How to shape a walnut. Walnut pruning - spring or summer

One of the best investments for a summer resident is a walnut. This is a beautiful tree that will decorate the garden and bring tasty and healthy nuts every year. Trimming walnut– an important stage of plant care. There are sanitary and formative types. Both need to be done regularly.

Necessity of the event

You can't do without trimming walnuts. It is necessary for several reasons. If the crown is too thick, it is difficult for the sun's rays to penetrate, which makes the tree less resistant to diseases and pests. The walnut crown also needs to be trimmed to increase the strength of the tree and reduce the occupied area: in one area it will be possible to grow more walnut trees with compact crowns than with overgrown ones. Crown formation begins when the walnut reaches 2–3 years of age. Summer residents usually choose the “broom” shape, in which the crown looks natural, but there are other types.

When a walnut reaches a certain age, its yield begins to decline steadily. In order to prevent this trouble, anti-aging pruning is necessary.

Pruning may be unsuccessful if you do not prepare a well-sharpened pruner in advance. It is difficult to cut branches with blunt tools, and it is easy to cause significant damage to the trunk. Do not overdo it, otherwise, instead of forming the crown of a perennial tree, you will cause the plant to die.

Instructions for crown formation

Before work, you should decide how to trim the walnut and what shape to give its branches. There are several types of crown shapes. “Bowl” and “broom” are the most common.

"Broom" is the most popular. They are usually formed this way in the fall, when there is no foliage left on the branches. Skeletal branches are placed in a circle from the trunk. There should be up to 4 shoots left on each. The lower ones need to be cut into 2 buds.
The “bowl” is formed in the spring. How to properly prune a plant to give it this look? Cut out the skeletal branches and conductor, the thin branches that grow into the crown; also thickening, breaking and interfering with each other. Pruned branches could become an obstacle to the growth of strong branches. The trunk should be up to 2 m high, and the skeletal branches - up to 4.

IN further pruning walnut is carried out annually to maintain shape.

Rejuvenating procedure

An old tree has a reduced yield, and rejuvenating walnut pruning is designed to solve this problem. Another reason for the procedure is the appearance of fruits that are too small or oddly shaped.

How to carry out anti-aging pruning? First, cut off all diseased and damaged branches, then those that thicken the crown. As much light as possible should get inside and fresh air. Cut branches that grow tall and point inward, and cut off side branches as well. Later, shoots will grow in their place to form a new crown. Anti-aging pruning is carried out when the hazel tree reaches 10 years of age.

Neglected trees are thinned out in the same way. Completely neglected, damaged, frozen hazel trees are cut down to the stump. Gradually the plant will recover and fresh branches will appear.

Is it possible to lubricate the cut areas with varnish? You decide. Young plants easily tolerate pruning and recover quickly; they do not need to be lubricated. However, it is better to do this if the sections are thick.

Old trees tolerate the procedure less well and need to be handled more delicately. All types of pruning - formative, sanitary, rejuvenating - are carried out only during the period when there is no sap flow.

Not everyone knows that walnut trees must be pruned in the fall. Meanwhile, this procedure makes the tree healthier. First of all, after the leaves fall, they carefully examine the crown of the nut and remove damaged branches so that the disease does not develop further. From properly sparse to spring period crown depends on the volume of the harvest, as well as the tree’s resistance to pests and diseases. Work with pruning shears near a walnut begins from a very young age. It is worth emphasizing the fact that these trees recover well after pruning.

Why prune walnut trees and shrubs?

There are several reasons to prune walnut trees.

Walnut, hazel and hazelnut trees that grow without pruning become denser, because up to 20 powerful branches can extend from the trunk. But the harvest will be minimal, because such trees love sunlight. If the branches are crowded, many young shoots die. But it is on them, in addition to the generative branches, that the fruits are set.
Thinning is necessary for a plant whose crown has not been formed. The tree receives very little light and air access through the central trunk. This is a favorable environment for the development of fungal diseases.
Weak, diseased branches and so-called forks, which are formed from two, sometimes three branches growing at a narrow angle, very often break under their own weight or during a storm. Such damage can lead to the death of the entire tree.
Mature trees need to shorten their shoots, which will increase the number of fruit branches.

Very old trees can die if their skeletal branches are severely pruned, so only one or two are cut down per year.

Sanitation works in September and October

When the leaves fall from the walnut tree, carefully inspect all the branches, carrying out autumn sanitary or rejuvenating pruning.

How to shorten branches of young trees?

Very long walnut branches, especially young ones, can be damaged by frost. Therefore, in the fall, the main attention should be paid to the shoots of the current year.

On two-year-olds, shoots that have grown longer than 60 cm are shortened.
The conductor of the uppermost main branch, which is already formed on 3-4 year old trees, is cut off.
A little earlier, at the end of August, the apical third of the young shoots is cut off. During this period, the buds of future fruiting have already been laid on these branches. Before frost, the shoots will become stronger and woody.

Caring for mature trees

After summer season and harvesting fruits, some branches may be damaged or infected with diseases. A lot of young growth appears that needs to be removed.

Now you need to cut off dry branches in which garden pests can hide.
Those that are broken during harvesting or due to bad weather are cut down.
Remove branches with symptoms possible diseases. Typically, diseases of fungal and bacterial origin affect young shoots that formed last summer. Symptoms of such lesions are light brown with darker edges or black spots on the bark that appear depressed. Such shoots must be cut off, because they most often die and will spread pathogens.
In the autumn, branches are also pruned if for some reason this was not done in the spring, and the crown is very thick. You can form a tree older than 5 years by cutting down 1-2 skeletal branches that have grown in the center of the crown.
Long and thin forks with sharp corners and a small number of shoots are trimmed, because such branches can easily break in winter weather.
For a perennial old hazel bush or varietal hazelnut, complete rejuvenating pruning is necessary. In the spring, young shoots will appear, from which a new bush must be formed.

At sub-zero temperatures, nuts cannot be trimmed. At this time, its branches are very fragile, you can accidentally damage the necessary shoots.

Spring tree formation

Proper pruning of walnuts regulates the development of the tree, the construction of the crown shape, the volume of the harvest and the quality of the fruit. It is best to carry out such work in March or April. Severe frosts are no longer a threat, and the tree is still dormant. The harm to him will be minimal, the cuts will heal quickly.

Systematically once a year (preferably in early spring) shoots that produce skeletal and semi-skeletal branches are shortened by 15–20 cm.
Frostbitten shoots are pruned.
In late spring or June, tender grassy standard shoots are plucked. It can be pinched above the 2nd or 3rd sheet, and on next year cutting down.

How to create the correct crown of a young nut?

Walnuts begin to form when they are already strong, from the second year after planting.

When the young tree grows above a meter, the first pruning of its crown begins in March. The height of the trunk is 0.8-1 m, the crown area is up to 60 cm.

Cut branches to two buds. If both begin to develop, choose only one. At the next pruning, the shoot is shortened again in front of the two buds. This is how a productive crown is laid.
If there are no branches, cut off the top of the stem at the height of the trunk.
In the third year, 4-6 future fruit-bearing branches are selected, which will form a cup-shaped crown. They should be located at an angle of at least 50-60° to the trunk. The shoots must be cut to 20 cm. The rest must be carefully cut off completely.
In the fourth year, the upper branches are selected that extend from the conductor, removing unnecessary growth.
The last stage of crown formation is cutting off the central trunk above the upper branches.
Every year, all small, damaged branches and shoots that grow inward or intertwine are cut out.

Begin pruning only on a strong young tree. The weak ones are left until next spring.

Types of walnut crown

There are several varieties of walnut tree construction. Depending on the choice, pruning is done according to the appropriate pattern.

A tree acquires a tieless form when branches are sent out from the central trunk in a circle, and then, by pruning, it is transferred into a branch.
The improved-tiered form involves constant pruning of branches before the 2nd or 3rd shoot, so that the crown is sparse.
The cup-shaped crown is created by removing the central conductor in the 4th–5th year of tree growth.
The bush forms the crown of a hazelnut or a regular hazel tree. For novice gardeners, it is worth mentioning that these crops are light-loving. One bush can bear 6-8 skeletal shoots, which will produce a good harvest.
Hazelnuts are also shaped by wood. All tops are cut off a little to create fruitful branches.

How to rejuvenate an old tree?

The walnut grows powerful and tall. If its crown has not been formed, the branches spread out very widely, but every year they can produce less and less harvest. Fruiting shoots will be located along the edges of the upper branches, and the nuts themselves become small and twisted. To correct the situation, the tree is rejuvenated. As a rule, this procedure is carried out in the spring, then new shoots will immediately begin to form.

The highest skeletal branch is removed.
They clean the crown well, cutting off branches that grow inward or upward. Air and sunlight will flow freely into the thinned crown, which is very important for the healthy condition of the tree.
Branches must be trimmed before side shoots. Now their growth will be directed to the sides, not upwards. New buds of future branches are formed on them. And then a new crown is formed from them for abundant fruiting.

Summer cutting of branches

By the end of summer, the intensity of sap flow in walnut trees decreases. Starting from the second ten days of July, pruning is carried out.

Some gardeners believe that it is better to prune walnuts in the summer, because then weak, dry and damaged branches are clearly visible.
Thickening shoots and shoots growing inward are cut off.
To speed up the development of selected shoots, pinch their green top. They will begin to become lignified by the beginning of cold weather and will not get frostbite.

Secrets of walnut growers

All branches are trimmed only with a clean, very sharp tool so that the cuts are even.

There are two opinions regarding wound treatment. Traditional: saw cuts are treated with garden varnish. And second: the nut does not need to be processed in any way. The damage will heal on its own.

Pruning can only be learned through practice. You have to be careful and attentive to leave the right branches.

Walnut pruning is a mandatory procedure in gardening. It requires, at a minimum, preparation, since one possession garden tools not enough.

How to start work

Everything in order:

From the very beginning, diseased or old parts of the plant are identified.
They shape the future development of young branches.
Achieve productivity and proper growth.

The pruning itself should be done at a specific time of year.

When should you prune?

Naturally, care begins in the spring, before the shoots begin to develop. Best time– this is March and April. How to properly trim a walnut in this case? We need to decide on the weather. When the night temperature drops or, more simply put, frosts have already ended, but garden plants have not yet “come to life”. This is the ideal period for work.

Basic mistakes

Walnut pruning requires:

High-quality, sharpened tool. Dull pruners or files leave marks that damage the trunk.
Competent processing. The sections do not need to be lubricated with decoctions or paints, because this is not a grafting. The plant trunk will heal faster on its own.
Do not start work at low temperatures. When it is far from June outside the window, the branches of the nut are quite fragile and more difficult to remove.
Experiments. Yes, everything is according to the rules and regulations, but pruning a walnut is not a dry instruction. And only through experience can you “help” a tree in forming a crown. But you shouldn’t get carried away with pruning shears or a knife, otherwise the plant may die. As you get older, you can work at it a little harder.

More about the spring season

As already noted, after winter we try to form a walnut crown.

You can start working with a young plant only after reaching a certain height - this is 1.5 meters or more.

Moreover, the trunk itself is at least 80 centimeters. And the crown is approximately 60 cm or more. For proper formation in the future, it is enough to leave 10 skeletal branches. And the shoots need to be shortened by 20 centimeters.

Video: trimming walnuts:

What else would you like to do:

Remove standard shoots.
The center is cut only after fresh branches have formed.
Remove fattening shoots.

Scheme for pruning walnuts in spring:

Is it possible to process nuts in summer?

It is permissible to prune perennial walnuts in early summer. Approximately, this is mid-June. This period is characterized by less active sap flow. It is allowed to work on the crown, freeing the tree from branches that have grown inside.

But it is not advisable to touch a weak plant. Be sure to wait until the year the tree gains strength. Usually this is at least 2-4 years after planting. First, not 10, but only 5 shoots are formed on it, cutting off all the others in advance while the buds are swelling.

And on a two-year-old nut, all the branches are cut off, leaving only two buds. Moreover, one is the main one, the second is a backup one. And if both wake up, then only one is left. The next season follows the same pattern - only one kidney is left for the future. This is how they achieve good fruiting.

Even young trees have shoots cut off in the autumn season if they have grown above 60 cm. It is advisable to do this in September.

Pruning for rejuvenation

This procedure is needed on an adult tree, and is used when there is a noticeable tendency for the yield to decrease. And also, if the fetus is born smaller or non-standard shape. Here you need to wait for spring. And cut down those branches that have grown higher than the rest. They also cut off the crowns that grow inward. This is necessary to increase the amount of light, and it is much easier to collect nuts on branches of equal length.

Don’t forget about branches where there are lateral branches. They are also cut off. And in the future, new buds will appear, forming the correct shoots for a fresh crown.

It also happens that the nut gets frostbite and everything freezes to the root. In this case, you need to cut the trunk to the stump, and the plant will recover on its own. Over time, you can form a fresh crown, you just need to wait for new branches.

The frozen crown needs to be leveled. And on such trees, already in the warm season, it is not prohibited to treat small overgrowing branches. Many annual shoots can form on them. And this is the basis for the future harvest.

Formation of a walnut crown - video

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Walnut crown, like others fruit crops receives without proper care whole line major defects. It can often develop easily breaking forks with sharp corners, and the branches grow too long. They are poorly covered with lateral branches, do not thicken well, and droop, which reduces their strength. Due to the thickening of the crown, the death of fruiting shoots increases, and for this reason the yield of the tree decreases. In addition, preventive work to combat and, as well as fruit collection, becomes difficult.

Walnut pruning is necessary to form a crown of the correct shape, increase the volume of the harvest and the quality of the fruit, and regulate the growth of the tree.

This work is carried out in autumn, spring or summer. To do this, use a clean, well-sharpened knife so that the cuts are even, otherwise you can harm the plant. In the spring, pruning begins in March-April, when there is no threat of late frosts, but the plant is still dormant. At this time, the plant will more easily tolerate the removal of shoots, and the wounds will heal quite quickly. It is impossible to form a crown when low temperatures when branches become brittle and difficult to remove.

In spring, special importance is paid to the formation of the crown of a young seedling. The plant is pruned when it reaches a height of 1.5 m. The stem after this should be about 80-90 cm, the crown - 50-60 cm. When forming the crown, no more than 10 skeletal branches are left. The shoots are shortened by 20 cm. The standard shoots are removed. After the new branches are fully formed, the central conductor is cut off above the top branch. At the 4th year of a tree’s life, the crown is considered fully formed. In subsequent years, dry, excess branches and fattening shoots are pruned.

Walnut pruning in summer is done in mid-to-late July, when sap flow is no longer so intense. The crown is freed from thickening and growing branches.

On young plant form a crown of 5 shoots, removing the excess ones at the bud stage. But you should not prune a weakened tree. We need to wait until it gains strength and transfer this work to next year. When pruning two-year-old trees, the branches are shortened to 2 buds, one of which will be the main one, and the second a reserve one. If both kidneys wake up, one of them is removed. The shoot formed from the second bud is also shortened to 2 buds during subsequent pruning. This work will contribute to good fruiting of the tree. If the shoots grow longer than 60 cm, they are shortened in September. In the formed main branches of young trees, the conductor is cut off at the topmost branch. At the end of August, young growths are cut back by 1/3. By this time, the shortened branch has already formed fruit buds and by winter they become lignified and become resistant to frost. Long branches tend to freeze.

Anti-aging pruning is required if the fruit yield has decreased significantly and the fruits are small and irregular shape. An adult nut is pruned in early spring. Branches located too high, as well as crowns growing inward, are cut down. Thus, they provide sufficient light penetration for the tree and ease of harvesting. In addition, branches are removed in places with lateral branches, directing their development to the sides. This will cause an influx of nutritious juices and the awakening of new buds, from which new shoots will eventually form. In the future, these shoots can be used to form a young fruit-bearing crown.

The video below will tell you more about how to trim walnuts:

Put on permanent place two- and three-year-old seedlings, since at this age the trees take root more easily, while older seedlings can go without growth for several years, forming root system. Walnut is not very picky about the soil; you have probably noticed this tree in all parts of the world, on a variety of soils. However, to obtain good harvest In the future, it is best to plant the tree in well-drained, fertile soil.

The hole for the seedling should be up to a meter deep and the same size wide. 2-3 buckets of humus and compost should be poured into the hole. Important point– it is imperative to cut off the main root, which extends vertically from the trunk.

By throwing pieces of stone or broken brick or gravel at the bottom of the hole, you stimulate the development of lateral roots, which are responsible for delivering nutrients to the fruits and branches.

In contrast, the nut is best shortened in summer period, in the second half of summer - at this time wounds heal much faster, and sap flow is much less. However, it doesn’t hurt to stock up on garden varnish to thoroughly cover the cuts. Pruning walnuts in the spring is also acceptable, but at this time weak or frostbitten branches are not yet visible, so in the spring you can carry out the initial pruning, freeing the crown from shading and growing inward branches, and complete it in the summer.

How to shape a crown - pruning step by step

In the first stage of growth young tree a crown of 4-5 branches can form. If the seedling is well rooted and showing growth, then there is no need to leave anything else on the tree except these shoots, removing the excess at the bud stage. If the tree is weakened, then leave everything as it is, but at the end of summer, free the crown from excess branches. in the second year, the emphasis is on shortening the branches to two buds - the main and reserve ones. If both wake up, then one of them needs to be removed.

From the remaining shoot a shoot of about 60 cm will grow; during subsequent pruning it should be shortened to two buds. The nut responds to such pruning by forming a crown for fruiting. If the shoots grow even larger, then they should be shortened by a few centimeters already in August. When the main branches have already been laid, the central conductor should be cut off above the top one. In the future, the skeletal and semi-skeletal branches should be systematically shortened by 15-20 cm, depending on the growth of the tree, and the standard shoots should be removed.