Healthy apricot trees can produce luscious and flavorful fruits for many years. Pruning is an important aspect of growing healthy apricot trees. They grow best in warmer climates that do not experience much frost during the winter months. Learning the best tips for pruning apricot trees, such as thinning out the branches, will help the tree to bear larger healthy fruit each season. Pruning the apricot tree in early spring can be one of the most effective ways to get the tree ready for fruit growth. There are four main methods of pruning, which are shearing, thinning, pinching, and rejuvenating.
When an apricot tree, or any tree for that matter, is healthy, it can bear fruit that is large in size and has heightened flavor. Trees that have injured or dead branches will need to be rejuvenated. This can be done by cutting off dead or injured parts of the tree to restore health. Pruning apricot trees can involve different steps before achieving the ultimate goal. It is suggested not to remove more than one third of the tree at a time.
Thinning out the branches when pruning apricot trees can be done by cutting entire branches off at the trunk of the tree. This helps the remaining tree branches have room to breath, allows air to circulate, and lets more light in. This can help reduce the amount of plant disease the tree experiences. Cutting away dead or diseased branches first can help the health of the tree overall. The remaining branches should have about 1.5 to 2 inches (3.8 to 5.1 centimeters) of space between them.
One of the best ways to reduce the amount of thinning that will be needed is to begin pinching the apricot trees as they start to grow. This entails cutting the stem tips off the young buds. With this practice, the tree is encouraged to branch out so there will not be a concentrated area of growth. Fruit that is spread out among several branches is the optimum environment.
Many people consider appearance when pruning apricot trees. Once the health of the tree has been established, the desired shape can be attained by shearing. Shearing is a type of pruning that includes cutting the tree to make the branches appear level. Shearing is done by using a pair of gardening shears or electric shears. This method of pruning apricot trees is the least important when establishing the health of the tree and fruit, but it can be important to the aesthetics of a backyard or garden.