Tops on an apple tree: when to cut, remove, timing and recommendations on what to do

The purpose of forming the crown of a tree is to impart consumer properties to the plant - decorativeness or increase the yield. Pruning tops on apple and pear trees frees the tree from branches that do not work for the harvest, but take food and thicken the crown. An overgrown tree does not let light through to the fruit branches, diseases develop on it. A spinning top is a branch that grows vertically on a trunk or on a skeletal branch.

Feature of tops

The spinning top is a barren branch that takes food from the tree. But since this part of the pear does not give strength to the formation of the crop, it gives a strong increase and competes with the central conductor. You can get rid of tops by cutting them into a ring or gradually cultivating them with annual formation.

A ring is an influx at the point where a branch emerges from the base of the sole feeding it. It is in this place that the wounds inflicted on the tree heal faster. When pruning tops on apple and pear trees, there is a danger that instead of one, cut into the ring of the trunk, several will appear. Apple trees are less prone to resuming shoots, and pears cannot be cut into a ring in the spring:

Cutting tops does not solve the problem. Several and more powerful bachelor shoots will appear from each nest by the fall.
You need to tame the top, make it work for the harvest. Do not cut shoots from the trunk or branches of the first order into a ring, work on their inclusion in the fruiting tiers.
Keep a close eye on fresh shoots in the summer, removing the tops that have emerged by pinching. In the future, the branch that needs to be deleted will not develop.

When pruning tops on apple and pear trees, the gardener uses various techniques, since these trees are formed based on biological characteristics.

The difference in pruning apple and pear

It is known that the shoot-forming ability of a pear is much higher than that of an apple tree. This means that, cut according to all the rules, with a sharp tool, the top on the apple tree will quickly grow overgrown, since the cells in the influx are capable of dividing and tightening the cut. If the operation goes higher or lower, the open cut can take on the infection. Pruning can be done so that the branch grows in a different direction. Such a cut is called "on the external, or on the internal kidney." This method is used for pruning apple and pear trees.

In the crown, one shoot always dominates, it is called the central one. It should not be allowed to be overtaken or weakened by tops. Shoot growth must be regulated by cutting off into several buds and directing the newly formed branch to the formation of the fruit crown. At the same time, the tops are trimmed on the pear on the lateral shoot.

If the pear is cut into a ring, by the fall there will already be several such shoots from the same nest. If the apple tree is not cut into a ring, the cut will dry out and rot will appear. Therefore, the requirements for removing fattening branches on these trees are opposite. This is the difference between pruning tops on apple and pear trees.

The tops on the pear are cut so as to obtain a branch that can be bent and included in the first or second tier over several years. After the onset of fruiting, the pear grows less, all the more, it is necessary to prevent the formation of tops or turn them on with the help of competent pruning and pulling into one of the fruit tiers.How to properly prune a pear, watch the video:

The more often unnecessary twigs are pinched on the pear in summer, the fewer tops will have to be removed in autumn and spring.

Addition:

Cutting per ring in fruit growing means almost flush with the branch or trunk from which or which the cut shoot grows, including the spinning top.

Pruning by transferring to a lateral branch (or to an external branch, this is the same thing) means that the cut should be done in front of the branch, which is directed in the right direction and has actively growing shoots on it that can reach a length of 25-30 cm or more.

A verbal explanation may not be enough (you need a visual representation), therefore, for clarity, I attach illustrations.

Spring and autumn pruning activities for pear trees allow you to form the crown, rejuvenate the tree. A pear needs a lot of sunlight for good fruiting, and heavily thickened branches shade the ripening fruits that are below the tier and closer to the trunk.

Pear pruning technology

All work related to pruning fruit trees and bushes is carried out with a sharply sharpened and adjusted tool. The knife should be razor sharp. Any tool should leave an even cut without jamming the bark and cambium. All wounds should be closed with a garden varnish.

The purpose of pear pruning is to prevent thickening, increase yields, and crown formation. Distinguish:

spring formation;
pruning tops during flowering;
autumn processing of a pear tree.

In the spring, as soon as the ambient temperature becomes +5 0, it is time to start pruning the pear. How young seedlings are formed can be seen in the diagram. But in the future, as the tree matures, annual pruning of branches is necessary, since fruit buds are laid on growth. Early pruning contributes to high pear yields. As a result of pruning a pear in the spring according to the scheme, the tree directs nutrition to flowering and pouring fruits:

All fattening branches are removed. Each branch in the tier receives maximum heating and lighting.
The limitation of upward growth is achieved by shortening the trunk by a quarter of last year's growth.
Do not leave open cuts, use a garden pitch.
Branches growing in the wrong direction, that is, not horizontally with respect to the ground, are removed.

In the spring, a rejuvenating pruning of a neglected tree is carried out, but only partially. It can be carried out at zero temperature. It is impossible to remove all the thickets at the same time, the tree will die. The process should be extended over 3-4 years.

After foliage appears and before harvesting, tree care is considered summer. In the summer, caring for the crown consists in plucking out the young tops of the branches that are not yet lignified. They are easy to remove without damaging the pear. The wound heals instantly. It is pinching or pinching that is considered to be the pruning of a pear in the summer. During sokogon, it is possible to inflict wounds on a tree with a pruner or a knife in extreme cases.

Is it possible to prune a pear in the fall

With the right approach to pruning pears in the fall, problems should not arise. The main thing is to observe the time frame so that the tree has enough time to heal the wounds before the onset of cold weather, observe moderation, not cutting off more than 30% of the crown at a time, and process the cuts.

When is the best time to prune a pear: in autumn or spring

Experienced gardeners recommend pruning fruit trees in early spring and fall. But if in the spring it should be sanitary pruning after the winter cold, then in autumn there are large-scale events associated with the formation of the crown, brightening or rejuvenating pruning of pears.

Among the main reasons for performing work in the autumn period, gardeners call:

Unpredictable weather conditions in spring.It is necessary to prune branches before the start of active sap flow, but after positive average daily air temperatures are established. This period in the climatic conditions of the middle zone is very short. Avoid pruning during the hot, dry months.
Strong formative or rejuvenating pruning in spring results in significant yield losses. Whereas after the procedure is performed in the fall, it remains or increases due to an increase in the access of light to the inside of the crown, the formation of young shoots, and an increase in the number and size of fruits.
Pruning pears in autumn is less traumatic for trees. Indeed, during this period, the movement of juice along the trunk and shoots slows down, the plant does not need to distribute forces between the tightening of wounds and the formation of fruits. And pests are not very active.

When can you prune a pear in the fall, in what month

The timing of the work depends on the variety, growing region and weather conditions. You can start pruning pears in the fall from the moment they end fruiting. Depending on the variety, this is the middle period from mid-August to mid-October.

Pruning of early varieties or varieties with low winter hardiness is performed first. They should have enough time to recover. Frost-resistant pears are pruned before the end of October.

Terms of autumn pruning of pears in the Moscow region and regions

Pruning pears in the fall is carried out taking into account the prevailing weather conditions. An approximate guideline is that at least 2 weeks should pass from the moment of its holding to the establishment of subzero temperatures. In the middle lane, it is preferable to finish work by the second decade of October.

These terms are adhered to by gardeners of the central and north-western regions, including the Moscow region and the Leningrad region. In the Urals and Siberia, the terms are shorter - from the second half of August to mid-September.

Attention!

If the cold came early, especially with prolonged night frosts, pruning of thermophilic varieties should be postponed until spring. It is worthwhile to postpone pruning pears in the fall and if the weather is hot and dry.

Tops on an apple tree - what is it and where do they come from?

Dormant buds wake up and kick the tops in the following cases:

On a young tree - after serious damage (the tree has lost a large branch, the bark is damaged by frost);
On an old tree - after a cardinal rejuvenating pruning;
On apple trees overfed with nitrogen.

Most often, an inexperienced gardener is to blame. in the appearance of tops - instead of a sparse crown, dense thickets of overgrown shoots are obtained. From one cut branch, five grow.

If tops appear on the apple tree, what to do, we will consider further. First, let's figure out what to do so that they do not appear.

Frequent mistakes when pruning, which cause the growth of fatty shoots:

The branch is cut to form a hemp;
Too drastic anti-aging pruning.

The branches are removed "on the ring";
It is better to stretch the rejuvenation of an old tree for 2-3 years.

Description

What are spinning tops on an apple tree? It is difficult to confuse them with anything. These strong fattening shoots always grow strictly vertically... The leaves on them are very large, they are located on the shoot at a distance much greater than on other branches of the tree.

Tops grow from dormant buds, are distinguished by rapid growth and often they reach 2 meters in height, taking strength from a tree... These fatty shoots only thicken the crown. They never bear fruit.

How can you tell them apart?

The main difference from fruit branches is not at all in the direction of growth. On fatty shoots no fruit buds... The appearance of the fat shoot cannot be confused with another branch - it is a powerful shoot with large leaves, elongated internodes.

What it is?

The appearance of fatty shoots on an apple tree, this is, in fact, a manifestation of the instinct of self-preservation: the tree has lost a large branch, the bark has suffered from rodents, frost or sunburn - in a healthy tree, cambium cells begin to rapidly divide (a thin layer of cells under the bark), and a weakened tree dies.

Do they bear fruit?

Vertically growing branches bear fruit extremely rarely, and tops are no exception. The main purpose of fatty branches - restore damage to the tree.

The increased growth of wood is incompatible with the formation of fruit buds on an apple tree.

These branches can be force to harvest either by pruning for fruiting, or by bending the fat shoot to a horizontal position.

When are tops cut on an apple tree?

Tops needed delete if:

They grow straight from the trunk (break off in green);
Grow inside the crown (cut into a ring at any time);
They thicken and shade the crown.

It makes sense to leave branch data in the following cases:

The tree needs rejuvenation: the left branches are bent in the right direction and fixed, shortening by a third. This method is very convenient when a fat shoot has grown next to a broken branch;
From the top, you can form a fruit branch: for this, the top is shortened to 2-3 buds. Branches of the second order grow - a new fruit branch is formed from them;
A stalk or bud of a new variety can be grafted onto a topping branch. Such vaccinations are almost 100% successful. Such fruit branches obtained by this method give large and healthy fruits, are less susceptible to disease.

Forming branches

Formation of a fruit branch
If nothing is done with tops, they will not yield a crop. When carrying out special procedures, the branches begin to bear fruit as early as next year. Work with the scions using the guidelines:

Give the branch a horizontal position: hang a load (for example, a bottle of water), after 3 months remove the weights. Keep in mind that it is important not to overload the processes, otherwise they will break.
Cut off a third of the appendage above the developed kidney, treat the wound with garden varnish. If the manipulations are done correctly, lateral processes quickly appear at the top.
If the fat-feeding shoot has a forked end, cut off the vertical process, shorten the horizontal one by a third. Weights are not suspended.

Pruning time

The classic recommendations for gardeners on the timing of pruning apple trees rarely pay individual attention to tops. In autumn and spring no questions usually arise.

Problems appear closer to summer - fatty branches grow unusually quickly, they can stretch more than a meter in a month.

Shouldn't be afraid cut fat shoots "at the wrong time".

When they grow up to 15-20 centimeters, they can literally be easily knocked off with a nail without a secateurs (or at a height - cleaned off with a hoe).

Removed in a herbaceous state, they do not leave wounds when removed.

Nuances and questions from readers

At first glance, everything is clear and understandable. Questions appear already on the spot, in the garden near the apple tree, which is overgrown with tops.

Is it possible from tops?

Form a crown

Harness the power of these shoots to restore the garden is not only possible, but also necessary, for this it is important to know the secrets of how to cut tops on an apple tree.

From spinning tops can be formed a full-fledged crown of an apple tree - for this you just need to change the direction of growth of fatty shoots in order to transfer them to fruiting.

The easiest way to do this is by tilting such a shoot horizontally for a couple of months. During this time, the wood "remembers" the direction of growth. The stretch or weight can be removed.

Now the former top is trimmed in the fall, as an ordinary fruit branch for fruiting - shortened by 1/3 of the length.

Make a branch

If the fat shoot is already has a bifurcated shape, when pruning, its horizontal part is left, and the growing one is cut vertically into a ring (to stop growth).

From the part of this branch left for fruiting, about 1/3 of the part is cut above a well-developed bud. After such a simple pruning, branches of the second order and fruit buds should appear.

Restore an old apple tree

If an old apple tree of a good variety still has a viable stem (without any special damage, splits, deep hollow).

You can extend the period of its fruiting for another 20 years at least.

In the spring carry out radical pruning in the following sequence:

The tree is shortened at the height of the third tier of branches;
All lateral branches are cut neatly into a ring;
Thoroughly clean the wounds, disinfect them;
The dried-up wounds are covered with garden varnish;
All summer they monitor the growing tops and form a new crown from them.

Basic nuances

It would seem, what else is necessary to know about those shoots that grow from dormant buds and do not bear fruit? There are some subtleties that you need to know that can affect the further condition of the tree and fruiting.

With proper agricultural technology, you can benefit from fat shoots. And if they are not regulated, then the tree and the entire crop can be ruined.

Several common questions are worth answering.

What can be made of tops

The tops do not have to be just thrown away. They can be used for the following purposes:

Form the crown. It is possible, but not everything is so simple. You will need to select a few of the most viable and conveniently located top shoots, and remove others. The remaining ones should be cut into a couple of buds and tilted, preferably with small weights, so that they grow in a horizontal direction and become fruitful.
Make a branch. You will need to do a little work in order to get a fruiting branch from a fattening branch. First of all, they are bent down so that they grow horizontally. Approximately in three months it will be necessary to shorten the branch by a third, making a cut above the bud. The wound will have to be covered with garden pitch and wait for the lateral processes. They appear very quickly. Thanks to the active growth on the branch, the fruits will appear next year.
Restore an old apple tree. In the spring, as usual, you should inspect the tree before pruning. If it needs rejuvenation, then you will need to cut off the branches at the level of the third tier. And you also need to remove the side branches, as well as the processes. All wounds will need to be disinfected and treated with a varnish. After such a procedure, you need to carefully observe the tree, because quite a lot of tops will appear. You need to choose a few of them and make them fruitful.
Make seedlings and cuttings. Tops can become cuttings or seedlings for a new tree. To do this, you need to choose one top, cut it at the base and treat it with some kind of growth stimulant. This place needs to be wrapped with moss and film on top. Roots appear by the end of the season. Then this shoot can be used as a stock or rooted in the ground. These seedlings take root well and quickly.

How to plant fat shoots

The spinning tops can become full-fledged viable seedlings with good fruiting potential and good health. For this, it is necessary to make air layers. On the fattening shoot in the spring, an incision is made closer to the base, it is wrapped with soil or moss, and fixed with polyethylene. In the fall, this stalk can be cut and planted in the ground, because over the summer it will grow full-fledged, strong roots.

Pruning tops of old apple trees

Both on old and on young apple trees, it is necessary to remove tops in a timely manner, except for those that will be used for rejuvenation or the creation of fruiting shoots. Moreover, the sooner you do this, the less damage to the tree.

But if they are already strong and the wood is dense, they are cut off with a pruner. But they need to be cut into a ring so as not to provoke the appearance of even more shoots from the cut.

Autumn pruning scheme

Pruning a tree in the fall always takes about a month in advance so that it has time to heal the wounds. The procedure for pruning tops can be perfectly combined with the autumn one.

For this you need:

remove dry and damaged branches;
remove old shoots;
cut off all branches that grow inward and interfere with others, this includes fattening shoots.

In the process of pruning, all wounds must be treated with garden varnish. This also applies to large tops that are cut into a ring. The fattening shoots left behind to create fruit branches can be immediately bent with the help of a weight, then buds will appear in the spring.

Is it possible to inoculate with fat shoots

Although tops are often made into air layers, it makes no sense to use them for grafting. They do not have fruit buds, so they will not give full fruit.

But, if the bark of the tree is very damaged by pests in winter, you can plant tops with a "bridge" so that the tree will recover from damage. This method will undoubtedly help the plant.

If the apple tree has dried up and there is a top from the root, you can grow it

It happens that a tree dries up completely due to a natural disaster or simply due to age. However, shoots may appear from the roots that look quite viable. In fact, this is just a fattening shoot, which has nothing to do with an apple tree and does not bear varietal characteristics. The rooted top must be completely removed without regret.

Rebuild the apple tree through tops

Thanks to the amazing regeneration properties of a thin layer of wood under the bark, it is very easy to rejuvenate an old apple tree from tops. It is necessary to leave the most viable ones and make fruit branches out of them.

Fatty shoots will help restore the tree in case of almost any damage:

due to the eating of the bark by hares or mice;
to replace broken fruiting branches;
grow a viable seedling over the summer.

How to bend tops on an apple tree

To make a real fruiting branch out of a fattening shoot, you need to give it a horizontal look. One way to do this is to simply bind them to adjacent branches. The second method is to hang a load from a branch, the most convenient way is to take a plastic bottle. Young shoots will remember the right direction in a couple of months.

How to make a fruit branch from a top

The branch creation mechanism is very simple. It is fixed and fixed horizontally. When she gets used to this position, you need to cut the branch by a third. This will stimulate the appearance of branches.

Formation of an old apple tree from fat shoots

With the help of tops, even a very old apple tree can be restored, which radical pruning did not help. This method is quick and simple. The tree is completely cut down at a height of one meter from the ground, the saw cut is cleaned and covered with mastic. Tops will begin to appear from the trunk. Their development will need to be controlled, leaving only the upper ones, which will become the main branches.

In the summer, the shoots left will need to be shortened by a third in order for the side branches to go. Further care will be like for an ordinary young apple tree. All tops on young branches must be removed immediately.

Useful videos

Watch the video how and when to cut tops on an apple tree and a pear:
https://youtu.be/8PG1jh4xkPA

See in this video how the apple tree should be pruned (master class from experienced gardeners):
https://youtu.be/yWsLXPImygU

See in this video gardeners' advice on how to carry out summer work in the garden, in particular - pruning "tops":
https://youtu.be/7HY8TrNwOsQ

See in this video - the correct pruning of an apple tree after rejuvenation and how to protect yourself from the appearance of tops:

Tops on an apple tree - what is it?

The appearance of topside shoots can be observed in the following cases:

with significant mechanical damage to the surface of the bark of young trees;
after incorrect pruning of adult apple trees for rejuvenation;
due to the addition of a large amount of fertilizers that contain nitrogen.

It is very easy to determine that tops have begun to appear on the plants, since it is difficult to confuse them with something. Their feature can be considered the fact that they grow only in an upright position.

Large leaves are formed on them, which are 5-10 cm apart from each other. Tops differ from ordinary shoots in their growth rate. In a few months, they grow up to two meters. Experienced gardeners are advised to remove such shoots, since fruits rarely form on them. They also consume a lot of strength from the trees, which negatively affects the ripening of the fruits.

Reasons for the appearance

Some gardeners do not know what causes spinning tops on trees. There are several main reasons that contribute to their occurrence:

Damage to the crown due to strong gusts of wind, frequent snowfalls or other natural disasters. With serious damage to the apple trees, the tops begin to grow in order to replace the dead branches and restore the normal state of the plant.
The development of black cancer and the appearance of dark spots. Pathology leads to the drying of the leaves and the death of the branches. Spinning stems grow back to form an intact crown.
Deep planting of an apple tree. Often, due to the deep planting of plants, tops appear at the bottom of the trees. To remove them, you will have to remove the top layer of soil in order to get to the base of the shoots and cut them off.

The main reasons for the growth of young top branches

There are several main reasons why dormant buds wake up and become fattening shoots.

Mechanical damage to the tree. This includes impact damage due to trimming. Often, gardeners cut too much during rejuvenating pruning. Because of this, the tree tries to recover faster in order to build up the damage back. And this also happens if the branches break by accident, under the influence of a strong wind. Plants suffer from sunburn in spring and frostbite in the bark in winter. These reasons will also catalyze the appearance of tops.
Excess nitrogen. Nitrogen fertilizers are the cause of the vegetative development of the tree. That is why it is brought in in the spring, and only in a certain amount. Increasing the dose will cause a large number of fattening shoots to appear from dormant buds.

Do tops bear fruit?

Many are interested in whether apples are formed on top shoots. Branches that grow upright are rarely fruitful. Therefore, most tops do not form fruit. Their main goal is considered to be the restoration of the normal state of apple trees after damage or disease.

Fruits rarely appear on such branches due to their increased growth. Most of the nutrients are consumed for the development of the shoot, and therefore nothing remains for the formation of fruits. To force the stems to bear fruit, you will have to bend the shoot down for horizontal growth or regularly prune it.

conclusions

Tops / spinning tops (spinning tops can be distinguished / looked like by seeing red / red caps on a branch) - fast-growing fatty growth shoots located vertically on a tree, here's how to identify them.
They do not have fruit buds, do not produce crops, but can be used to restore the tree after pruning.
Most tops are cut, it is a necessity to cut them down. Leave only those shoots that they plan to use in the future to form a crown, a fruitful branch or seedlings.
To form fruitful branches from tops, the latter must be tilted horizontally to the ground with the help of weights, which can weigh a lot, and then cut off by a third of the length above a large bud. Already the next season after such treatment, they can begin to bear fruit, i.e. it will turn out to reanimate and wake them up, the kidneys will wake up and begin to swell by the spring.

Read about how to properly prune an apple tree here.

The appearance of tops on a tree is a nuisance that happens to almost every apple tree. The gardener definitely needs to know what it is, since this problem requires an urgent and correct solution. How to identify top branches and how to deal with them, read further in the article.

Pruning time

Many gardeners do not know when it is best to prune the top stems in order to get rid of them. In spring or autumn, this is rarely done, since tops hardly appear at this time of the year. Most often, they begin to form in the first half of summer. By mid-July, young tops are able to grow up to one and a half meters.

It is impossible to determine the exact timing of pruning, since the shoots appear at different times. It is recommended to cut the tops when their length increases to 20-25 cm. With this size, they are still in a fragile state, and therefore, after cutting, no wounds remain on the plants.

Not everyone manages to get rid of spinning top shoots in time. In this case, you will have to remove them with garden shears. To get rid of the stems in time, you need to regularly inspect the trees and remove the recently appeared fatty shoots.

How to properly cut tops on an apple tree?

Gardeners prune the shoots with special tools. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare in advance all the necessary equipment. To perform trimming you will need:

Hacksaw. Used to prune old branches that cannot be removed manually.
Pruner. It is used to remove mature branches about a meter long.
Resins and building paints. With their help, sections are processed to protect against moisture.

All top-stems are removed under the base so that they cannot grow back in the future. When using a secateurs, its cutting part is applied to the trunk. Then its blades are gently squeezed to cut off the shoot. After that, all cut sites are treated with antiseptic agents for disinfection and coated with resins or paints.

When is pruning unnecessary?

It is not necessary to remove tops from apple trees, as they do not always harm plants. There are several cases in which they are left on apple trees:

For rejuvenation. Sometimes tops are left on old trees to rejuvenate them a little. To do this, all the branches left are bent in a horizontal position and tied to the supports. Then they are shortened in half so that fruits form on the tops. Most often, fatty shoots are left for rejuvenation if they grow near broken branches.
For the formation of additional branches with fruits. Sometimes tops are left to increase the yield of apple trees by forming new branches with fruits. To do this, all left topsy shoots are cut to two buds, after which a fruit branch is formed on them.

What to do to get rid of them

The formation of tops on a tree should not be left to chance. It should be remembered that they can overload the crown, which not only leads to a decrease in productivity, but can also provoke the appearance of parasites and diseases on the tree, which in turn can provoke the death of the apple tree. Therefore, most tops should be removed after they appear. To do this, it is best to break out the shoots by hand even before they reach a length of 15 cm, this can be done at any time of the year.