- ReptileAddiction
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 866
- Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:52 am
- Location: Southern California
Cutting Bare Root Trees Down When Planting
This fall/winter I am putting in another dwarf peach tree. I have heard a lot of places recommend cutting it down to knee high after you plant it. I didnt do this with my other tree and it is not very happy. Do you think I should cut the new one down when I plant it? Does it matter if there is no branches left it is just the roots and trunk?
-
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 6113
- Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm
I usually cut the branches back 1/3 to 1/2 on a newly planted fruit tree. This helps with the balance from loss of roots from shipping. I also at this time decide on what form I'm shouting for. I grow most of my fruit tree vace / open center.ReptileAddiction wrote:This fall/winter I am putting in another dwarf peach tree. I have heard a lot of places recommend cutting it down to knee high after you plant it. I didnt do this with my other tree and it is not very happy. Do you think I should cut the new one down when I plant it? Does it matter if there is no branches left it is just the roots and trunk?
If you decide to cut to knee high, make sure there are buds above the graft. You will also most like be training to open center scaffold.
Eric
- ReptileAddiction
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 866
- Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:52 am
- Location: Southern California
-
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 6113
- Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm
- ReptileAddiction
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 866
- Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:52 am
- Location: Southern California
I would suggest that if you want to grow your tree as a standard don't cut it down to knee hight.
That is the traditional way to create an open centre.....growing like an inverted umbrella.
To grow a standard the tip needs to be cut no more than a third back, just enough to encourage a strong centre trunk, also remove the strong base feathers that are growing as they will take the steam out of the growing tip.
Leaving just a few of the higher feathers to feed the tree as its roots settle in.
These base feathers are the ones that you would normaly leave to make the strong base branches on a centre leader tree but will not be required on a standard.
I would recommend too that you stake your tree well with a long stake so that you can keep the growing ' trunk ' as straight as possable and stop ' wind rock ' to the root system.
That is the traditional way to create an open centre.....growing like an inverted umbrella.
To grow a standard the tip needs to be cut no more than a third back, just enough to encourage a strong centre trunk, also remove the strong base feathers that are growing as they will take the steam out of the growing tip.
Leaving just a few of the higher feathers to feed the tree as its roots settle in.
These base feathers are the ones that you would normaly leave to make the strong base branches on a centre leader tree but will not be required on a standard.
I would recommend too that you stake your tree well with a long stake so that you can keep the growing ' trunk ' as straight as possable and stop ' wind rock ' to the root system.
-
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 6113
- Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm
How much new growth did the peach tree put on?
My Frost peach that I planted earl this year put on over 18". I cut off about 18" off each branch and the tree replaced it with about 3 to 1.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Fuit%20and%20Nut%20Orchard/FrostPeachOct202012002_zps152844e5.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Fuit%20and%20Nut%20Orchard/FrostPeachOct202012003_zps5aa23c2f.jpg[/img]
Eric
My Frost peach that I planted earl this year put on over 18". I cut off about 18" off each branch and the tree replaced it with about 3 to 1.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Fuit%20and%20Nut%20Orchard/FrostPeachOct202012002_zps152844e5.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Fuit%20and%20Nut%20Orchard/FrostPeachOct202012003_zps5aa23c2f.jpg[/img]
Eric
- ReptileAddiction
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 866
- Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:52 am
- Location: Southern California
My current tree put on only about 5 inches I almost killed it in the beginning of the season because I put on an organic fungicide in the middle of the day and burned holes through every single leaf. I also wasnt watering it enough. Even if it does get to be as big as a dwarf tree should I still want another tree. Why do you say that I shouldnt cut it back to knee high? I do not think I am going to just because I do NOT want the canopy that low. I will probably cut off a lot of the top though.
-
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 6113
- Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm
You keep saying dwarf tree. Are we really talking semi-dwarf? My Frost peach label, maturity height of 12ft to 15ft tall and 12ft to 15ft wide. I'm keeping mine to about 10ft tall with annual pruning. I switch to summer pruning on fruit trees about year 3.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Fuit%20and%20Nut%20Orchard/PeachTreeAugust2012004.jpg[/img]
Eric
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Fuit%20and%20Nut%20Orchard/PeachTreeAugust2012004.jpg[/img]
Eric
- ReptileAddiction
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 866
- Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:52 am
- Location: Southern California