Hi, I found some info on "how to trim trees", but still not sure how to do it correctly.
Can someone look at the pictures and show which branches should be cut and when?
Thanks
how to cut apricot tree?
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Hi Andries,
If you look at your tree you can see what happens when you tip any shoot on a young tree.
Each of those shoots tipped last year have sprouted two shoots. Whenever you cut into a healthy shoot the first and second bud will break and grow away. So....one shoot becomes two. If they are left and both are cut, then next year you've got four shoots..and so on. This is how you can get a real cats cradle of shoots in a tree if your not too careful.
So what's the answer?
Apricots will fruit on the one year wood, so cutting into those shoots actually reduces crop.
I would suggest you take each of those shoots where they break into two and just remove the stronger one completely. Leaving just the weaker to grow on.
Yes...I did say the stronger one.
Your tree is growing strongly and it wouldn't hurt to start to slow its growth down a little. By just removing that strong shoot you slow the tree down without affecting cropping, and also put a bit of a brake on its tendency to reach for the sky.
Where there is only one shoot, leave it alone to crop.
If you look at your tree you can see what happens when you tip any shoot on a young tree.
Each of those shoots tipped last year have sprouted two shoots. Whenever you cut into a healthy shoot the first and second bud will break and grow away. So....one shoot becomes two. If they are left and both are cut, then next year you've got four shoots..and so on. This is how you can get a real cats cradle of shoots in a tree if your not too careful.
So what's the answer?
Apricots will fruit on the one year wood, so cutting into those shoots actually reduces crop.
I would suggest you take each of those shoots where they break into two and just remove the stronger one completely. Leaving just the weaker to grow on.
Yes...I did say the stronger one.
Your tree is growing strongly and it wouldn't hurt to start to slow its growth down a little. By just removing that strong shoot you slow the tree down without affecting cropping, and also put a bit of a brake on its tendency to reach for the sky.
Where there is only one shoot, leave it alone to crop.
Last edited by JONA on Sat Apr 23, 2016 11:26 am, edited 2 times in total.