Pruning a peach tree in the spring is an important procedure that should not be skipped. Along with this, not only the regularity of the formation of the crown is important, but also the implementation of the basic rules. About how to trim the crown in detail, and what nuances you need to consider - read further in the article.

Do I need to prune a peach in spring

Peach is a thermophilic culture. With the arrival of the first heat, the buds on the tree begin to form and bloom actively. During flowering, many fruits are tied. The plant spends a lot of effort to nourish all the ovaries. As a result, many small peaches ripen. With abundant fruiting, the palatability of fruits also suffers. In order for the fruits to grow large and juicy, albeit in smaller quantities, the tree must be cut.

Did you know? Common peach does not occur in the wild. The culture is the result of hybridization of 7 different species.

It should also be borne in mind that with abundant fruit setting and growth of branches, the plant becomes less resistant to diseases and pests. The peach tree must be regularly rid of excess shoots. So the plant will not spend energy on the development and nutrition of unnecessary parts. Nutrients will strengthen the immunity of the culture. Thus, the peach must be cut in the spring so that it bears fruit quality and maintains resistance to diseases.

When and how to prune a peach in the spring: a diagram for beginners

Spring pruning of a peach tree is carried out in the period between the revitalization of the buds and the beginning of flowering. This period takes 15–20 days. The exact dates depend on the regional climate and weather conditions. For a peach, it is customary to form a cup-shaped crown.

As a result of forming pruning, a 0.5–0.6 m high stump should remain. The lower tier should consist of 4–5 skeletal shoots. On each of them it is recommended to leave 2 half-skeletal branches. The second tier from the bottom is formed of 5 semi-skeletal shoots. The optimal distance between the branches is 20–25 cm. With this formation, by the 6th year of life, the peach will grow to 2.8–3 m.

Important! When forming, be sure to cut off the tops - shoots that grow strictly vertically. Fruit buds do not develop on them, therefore, in such branches there is no point in cultivating the plant.

The formation scheme for years is as follows:

1. After planting, the central conductor is cut at a height of 0.5-0.6 m to form a stem. The conductor is cut so that about 8 buds remain on the peach.
2. In the second year, 4–5 skeletal shoots are distinguished on the trunk at a distance of 20–25 cm from each other. They need to be cut to 3 kidneys from the base. The remaining branches are cut to the base. The conductor is shortened so that it is 20 cm above the skeletal shoots.
3. In the third spring, skeletal branches are cut to 0.6 m from the base. Semi-skeletal shoots should be cut to 0.4-0.5 m from the base. Stems with a distance of 20–25 cm between them are left on the skeletal. Excess shoots are cut off under the base.

Trim tool kit

The minimum set for fruit tree formation should include:

• secateurs;
• manual scissors;
• delimbers;
• folding saw.

What types of pruning exist by age

Depending on age, gardeners distinguish various types of formation of young, fruit-bearing and old plants.

Check out the features of the cultivation of peaches Condor and the Kremlin.

Pruning young trees

This type of pruning is carried out without fail in the first years of the tree. It is needed to form the crown as a strong base in the form of skeletal and semi-skeletal branches. The further development of the plant directly depends on how the gardener formed the crown in the early years.

Pruning young trees.

Pruning fruit trees

Fruiting plants need annual sanitary pruning. Thus, the owner unloads the crown and saves the tree from extra shoots. Due to the sanitary formation, the culture's resistance to diseases and pests improves. After removing unnecessary branches, the crop ripens better.

Did you know? The world leaders in the industrial cultivation of peaches are China and Italy.

When sanitary formation is necessary to remove the branches:

• dry
• broken
• Affected by diseases and parasites;
• growing inside the crown;
• fatty (tops);
• closely growing.

Pruning old trees

Pruning old trees is needed to rejuvenate the plant. They resort to it when the plant loses its ability to grow and actively bear fruit.

The need for a rejuvenating formation is signaled by:

• poor growth of new branches;
• weak formation or shedding of ovaries;
• decrease in fruiting activity.

With a rejuvenating formation, old shoots are cut off, thus promoting the growth of young branches. The procedure for old trees is carried out every 3-4 years. If the plant is very neglected and old, the crown is rejuvenated gradually, over a period of 2–4 years.

Care after trimming

After removal of the branches, sections larger than 2 cm in diameter are treated with garden var. The first week after the procedure, the gardener needs to monitor the condition of the tree. If necessary, the slices are reprocessed. The rest of the care for the plant is carried out according to standard agricultural cultivation techniques.

Tips from experienced gardeners

In order for crown formation to be successful, pay attention to not a few tips below:

1. In order to avoid possible infection of the plant, experienced gardeners advise disinfecting tools with a 1% potassium permanganate solution before the procedure.
2. The garden var, necessary for processing the slices, can be replaced with paint based on vegetable drying oil.

Important! The main advice of agronomists - never violate the timing of pruning! The plant may not survive this procedure if it falls into the period of active sap flow.

The formation of a peach tree will not bring much trouble if you study in advance the correct scheme and the main features of pruning. With proper procedure, the tree will develop normally and actively bear fruit.

Video: Peach pruning from A to Z