Pruning The Trees

Pruning is not an entirely artificial operation as one might at first

thought suppose. It is one of nature's most common processes. Nature

accomplishes this result through the principle of competition, by

starting many more trees on a given area than can possibly survive. In

the same way there is a surplus of buds and branches on each

individual tree. It is only by the crowding out and the perishing of

many buds, branches, and trees that others are enabled to reach

maturity and fulfill their purpose. This being too slow and too

expensive a process for him, man accomplishes in a day with the knife

and saw what nature is years in doing by crowding, shading, and

competition. Proper pruning is really an improvement on nature's

method.



Neither is it true, as some claim, that pruning is a devitalizing

process. On the contrary it is often stimulating and may actually

increase the vigor of a weak or declining tree. All practical

experience teaches us that pruning is a reasonable, necessary, and

advantageous process. True, it is often overdone, and improperly done.

As in many other things, certain fundamental principles underlie and

should govern practice. When these are known and observed, pruning

becomes a more simple matter.



Heavy pruning during the dormant or winter season stimulates the

growth and tends to increase the production of wood. In the same way

pruning during the summer or growing season stimulates the growth and

tends to induce fruitfulness, if the tree remains healthy. But this

fruitfulness is apt to be at the expense of the vigor of the tree. On

the other hand, the pruning of the roots of a tree tends to check the

growth of wood, the same as poor feeding. As above noted heading back

a tree when dormant tends to stimulate it to a more vigorous growth.



The habit of growth of a variety has much to do with its pruning. Some

varieties of apples are upright, others are spreading growers. Climate

and locality greatly affect these habits of growth. So also the habit

of a young tree often differs from the habit of the same tree in old

age. The tendency is for a tree to continue its growth from its

uppermost or terminal buds. Although the heading in of new growth

checks this upward tendency and throws the energy of the tree into the

development of lateral and dormant buds, nevertheless the pruned tree

soon resumes its natural upward growing habit.



Plant food is taken up by the minute tree rootlets in solution and

carried to the leaves where it is elaborated and then returned for use

to the growing tissues of the tree. Whenever there is any obstruction

above a bud the tendency is to throw the energy of the branch into a

lateral bud, but if the obstruction is below the bud the branch merely

thickens and growth is checked. When too heavy pruning is practiced

the balance between the roots and top is disturbed. This usually

results in what are commonly known as "suckers." These are caused by

an abnormal condition and while they may be the result of disease or

injury to the tree, they are often of great value in restoring or

readjusting the proper balance between the roots and top.



Pruning a tree is a way of thinning the fruit and a good one. It may

sometimes be used to influence the bearing year of trees like the

Baldwin, which have an alternate bearing habit, but this is a more

theoretical than practical method. Fruit bearing is determined more by

the habitual performance of the tree than by any method of pruning,

and this is especially true of old trees. It is easier to influence

young trees. Conditions which tend to produce heavy wood growth are

unfavorable for the formation and development of fruit buds. A

quiescent state is a better condition for this.