all.

We need to say goodbye to tops too. They are quite easy to recognize. They are located parallel to the trunk, and it is impossible to harvest from them. Before pruning a tree, evaluate the scale of the work, because if you remove many branches at once in the fall, you can harm the pear. In this case, it is necessary to spread the work over several seasons. In order for the cut to heal as quickly as possible, the shoot should be removed “in a ring”, without leaving stumps or deep cuts. Thick branches are difficult to cut to avoid tearing the bark. A little trick will help you avoid the latter. First, you need to lightly trim the shoot from below and only then from above. Branches that are too large should be cut down in parts.

All diseased, dried and branches that interfere with the development of the desired shoots are also removed. Finally, it is necessary to treat all “wounds” with garden varnish or paint. After pruning, the plant experiences an excess of nutrients, so it does not need further feeding. All sawn and cut branches should be burned, especially if they were sick. Otherwise, bacteria can move and infect healthy representatives of the flora growing on the site.

When is the best time to get to work?

Very often, but many people wonder if this can be done in the fall? In fact, it is best to perform this operation a couple of times a year. The timing largely depends on the climatic conditions of the region. For example, in the spring, pruning is carried out as soon as the temperature has stabilized at least 8 ° C. During this period, the sap has not yet begun to circulate, and the plant is dormant.

Starts in June and lasts throughout the season. During this period, young shoots are pinched. This allows the leaf buds to be converted into fruit buds. And after this procedure, pruning a pear in the fall will be much easier. However, at this time of year, such a procedure should be treated with extreme caution, since it can remove a lot of desired foliage.

If you decide to carry out work in the fall, then everything should be done before frost begins. Otherwise, the cut sites will not have time to heal, and there is a risk of losing the tree. It is worth noting that at this time of year pruning is most often carried out for sanitary purposes. All dead, diseased and weak branches are removed. But in winter it is better not to touch the representative of the flora at all due to severe frosts.

Pruning a pear tree is often compared to that of an apple tree, but there are several significant differences, both in the shape of the tree itself, its preferences, and its ability to withstand injury and change. environment. For example, pruning a young pear tree is a more delicate task. This type of fruit tree grows more slowly than an apple tree and does not like such strong shortening of shoots. At the same time, pruning pear trees pursues the same goals as other fruit crops, namely, the formation of the crown and the creation of a sufficiently stable and strong skeleton to withstand the load of fruits. Also, proper pruning of the pear should improve the illumination of the crown, making it convenient for spraying and harvesting. To do this, it is necessary to artificially create favorable conditions so that each skeletal branch is covered with several fruiting branches.

Pear trees must be cared for and pruned from the moment of planting and throughout their life, until they dry out. It’s worth saying right away that there is no universal scheme for caring for a garden, and throughout the life of one fruit planting, the gardener will have to solve many different problems, focusing on his desires, the chosen variety of fruit, the condition of the soil and the climatic characteristics of the region.

When to prune pear trees, timing, time?

Even novice gardeners know that there are certain deadlines for pruning pears, when certain manipulations should be performed with the tree to obtain best result, whether it is the formation of the crown young tree or rejuvenation of old fruit plantings. Just a mention that the pear pruning time is somewhat relative concept, and largely depends on the climate zone, the weather forecast for the coming days, expected weather changes in the next month and the experience of the gardener, usually leads people into a stupor, especially those who have just decided to devote themselves to the garden. For example, having received the question “When can you prune a pear in the spring?” a fairly comprehensive answer: “from February to May”, an amateur gardener cannot bear any useful information. It would be easier for such people to know what, when and how much can be done so that the final result allows them to be proud of the work done. Therefore, let’s try to understand in more detail when and what kind of care is needed for both old and young fruit trees. What exceptions might there be?

Pruning a pear tree in spring is the most important part of caring for fruit plantings, and therefore the most difficult. The fact is that the pear is a light-loving plant, and if some part of its crown is heavily shaded, then flower buds will not appear there. In addition, failure to prune or the wrong plan of action will lead to the tree becoming tall but with poor yield.

To prevent this from happening, the first pear pruning in the spring is done on seedlings starting from one year of age, as soon as their height exceeds half a meter from the ground. This removal of the top will stimulate the growth of the lower branches, which means that the crown will be formed from the lower branches. Next year, using a similar technology, it will be necessary to plan a second tier of skeletal branches.

It is better to start all work with the orchard in the spring so that frosts no longer threaten the plants, but the juice has not yet begun to circulate through the branches. If everything is done correctly, the pear will not even notice the wounds inflicted on it during the formation of the crown, and nutrients will not be wasted on branches that need to be removed. The important thing is that if the gardener is in a hurry and severe frosts hit after pruning, the tree may die. It is the confluence of such factors that requires the gardener to carry out all the basic procedures for removing or forming fruit plantings in the spring. Therefore, before removing excess branches, you need to wait for a stable increase in air temperature above -5°C and check the forecast for the coming week.

Pruning of a young pear in the fall is carried out annually except for the year in which the tree was planted. This is due to slow growth rates and poor frost tolerance.

For older plantings, the timing of care procedures depends on the variety and climate zone of the garden. So, early varieties, growing in the middle zone, can be pruned in the second half of August until mid-September. During this period, branches damaged during the fruiting period, as well as those that create a thickening of the crown, must be removed. The same applies to diseased branches.

Proper pruning of a pear in the fall, in addition to removing excess branches, should include shortening annual shoots. However, this should be done without fanaticism, no more than 1/3 of the length. If everything was done correctly, then in the spring you can expect the appearance of new shoots.

When pruning pears, you should try to create optimal conditions so that new young shoots continue the pyramidal shape of the crown, but at the same time the crown itself does not expand much. Otherwise, during the harvest season, horizontally growing branches may break off.

Winter pruning has one significant advantage over similar operations in other seasons, namely: due to the fact that the plant is in a state of maximum dormancy, all wounds inflicted on it will cause minimal damage. Pruning old trees in winter has worked especially well, since the cold and lack of sap make the wood more pliable for sawing, and the cut is more uniform. With some experience working with pruning shears and a hacksaw, the likelihood of bark scoring is reduced to almost zero.

They usually start pruning pears in winter in February, when the average air temperature, even at night, is above -15°C. Winter care In the garden, you should start with the most mature and fruit-bearing trees, since their fruit buds will awaken earlier than deciduous ones. If Orchard comprises various types plants, then the removal of broken and diseased branches begins with apple trees, and only then moves on to pears as a less frost-resistant crop. Having finished with the diseased branches and those broken under the weight of snow, the gardener can move on to working on the formation of a columnar pear tree by pruning, which is the most common work pattern. Indeed, in the complete absence of leaves on the branches, it is possible to more easily and accurately assess the density of the crown and the presence of competing shoots.

To ensure that the wound heals quickly and does not freeze in winter, it is very important to use the cleanest and sharpest possible instrument. After removing the branches, the gardener needs to carefully treat the cuts with garden varnish.

Summer pruning of pear

Summer pruning of pears is carried out in the presence of strongly growing shoots. In this case, removing part of the shoots will increase the flow of nutrients to the fruit. Also, one should not forget that this tree It is a light-loving plant and, if necessary, by thinning the crown, the gardener will ensure better illumination for the fruits and uniform ripening. If the fruits receive enough sunlight, it will strengthen them taste qualities, making pears more aromatic, soft and juicy, which is fully consistent with this variety.

It’s worth noting right away that, unlike spring and autumn pruning, work on removing parts or entire branches in winter and summer is carried out only in cases of extensive experience and extreme necessity. That is, summer pruning in most cases should be a minor cosmetic intervention, while autumn pruning can be called a major redevelopment.

So in the summer they do not form the crown, with the exception of removing vertical tops and trimming the central conductor in order to slow down too active growth. All other manipulations are aimed at removing broken and diseased branches, as well as pruning those that may break off under the weight of the shoots.

After summer pruning the wounds are allowed to dry for 1 day, and the next day they are covered with a decoction or oil paint.

Improper pruning of old pears by amateur gardeners is one of the main reasons for the death of old fruit trees. However, very often, rejuvenating pruning of a pear is necessary and the only way to return the plant to fruiting, health and optimal shape for processing and harvesting. The latter is most relevant if the garden has passed from one owner to another, and the tree has not previously been subjected to any crown formation schemes, and therefore, due to its specificity, has grown large, but bears little fruit.

If there is such a need, then pruning the old pear begins by shortening it. But if the tree was subjected to systematic proper care and its height corresponds to optimal indicators for harvesting, then the gardener needs to begin the rejuvenation process by thinning the crown. This is done at the end of winter - beginning of spring, before the plant wakes up and buds and leaves begin to form on it. First of all, broken, dry, frozen and non-fruit-bearing stems are removed. This will open the center of the crown to sunlight and show the amount of work remaining. Then they begin to shorten the shoots, remove shoots of competitors, shoots growing parallel to the trunk or having too sharp corners. The remaining young shoots can be shortened slightly (by 1/4 of the length), and then the wounds can be treated with a decoction.

The correct technique for rejuvenating a pear can save an old tree, which, due to the lack of fruits, was already about to be written off for cutting down. It all depends on the experience of the gardener, who must carry out everything necessary manipulations after winter cold, but before the formation of buds. You should also be prepared for the fact that in the process of rejuvenating an old pear, its yield will temporarily decrease, and the period of optimizing the height of the plant without the risk of its death may take several years.

Pruning a young pear

The first pruning of a pear seedling occurs immediately after planting and performs two tasks at once:

because during transplantation root system is damaged, plant nutrition can be facilitated by shortening;
the first tab of the pear trimming scheme, shortening the conductor.

Pruning of pear seedlings in the fall in the year of planting is not carried out, since there is no such need. If everything is done correctly in the first year, then the young tree will then form its crown quite well and naturally, requiring, basically, only regular pruning of last year’s shoots and the formation of tiers of skeletal branches. When pruning a young pear, the guide should protrude above the trimmed shoots, which will promote the natural pyramidal shape of the crown.

Young trees older than 1 year are pruned at least twice a year, which increases branching, strengthens the fruit branches of the lower part of the annual growths and promotes the formation of semi-skeletal branches that bear fruit branches. To do this, every spring the annual growths are shortened by ¼ of the length. Then the gardener needs to turn his attention to the tops. Tops form on young pears very often, especially after winter, when even slight freezing of the skeletal branches leads to the growth of tops. Tops can very quickly develop into strong branches, thereby thickening the crown, so in the spring the gardener needs to turn them into semi-skeletal and overgrown branches. And those that are too powerful and grow vertically in the shady parts of the crown should be cut out entirely. If the winter was too cold and the wood was severely frozen above the appearance of the tops and leaves did not grow well on the pear, then shoots would not develop on the edges of the skeletal branches, only rosettes of leaves. In this case, everything that is higher than the tops is cut off, as well as part of the tops. The second part turns into overgrowing branches, thereby restoring part of the crown.

The second tier of young pears is laid only in the fourth year of life. After the fifth year of life, there will be a decrease in annual growth, so shortening will need to be done more moderately.

Pruning columnar pears

Pears of columnar varieties require special attention at all stages. This swings and trimmings of columnar pears. The technology for pruning these trees is determined by their characteristics. In order to maintain the shape of the crown and increase productivity, everything side shoots should be completely removed.

The Sovereign company is always ready to help and make your garden well-groomed, productive and aesthetically pleasing. We will promptly and correctly perform any type of pruning of ornamental and fruit trees and shrubs, treat them and carry out disease prevention. In late autumn, our specialists will competently carry out sanitary pruning of pears, the tree will be fully prepared for winter. We are ready to help our clients quickly, efficiently, and taking into account all requirements.

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Allows you to form the crown in such a way that the tree will devote all its energy to ripening fruits, and not to growing secondary branches. Pruning patterns for pear trees in spring and autumn have their own characteristics. This article is all about correct pruning pear trees.

Proper pruning of pears in spring: diagrams

Spring pruning of pears is aimed at the correct formation of the tree crown. The operation should be performed before the start of sap flow, with the first warming and the beginning of melting of the snow cover. The optimal temperature for starting pear pruning is +5 °C.

Spring pruning is carried out before the trees begin to flow sap.

Pruning young pears in spring

Young pear seedlings require pruning from the second year of life. Some necessary requirements during formative pruning of young trees:

The central trunk must be shortened by a quarter of its length.
Strong lateral branches of a young pear (no more than 4), which will subsequently form the main skeleton of the crown, are shortened, and the remaining branches are cut out completely. It is important to form a “ring” from the branches remaining on the tree, so they may not be trimmed at the same distance.
A year later, young pears need to be pruned again with the onset of spring. In the second year, shoots of the second order are cut off, interfering with the growth of the main branches, as well as those growing inside the crown and interfering with the penetration of sunlight.

Schemes for formative pruning of an adult pear in the spring (diagram, video)

The main requirement when pruning pear branches is not to harm the tree itself, so that the plant does not have to subsequently spend maximum energy on restoration.

You can start spring pruning of adult pears in early spring, after the snow has melted, when the buds have not yet begun to open. Trimming Tools:

Hacksaw.
Secateurs.

Pear pruning scheme

To disinfect instruments, it is necessary to use alcohol and alcohol-containing solutions.

Look at the photo of an overwintered pear - an overgrown crown, unkempt and shaggy. Chaotically growing growth blocks access sun rays, which cannot penetrate deep into the crown. It is to provide light and air that pear trees are pruned in spring.

The pruning scheme for an adult tree is as follows:

The central trunk should be shortened by about a quarter, and the branches should be given a bowl shape. Sections of branches must be covered with garden varnish, drying oil or paint. When pruning pear tree branches, two methods are used:

Cutting into a ring - shortening of the shoots is carried out under the ring of the branch. With this method, first an incision is made in the bark at the bottom near the cut site, and then only the branch can be cut down.

Advice! When pruning, it is preferable to leave branches growing in a horizontal plane, getting rid of vertically growing shoots.

Shortening branches - with this pruning method it is possible to stimulate the growth of branches from buds located below the cutting level. First of all, shoots growing on the main trunk of the tree are removed. They are cut at an angle of 90 degrees. Then they begin to remove unnecessary growth on the main branches.

Important! When carrying out spring pruning, it is not allowed to fertilize trees with nitrogen fertilizers.

Rules for autumn pruning of pear trees

It is recommended to begin autumn pruning of pears at the end of summer and complete the work by mid-September. Thus, about a month is allotted for pruning. Early completion of pruning work will allow wound surfaces to heal before the start of the cold period. In the fall, middle or early varieties are pruned, which stimulates a high yield for the next year, as well as diseased and withered trees.

Scheme for autumn pear pruning:

First of all, broken, diseased or dried branches are removed from the tree, and strict care must be taken to ensure that no stumps remain.
Branches growing at an angle of 90 degrees are removed.
All branches and shoots that will interfere with the development of fruits next year should be removed.
All branches removed from the tree must be burned to protect the pear orchard from the development of infectious diseases.
Pruned trees should not be fertilized in the fall; they only need nutrients supplied by the roots from the soil.

Advice! Pear trees over 1 year old should be pruned in spring and autumn. Trees older than 4 years must be pruned to form skeletal branches of the second tier. Old trees (over 5 years old) are pruned with care so as not to remove fruit branches, and a rejuvenating pruning method is used.

Proper pruning of a pear can increase the yield and lifespan of the fruit tree, as well as rid the garden of infectious diseases. Detailed video will help even a beginner in gardening to perform sanitary or formative pruning of pear trees.

How to prune a pear correctly: video

Pear pruning: photo

Pear pruning takes place regularly for many years, because the crown is constantly growing, thickening, and aging. A tree grows according to a program laid down by nature, and a person adjusts this process in order to receive a harvest, preferably annually.

What kind of pruning is there?

For fruit trees, several pruning techniques are used depending on the time of year, the age of the tree and the intended purpose.

Types of pruning:

Formative - is crucial in the first 5–6 years, when the crown of the fruit tree is actively forming; is held in the spring.
Thinning is a permanent operation applied to pears of any age; The tops that thicken the shoots are removed.
Sanitary - performed in the fall; remove incorrectly growing (inside the crown, rubbing), dry and diseased branches.
Rejuvenating - old trees, in which, as a rule, the upper half of the “body” dries out, need it; pruning is carried out to healthy wood.

When is the best time to prune a pear tree?

Pruning is carried out in the spring at temperatures from 0 °C to a stable +5 °C, but before sap flow begins, when the buds begin to grow. The deadlines for regions are always individual, but in general, this time occurs in March-April.

In the summer, starting in June, pinching is carried out - pinching off the tops of young shoots. For what? The forces for the growth of shoots in length are directed to the formation of fruits, the ripening of fruits is accelerated.

From late August to mid-September, when sap flow slows down, autumn pruning. Before frost, live wood on cuts and cuts will dry thoroughly and the risk of freezing will be minimal.

Trimming rules:

use a sharp instrument and periodically disinfect it;
the branches are cut into a ring, without leaving stumps, which heal slowly, and are also overgrown with a brush of tops (what does it mean to cut into a ring? At the base of each branch there is a cambial ring - a thickening or swelling at the point where the branch joins the trunk, the cut is made parallel to the line of the ring with outside);
thick branches are cut down in different ways:
- In the first pass, half of the branch is cut, then the cut follows the intended line;
- the first cut is made from below, the second and final from above (this way the cut fragment will not pull the bark along with it, the cut is smooth and quickly tightened);
if the tree is neglected, work is carried out in several stages so as not to weaken it;
the cuts are covered with drying oil or paint based on it, garden pitch, paraffin or the drug Rannet (artificial bark);
remove a certain number of branches, because excessive pruning provokes the growth of a large number of tops.

The cut passes along the outer edge of the cambial ring

How pear trees react to pruning

Sometimes a pear tree does not react to pruning the way you would like it to, and grows “in the wrong steppe.” Such disobedience depends on the variety and its inherent type of growth. Therefore, sometimes light pruning is combined with other techniques, for example, bending.

There are varieties with apical (apical) dominance of shoots, and others with lateral dominance. Some with good shoot formation, some with bad ones. There are varieties with a right angle of shoot departure, and others with an acute angle (mesotonic and basiconic).
Varieties with mesotonic type of branching with wide angle branching branches: In memory of Yakovlev, August dew, Swallow. It is a pleasure to form such varieties - we cut the young seedling to a standard height of + 20 cm and remove unnecessary side shoots in the summer - the tree forms itself. The forming scheme for such pears is sparsely tiered.
And a variety like Bryanskaya Krasavitsa has apical dominance. Those. all the growth force goes into one single shoot, which simply clogs the rest. It is impossible to form such a tree by pruning! When pruning, you get one or two shoots, but with such sharp angles that they literally run parallel to the trunk. Such varieties are formed with horizontal cordons. This is when one shoot is kicked out and then bent. The shoots that grow from the bending places are thinned out and again bent in the opposite direction, etc.

There is no way to bypass this technique - bending down or pulling branches up (for drooping crowns) to give them a horizontal position. It is on these branches that most of the flower buds. Skeletal branches do not bend. Bending back non-lignified shoots in spring and summer is more productive, safer, easier and takes less time. When bending back in spring, the branches will quickly take over new uniform

, but if you do this in the fall, there will be zero sense - you won’t be able to convince a sleeping branch that it needs to be fixed in a new position. Lignified branches are also bent, but this is much more difficult to do; physical strength and extreme caution are required so as not to break anything off. The process takes place gradually, step by step, so it will not be possible to complete it in one season.

Sharp branch angles are a constant risk area If a branch leaves the trunk at the desired (not acute) angle and then sharply rushes into the sky, it is deflected to a more horizontal position. A loop of twine is attached at a distance of 2/3 of the length of the branch from the trunk, the other end is fixed to a stake driven into the ground or to the trunk, or a spacer is placed between the branch and the trunk. Branches that are too inclined are pulled upward, making it difficult to weed and loosen the soil. They are fixed to the trunk or to a pole, which is tied to the trunk. A ring is attached to the upper end of the pole through which one or more garters are passed. To prevent the string from cutting into the bark, a lining is placed under it on the branch.

Otherwise, the cord or twine will cut into the bark, disrupting the movement of nutrients, the branch dries out, becomes brittle and dies. You can bend a pear branch with the most

different ways

Bending is great for shaping the crown of a dwarf pear. Branches 15 cm long are bent horizontally, shoots are cut out at an acute angle, and the stem is shortened so that it is 40 cm higher than the upper branch. Next season, the resulting horizontal shoots 30 cm long are left for ovaries, and stronger and longer ones (40–50 cm) cut into several buds. The stronger dominant branches are cut into a ring, the central conductor is again shortened to the same height as before.

Pincing

Done in June using pruning shears or your fingers. The top of the young growth with 4–5 leaves is pinched. After 10 days, the procedure is repeated, i.e., tweezing will take place three times in a month. Pinching slows down the growth of the crown in length and nutrients flow to the fruits.

The secret to pruning pears with different crown shapes

In general, the pruning technology is the same for a tree with any crown shape, but there is a small nuance. In pyramidal pears, the crown is “unfolded” - the shoots are cut to the outer bud, i.e., located on the outside.

New shoots grow more deviated, more flower buds are laid on them, the crown becomes more luxuriant, and is better illuminated. You can replace pruning of branches growing upward by bending them down.

Formation of a crown-shaped crown The crown of pears with drooping shoots is raised: a cut on the branch passes above the inner bud.

Subsequently, the growth is directed inward to the crown and, as it were, lifts it. This technique in no way impairs fruiting, but makes the crown more compact and makes it easier to cultivate the soil in the tree trunk circles.

Forming a pear into a bowl

The crown is given the appropriate shape by cutting down the central conductor on purpose or when it is frozen, sick or shriveled. Skeletal branches of the first order surround the resulting void and the overall picture resembles a bowl. The advantage of this form is that the branches both outside and inside receive enough sunlight and are well ventilated.

Formation of the crown-bowl

Video: main types of pear shaping

Pruning a young pear in spring

The purpose of pruning a young tree is to gradually form a ventilated and well-lit crown that can withstand the load of fruit.

What is a “one year old”

This affectionate word is often used to describe annual seedlings. By the way, novice gardeners may have difficulty determining the age of a seedling. The answer is simple: a seedling that has survived the season is considered annual. That is, a pear planted in the fall of last year or this spring is considered annual. Before purchasing a pear seedling of your favorite variety, the first thing to do is assess the condition of the root system - it should be fibrous, with intact tips, and moist. If the plant is sold with a closed root system (in a bag), lightly pick at the bark with your fingernail. bottom layer Green colour

indicates that the seedling is alive and healthy; if it is brown and dry, it will be of no use.

The yearling usually has a length of 80–100 cm and looks like a twig, as a rule, without side shoots or there will be one or two, but very short. Therefore, pruning at the first stage is the most unpretentious and will not raise questions even for a “teapot”.

Trimming an annual pear The seedling is planted according to all the rules on, fixed to a peg and immediately after that cut with pruning shears. Pears grafted on a vigorous seed rootstock are pruned at a height of 70 cm from the ground directly above the bud. And seedlings obtained by grafting on a vegetatively propagated rootstock (dwarf) are shortened to a height of up to 50 cm. (Such nuances should be clarified with the seller). If you had to plant a pear with damaged roots, cut it a little more, about 10 cm, giving it the strength to restore its roots.

Metamorphoses of a seedling during the first year

The shortened stem (or central conductor) will still grow upward, it will release a shoot from the upper bud under the cut, and several side shoots will also appear. At first they will be grassy - green, tender and thin, and only over time they will turn into powerful skeletal branches. The skeleton, in turn, will be overgrown with semi-skeletal branches with leaves, buds and flowers. After some time, growth will appear below the grafting site, which should be removed. It will absorb some of the nutrients and create shade, but will not produce high-quality fruits.

Learning to trim a branch correctly

Pruning pear seedlings in the second year

Two-year-old seedlings usually grow 6–8 lateral shoots, from which skeletal branches form. To do this, leave 3–4 branches (the rest are cut into a ring), evenly spaced around the circumference and spaced from each other in height by about 15–20 cm. For a person who has taken up gardening for the first time, for clarity, you can imagine an umbrella, where the rod is the trunk, and the spokes are the side shoots. Only in our case, these knitting needles, that is, the shoots, are not located at the same level, but each one is slightly higher than the other. The angle of deviation of the skeletal branches from the trunk should not be too sharp - 45-50°. Anywhere in the tree, such sharp joints are easily split in strong winds, leaving deep wounds that are difficult to heal.

An acute angle is the most unreliable for wood; it splits easily

Cut the skeletal branches by ¼ to the outer bud, but in such a way that each of them is slightly lower than the previous one. Thus, the principle of subordination is fulfilled - lower growing branches should not rise above higher growing ones. Lateral branches at the ends of the skeletal branches, reminiscent of bird's feet, make the continuation shoot shorter. The central conductor (trunk) is cut so that it rises 25 cm above the rest. If a competing shoot has grown near the central conductor (and it will definitely grow at an acute angle), it is cut into a ring. If the pear is rapidly stretching upward, cut the central conductor to the first weak side shoot, and so that it grows vertically, it is pulled to the peg with twine.

Trimming two year old pear

Competitors also grow on skeletal branches (the end of the shoot resembles a bunch), they are also cut into a ring. After pruning, nitrogen fertilizing is avoided so that the tree devotes all its energy to healing the cuts and not to growing green mass. It happens that one branch grows above another. In the future, the upper one will obscure the lower one, they will get confused, so one of them is removed.

Pruning a three-year-old pear

In the first sitting, the central conductor is cut to ¼ of the height, about 25 cm is left from the new growth, the rest is cut to the inner bud (so that the crown is not spreading). The next season, competitors of the central conductor and on the skeletal branches are amputated. Powerful tops are cut into rings, and thin ones are bent and shortened by a quarter, turning them into semi-skeletal productive branches. All branches with an acute angle of departure, as well as those that violate the harmonious structure of the crown, are removed. If the trunk is low and the lower skeletal branches lean towards the ground, they are shortened. In general, pruning a three-year-old tree is similar to working with a two-year-old seedling.

Pruning a three-year-old and a two-year-old pear is very similar

Pruning a four-year-old pear

At this age, the second tier is laid, observing the already known rules:

avoid sharp corners separation of a branch from the trunk;
removal of competitors;
subordination - the upper tier should not overlap the lower one, the central conductor is longer than the branches.

Annual growth on four-year-old pears is not shortened, so as not to activate growth processes. Branches that stand out from the overall pattern are cut off annual ring or fruit-bearing wood; tops are eliminated.

Pruning a four-year-old pear also comes down mainly to thinning and eliminating competing shoots

Mature trees

By the age of five, the crown of a pear is considered formed and does not require special intervention for several years. A tree aged 6 to 8 years looks like a self-sufficient bourgeois with a leisurely life schedule. The shortening of branches is kept to a minimum because their annual growth is noticeably reduced. Pruning is mainly aimed at maintaining a good sanitary condition of the tree.

Over time, the crown of adult pears gradually thickens and the overgrown branches will not receive enough sunlight. In this case, thinning is carried out, which is extended over 2–3 years. Why so long? To maintain a balance between the crown and its “reflection” - the roots. The thinning procedure begins in the spring. In one sitting, two to three-year-old thick branches, the diameter of which is half larger diameter central conductor. No more than two such branches are removed at a time.

Branch replacement pruning helps replace old branches with new ones.

The branch is shortened to a fruiting branch, and the shoot located below is cut into two buds - this will be a replacement knot. By the way, when they say “cut to two or five, etc. buds,” this means that this number of buds remains on the shortened shoot.

The next year, shoots grow from the remaining buds on the replacement branch. They will perform the functions of the previous branch, therefore they are also called replacement branches. The trunk or central conductor is shortened to 3–3.5 m. Places near the cuts are overgrown with a brush of young shoots (future tops) from awakened buds, they are broken out at the end of May. It’s good to teach others when the pear tree under the window is begging (now I just feel it) to be “combed.” The tree is 10 years old appearance

resembles a cypress, height 3 m. Fruits in a year, minimum fruit weight 250 g, no one remembers the name of the variety. So, on this specimen, it is necessary to remove the competitors of the central conductor, subordinate the skeletal branches and cut them to the outer bud. Having worked some magic in Paint, I came up with a very nice version of the updated pear.

Removing many competitors and pruning side branches should encourage lateral branching

Video: pruning an adult pear

A tree 15 years old and older is considered an aksakal and requires radical rejuvenation. The signal for this is a reduction in growth to 15–20 cm. Anti-aging pruning of pears is carried out gradually over two to three seasons, and work begins in the spring before the buds open. Rejuvenation is best done after a lean year, when an abundance of flower buds have formed on the tree.

After rejuvenating pruning, bald branches become overgrown with twigs

If there are several thick dry branches, several of them are cut down every year, and the wounds are covered with garden varnish. Then the cuts are wrapped in dark film until September, so the cuts will heal 2-3 times faster. The annual growth is shortened by ¼ of its total length. “Irregular” branches are also trimmed - those growing inward, vertically and crossing.

Pruning frozen trees

Depending on the degree of frost damage, appropriate pruning is carried out. If the top of an annual pear planted in the fall is frozen, it is cut off by 1/3 of its length. However, this operation is indicated for all one-year-old seedlings, so frost does not seem to cause much harm.

In older trees with a developed branch system, pruning is more severe. First, the branches are inspected, identifying lesions - the wood in these places is brown or black. If branch for the most part or completely frozen, it is cut into a ring. The affected upper parts are cut back to healthy wood.

Step-by-step pruning of thick branches is convenient for humans and does not injure the tree

When performing such pruning, they think first of all about the health of the tree; the beauty of the crown is relegated to the background. It is important that dormant buds wake up, which will give impetus to the growth of new shoots. And only after the “stumps” have become overgrown with branches will it be possible to talk about the formation of a crown.

Peculiarities of pear pruning in various regions, including Siberia

In the risky gardening zone, especially in the Urals and Siberia, pear bush pruning is cultivated. A tree of this particular shape is easier to cover in the frosty winter. To do this, a standard 10–15 cm high is formed, the skeletal branches are placed in random order. The formation of the crown of young trees is accompanied by moderate pruning of skeletal branches and thinning of semi-skeletal ones. In the fifth year, the central conductor is shortened at the level of the upper skeletal branches of the first order. The result is a bush tree approximately 2–2.5 m high, and no more is needed. Crown restoration is carried out using tops, shortening them by a third of their length.

In the most inappropriate, at first glance, regions, the stylite crown form is practiced. The seedlings are planted at a 45° angle with their heads facing south, and over the course of three years they form 2–4 skeletal branches about 1 meter long, constantly bending them down. Then 2 vertical shoots are left on each branch, cutting off all the others.

A completely different picture emerges in Crimea, which has a favorable climate. Here pear pruning can be done practically all year round, the risk of freezing occurs only in certain years, which does not happen often.

Illiterate rejuvenation of an overgrown pear at a Stakhanov pace in one season (up to 3–4 m in height and diameter) is fraught with the risk of freezing the tree even mild winter. And if you trim the crown gradually, every year by 1–2 m in height and width, it will take several years and all this time the yield will be barely. Beginning with Central region It is recommended to use anti-aging pruning according to the method of V. I. Susov (Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K. A. Timiryazev). Its essence lies in the gradual thinning of the crown, starting from the half that is most illuminated by the sun.

The trimmed part of the crown should have a height of 3 m and a width of 2 m. Externally, the picture somewhat resembles a pie from which a wedge was cut out. Half of the emerging tops are cut into a ring, the rest are shortened and bent to stimulate the formation of flower buds. All this time, the remaining wilds continue to delight with juicy large fruits.

Original rejuvenation of a fruit tree using the method of V. I. Susov

When the tops begin to bear fruit after 4–5 years, the second part of the crown is rejuvenated and at the same time the roots are rejuvenated. To do this, in the fall or spring of the year of pruning, a semicircular trench 75 cm deep is dug under the trimmed part of the crown at a distance of 2 m from the trunk in accordance with the width of the trimmed crown. Exposed large and small roots are cut with an ax or trimmed with a saw. This operation stimulates the root formation process. (Notice, that similar works require certain skills, if not mastery). The ditch is filled with humus and top layer excavated soil in a 1:1 ratio. For heavy soil add river sand and pebbles in the amount of 20% of the total volume of excavated soil. The winter hardiness of the pear remains at the same level, and its lifespan is extended by 20–30 years.

Since pruning is an important agrotechnical stage of pear care, the gardener needs to know exactly the timing and sequence of its implementation. To maintain the crown in proper form, the procedure can be carried out practically…

Homer called pear fruits a gift from the gods. Nowadays, there are more than three thousand varieties of this popular fruit. The choice is huge, but gardeners middle zone they are especially interested in Belarusian pears...