Instructions for pruning chokeberry in the fall for beginner gardeners
Chokeberry or chokeberry requires regular pruning of the crown. If you follow simple shaping rules, the bush will look especially attractive and produce tasty, juicy fruits in large quantities. Pruning chokeberry in the fall will be discussed in detail in our article.
Why prune chokeberry in the fall?
Chokeberry is a densely growing shrub. As it grows, it produces lush young growth every year. After 2-3 years, in the absence of external intervention, the diameter of the base of the bush reaches 2-3 m.
On a note! The most fruitful branches of chokeberry are considered to be those that are 5-7 years old.
Is pruning necessary?
If you do not thin out the bushes in a timely manner, by 4-5 years the crown thickens greatly, access of light to the internal branches ceases. The plant spends most of its nutrients on growth and “maintenance” of the vegetative part, and not on planting and ripening the crop.
At best, only the outer branches begin to bloom and bear fruit. The berries in wild bushes are small, sour, and lack valuable nutrients.
Optimal timing of the procedure
It is important to observe the timing of pruning chokeberries in the autumn. The optimal time for the procedure is before the onset of the first stable frost.
On the territory of the Russian Federation this is September-October. More precise dates depend on the region of growth.
Types and patterns of pruning
When pruning chokeberry, it is important to take into account the age and condition of the plant, and the total number of fruiting branches.
Formative
In the first year of growth, a young chokeberry seedling does not need cleaning or shaping. During this period, the plant actively grows its root system; pruning traumatizes it.
In subsequent years, bush shaping is carried out according to the following scheme:
- 2nd year - select 3-5 promising branches and cut them at the same level at a height of 40-50 cm;
- 3-4 years - select 3-5 strong branches from the new root growth and cut them at the same level;
- 5-6 years - 3-5 branches are added from the new shoots and aligned with the rest, forming a crown of 10-15 strong fruit-bearing branches.
In subsequent years, rowan trees are regularly pruned so as to leave 10-15 fruit-bearing branches of different ages. To do this, remove all shoots over 6-7 years old and replace them with young, nearby branches.
When shaping the crown, it is extremely important to create a shape so that the crown from base to top receives the same amount of sunlight and heat, and the root zone is well ventilated. This will create optimal conditions for the establishment of a large number of fruit-bearing buds, prevent infection with fungal diseases, and make caring for the plant easier.
Rejuvenating
Anti-aging pruning is carried out on very old plants 10-15 years old. To do this, all branches are cut off right at the root in the fall. Next year in the spring the plant will produce many new young shoots, which will begin to bear fruit at the age of 2-3 years.
From the year following radical pruning, they begin to form the bush in the traditional way.
Sanitary
Sanitary pruning of chokeberry is carried out exclusively in the fall.The bush is inspected and weak, diseased, deformed, broken branches are cut out. Side shoots from skeletal branches are also removed during sanitary cleaning of the bush.
Important! After pruning chokeberry, no stumps are left on the bush to avoid damage to the cuts by bacteria and pests.
How to prune chokeberry correctly
Inexperienced gardeners often injure berry bushes with improper pruning.
When forming chokeberry, it is important to follow three principles:
- Remove old, outdated branches. Their main features are ragged bark and short, nodular growths.
- Diseased branches will be removed to the base, leaving no stumps.
- Carry out pruning in good faith, since the shrubs, after lightly “pinching off” along the edge of the crown, intensively increase the vegetative mass and do not lay fruit buds.
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Required materials and tools
It’s easy to assemble a set of necessary tools for annual care of berry bushes. It includes:
- garden pruning shears with curved blades for branches up to 2.5-3 cm in diameter;
- garden or carpenter's saw - for old and thick branches;
- freshly prepared garden pitch or crushed coal.
The cutting part of the saw and pruning shears is carefully sharpened before use. Otherwise, the cut will weaken the branch and the plant will hurt.
Trimming schemes
The general appearance of the chokeberry bush is a set of equal shoots from the root system. If desired, the bush is given a tree-like shape. This plant has an attractive appearance and has a decorative function on the site.
To form chokeberry “into the trunk” in the first year of life, all root shoots are removed, leaving the strongest ones. Every year, 5-6 buds are left at the top of the leading shoot after the trunk reaches the desired height. After this, the growth point at the top of the shoot is removed, which stimulates the growth of lateral branches. In subsequent years, the crown of the desired shape is formed.
On a note! Experienced gardeners do not welcome the formation of chokeberry “into the trunk”, as this reduces the overall yield of the plant.
Step-by-step pruning instructions
Illiterate and careless pruning of the crown in a hurry will only harm the berry bush.
The crown is cleaned like this:
- Inspect the bush for diseased and damaged branches. They are removed first.
- The bush is inspected and young root shoots and branches growing inside the crown are removed.
- Young, flexible branches are cut off at the base with pruning shears. Old shoots with a thickness of 3 cm are cut down.
- The wounds are treated with garden pitch or rubbed with crushed coal.
At the end of the activities, growths and lichens are cleaned from the bark, and carrion is removed from the tree trunk circle.
How to form a bush
When forming a chokeberry bush, it is important to monitor the shape of the future crown. Excessive branching will lead to thickening of the bush. Internal sprouts will not have enough light and warmth. An excessively bulky crown will occupy a large area and choke out neighboring plants.
Most varieties of chokeberry form berries on last year's growths, so it is recommended to stimulate the growth of current year's shoots.
A properly formed chokeberry bush consists of 10-15 full-fledged branches of different ages. The optimal height of a chokeberry bush is 1.5-2 m, diameter is 1.5-2 m.
Trimming Features
In chokeberry, branches that are 8-10 years old are considered old, having lost the ability to lay flower buds and bear fruit. Bushes up to seven years old are classified as young.
Young rowan
Young shrubs in the first year of life do not need pruning. Experienced gardeners begin to form the crown of chokeberry in the second year of the plant’s life in the fall. All young, frail growth, which grows at a great distance from the planting site of the bush, is removed in a sector during the summer. This does not cause any harm to the chokeberry.
Old
With age, chokeberry degenerates, and it requires mandatory radical shaping at 10-15 years of age, that is, “planting on a stump.” After complete removal of the entire above-ground part, a new crown is formed from the young shoots. In subsequent years, the procedure for replacing old branches is repeated regularly.
Old branches must be cut off at the root to avoid infection of the root system from the outside through open wounds.
Processing of sections and further care
Damaged, weak and diseased shoots are burned immediately after sanitary cleaning to prevent the spread of the disease throughout the area. All sections with a diameter of 1.5 cm or more are generously lubricated with garden varnish.
The tree trunk circle is dug up to a depth of 20-30 cm, and the weeds are removed.
Chokeberry is considered an unpretentious plant, resistant to diseases. As a preventative measure in the fall, the bush is sprayed with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture and a 7% urea solution.
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Conclusion
Regular pruning of chokeberry is a mandatory procedure for caring for the plant. It makes it more compact, increases the plant’s immunity naturally, and makes caring for the shrub much easier. A properly formed bush will become a source of not only tasty berries, but will decorate any garden plot.