The main objective of pruning is to achieve a balance between vegetative and productive growth.
Although we are in the middle of winter, a period in which cherry trees are experiencing their deepest period of dormancy, there are a series of tasks that are essential to carry out during the dormancy of the plants. Among them, renewal pruning and load regulation are essential, whether for new orchards or those that are already productive, even plots with aged plants.
What is the main objective of these two important agronomic practices? To reduce the fruit load and renew reproductive structures annually, which will allow controlling an excess of fruit that could be harmful, both for the plant and for the quality and size of the fruit, as well as an early deterioration of the productivity of the orchards.
However, when carrying out these tasks, it is extremely important to have detailed technical information about the orchards to be worked on; climatic data, the health condition of the orchard, the level of productive load for the season, among other factors, will be determining factors when defining how to prune, what the expected effects of this work will be, and the impact on the productivity or development of the new project, in the case of new orchards.
With the above in mind and carrying out correct winter pruning, it is possible to renew reproductive structures, regulate the fruit load, maintain and improve the vigor of the plants and optimize the entry of light, achieving an adequate distribution of it within the canopy of the cherry trees.
It is always necessary to consider that this work should ideally be carried out away from a period of frost, because the "wounds" left by the pruning itself do not heal immediately and this, in the event of temperatures below -0.5 degrees for more than an hour, could have adverse effects, such as rot, etc., especially if phytosanitary treatments are not carried out and the pruning wounds affect the main branches of the tree.
Adult orchards vs. young orchards
While in new orchards winter pruning aims to provide a balanced and optimal structure to the plants, thinking about the future productivity of these new projects, and aiming, of course, for this to be as optimal as possible, in adult orchards the purpose of this task may vary.
It should not be forgotten that the main objective of pruning is to achieve a balance between vegetative and productive growth, even in aged orchards, where it has been proven that intense pruning in winter in this type of plants allows their renewal.
As Avium SpA has been able to confirm, systematically removing all the branches from one side of the plant has had excellent results. This involves intense pruning on one side of the tree, in a non-selective manner, leaving a kind of “block” of branches, approximately 30 centimetres long; while on the other side a gentle pruning must be carried out, removing only the most vigorous and useless structures.
(suckers).
The aim of this intensive pruning is to ensure that every time a branch is removed, there is a renewal response of at least 60 centimetres, which will allow it to be projected as a new productive branch in the future.
In the case of orchards with poor structure, a reduced supply of fruit centres and limited productive potential, this strategy allows for a rapid renewal of the supply of branches and, consequently, the improvement of fruit centres and productive potential.
Winter pruning, or dormancy pruning, should be carried out from the beginning of this latency period, marked by 50 percent of fallen leaves (yellow leaves = fallen leaves) until the appearance of the first flower, estimated for the first days of September; the conditions of the orchards must always be taken into account, to avoid the remedy being worse than the disease.
