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pruning container fruit trees....HELP!!
Posted by catz
pruning container fruit trees....HELP!! April 12, 2013 04:20AM |
Registered: 11 years ago Posts: 110 |
I need some advice on pruning some of my container grown fruit trees, specifically a "Golden Delicious" apple and a "Montys Surprise" apple, both on dwarfing rootstock (m9), and a "Rose Chiffon" peach, a lollipop or mophead dwarf. With the peach, would i be correct in thinking that i should reduce it by about a third, whilst thinning out the branches in the "head" of the tree? This tree has been here for about 2 years, and this winter i will be replacing/topping up, the growing media, and was thinking i would give it a prune at the same time.
WIth the apples, the Golden Delicious is on a single leader with 3-4 branches. I have been told that i should reduce that by 1/3 also but does that also include cutting back the leader?
And the Montys Surprise is a single leader with no branches and has reached the eaves on my garage. It put on over a foots growth this year, straight up. How far should i, and SHOULD i, trim the leader? i need to keep it at a manageable level which ideally would be no taller than it is now. Hoping someone can give me a helping hand here cos ive read thousands of pruning guides and im totally confused lol
oh and i should add these trees are all in 50 lt containers.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2013 04:21AM by catz.
WIth the apples, the Golden Delicious is on a single leader with 3-4 branches. I have been told that i should reduce that by 1/3 also but does that also include cutting back the leader?
And the Montys Surprise is a single leader with no branches and has reached the eaves on my garage. It put on over a foots growth this year, straight up. How far should i, and SHOULD i, trim the leader? i need to keep it at a manageable level which ideally would be no taller than it is now. Hoping someone can give me a helping hand here cos ive read thousands of pruning guides and im totally confused lol
oh and i should add these trees are all in 50 lt containers.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2013 04:21AM by catz.
Re: pruning container fruit trees....HELP!! April 17, 2013 09:40AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 558 |
I have some fruit trees in pots.Every second or third year I root prune them.With help from him indoors I slide out the plant and use an old carving knife to cut through up to 1/3 of the plant at the bottom.Pop a little potting mix back in and place plant on top then fill with new potting mix.
Your plant will now put out new roots and benefit from fresh soil.It will probably be shorter too.
For just pruning I would keep it pruned to the height you want by pruning at the end of autumn.
If your tree was in soil you could probably tie it to the garage and grow it along at a level you like but being in the pot I think you would get better fruit from the tree by keeping it pruned.(Some people actually put their pots straight onto soil so they can let the tree put roots down )
As far as how much you should cut I would go with the tall leader being cut back but the one with other branches may just need a wee snip at the top.I always go for prune dead,diseased or distorted branches out as well even if they are just twiggy ones.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2013 09:43AM by Lesley B.
Your plant will now put out new roots and benefit from fresh soil.It will probably be shorter too.
For just pruning I would keep it pruned to the height you want by pruning at the end of autumn.
If your tree was in soil you could probably tie it to the garage and grow it along at a level you like but being in the pot I think you would get better fruit from the tree by keeping it pruned.(Some people actually put their pots straight onto soil so they can let the tree put roots down )
As far as how much you should cut I would go with the tall leader being cut back but the one with other branches may just need a wee snip at the top.I always go for prune dead,diseased or distorted branches out as well even if they are just twiggy ones.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2013 09:43AM by Lesley B.
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