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2023 Webinar Course has started, but you can still get access to all of the recordings from last year! Learn more and register today!
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Register for our March 18th webinar:
Common Diseases of Apple and Fruit Trees
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News from the Field
Well, it seems like we are at that point in the year again where we are all hurrying up and waiting. After a few weeks where we thought that Spring would be not just be early but scary early - like Jordan Peele scary - Mother Nature intervened and we are back to a holding pattern. In fact, as I write this there is a very large, very wet snowy storm moving our way. For most of New York we are expecting anywhere from 6-24" of snow (it does vary depending on where you are, but still - wasn't expecting that).
In central NJ the 'Manchurian' flowering crabs are at 1/4" green. That's just about one week earlier than last year. In the Hudson valley, the commercial apples are at full silver tip and the cherries and plums (variety dependent) are showing just a hint of green. The downside to the earliness is that even with the snow and cold, a freeze event in early February caused a lot of damage to peaches and cherries.
Starting this week we will begin our fields reports and weekly degree-day charts. As things get going again (and they will get going) we will report on those events from various regions around the northeast so you can get a taste of where your trees are at in comparison to others. For now, we're just bracing for a storm that we hope only brings welcome cold and snow and isn't damaging or life-threatening. We'll update each week as things change. Mike Biltonen
Degree-day Chart Compilation: Jason Mannka
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Prune with a Purpose (Part 3)
14 March 2023
Written and Compiled by Kat Meadows
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This week, we're taking on pruning small trees: anything below ten feet tall and less thick than your thigh. With smaller trees, the focus is on encouraging fruit production while sculpting the more pliable limbs into a scaffold that will support a health harvest for years to come. We start with observing the tree to be pruned, the types of cuts you can expect to make, and how to use stakes and cord to open the canopy of your tree.
Observations
When you first encounter your tree, pay attention to its qualities. Is it vigorous, stunted, or low-vigor? Does it have an established lower and up[per scaffold? Are there any busy areas, or overly strong branches to consider? These observations will guid your vision for how to prune the tree and the subsequent cuts you make. The following is a run-down of observations, and the recommended cuts in accordance with those observations. Their order is loose, and will depend from tree to tree. The best way to cultivate your style is to dive in!
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Central Leader
One helpful thing to do first off is to identify the central leader of the tree. You'll want to remove competition around this, especially very upright branches nearly as tall or taller than the central leader.
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Invigorate or Devigorate
When a tree has low vigor and you want to spur growth in the coming season, the trick is to prune it hard. You can do this by cutting larger sections of last year's growth, down to a bud angle that you want for growth. The bud angle is important, as you should choose one facing away from the trunk of the tree, and clip it slanting towards the tree.
On the other hand, if you have a very vigorous tree that you want to slow down, the recommendation is to tip the apical buds just a litte. In general, prune it less, and focus on clearing up enough room for the branches that you want to grow to have optimal exposure to light and air movement. In this situation, tying down or otherwise using spreaders can be helpful.
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Establishing Scaffolds
As we learned in the last newsletter, the scaffold branches grow to be the primary zones of production for your orchard. On younger trees, there is often just an upper and lower scaffold. In general, we want the lower scaffold to be broad and open (though not so much that it rubs against an adjacent tree). The upper scaffold can be more upright.
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Choosing Branches
Some trees develop busy areas throughout their growth, posing a threat to adequate light and air movement to your primary production zones. Given this situation, the rule of thumb is to assess the impact of busy branches on your chosen scaffold branches. If higher branches are shading your scaffold, or an auxiliary branch in your scaffold rubs a primary branch that you know you want to keep, you might consider pruning them away. However, you should also consider other factors before clipping: are there any other branches on the side of the tree to replace what you intend to remove? Are there less invasive ways to reduct the impact the branch is having on surrounding branches?
Branches like watersprouts or pendants (twigs growing straight down, often off a lateral branch) contribute to busy areas on trees, and can constitute less invasive cuts to open up your scaffold. Some orchardists prune for a chalice shape.
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Training and Spreading
Luckily, when a tree is young, its branches are tender enough to be bent or spread, adding a technique to your arsenal. Training is a process of selecting branches -- usually lower scaffold -- to stake down at the angle you want. This process is done by placing some buffer (cardboard or cloth) between the branch and your string, and then staking the string down taut, at the desired angle. Be sure to use organic twine or something that can hold up against the weather without leaching chemicals into your branches. Tie branches off using a slipknot or other knot that can be easily undone. Branches may shift to hold their new shape relatively quickly. This has a few implications: 1) If a branch is particularly stiff and you feel there is a possibility that it may break or be damaged by training, you can spread it just as far as it will go, and the re tie it in subsequent weeks when the string has lost its tightness due to the trees adjustment. 2) Leaving string on the tree for much longer than needed can have dire implications for the tree's health. If it is constricting, it may cut off nutrients or partially girdle a branch. It's a good idea to check on your trained trees as you walk through the orchard, adjusting when needed, and removing string entirely when it's job is done.
Another option for improving branch angles is using spreaders, small wooden or plastic pieces with two forked ends. On especially young trees, this can be done with clothes pins. Hook each spreader on a node or other rough notch on your tree's branches to ensure it won't be shaken loose by wind or weather.
A Note About Mum mies:
As you move through your orchard, you will likely see the shriveled black remains of apples. These are called mummies, and should be removed from the orchard site along with any diseased wood. Some orchardists burn diseased wood, and some bury it. Usually it's sufficient to remove the wood and mummies from the proximity of the orchard, as they carry spores and diseases from the past season. With an influx of moisture, these harmless looking knots can release the first flush of black rot, apple scab, and other diseases. Consider this early-season prevention!
For more about pruning, sign up for our webinar series, upcoming workshops and events, and check out the Holistic Orchard Network -- a forum for problem solving and experience sharing between holistic apple growers.
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Register for our March 18th webinar:
Common Diseases of Apple and Fruit Trees
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