When is the best time to prune and shape plum blossoms?
Compared to the common introduction of green plants and flowers about when and how to prune and shape plum blossoms, the editor will introduce the following.
Plum blossoms, known as the "gentleman among flowers," have a long cultivation history in our country. Pruning and shaping are important aspects of plum cultivation management. Appropriate pruning not only promotes healthy growth but also enhances their ornamental value. So, when is the best time to prune and shape plum blossoms? What are the methods? This article will provide a detailed introduction.
I. The Best Time for Pruning and Shaping Plum Blossoms. The timing of pruning and shaping is crucial. Generally speaking, the best times are in spring and summer. Specifically:
1. Spring pruning: Pruning plum trees before they sprout in spring helps promote the growth of new branches, adjusts the tree shape, and improves the quality of flowering. The timing for spring pruning is usually from February to March when the plum trees have not yet sprouted, making it convenient to operate.
2. Summer pruning: Summer is a period of vigorous growth for plum trees. Pruning during this time can promote branch maturation, adjust the tree's vigor, and create favorable conditions for autumn flowering. The timing for summer pruning is usually from June to July when the plum trees grow rapidly, and the wounds after pruning heal easily.
II. Methods for Pruning and Shaping Plum Blossoms. The methods for pruning and shaping plum blossoms mainly include thinning branches, cutting back, reducing, and pulling branches, with specific operations as follows:
1. Thinning branches: Thinning branches involves removing dense, intersecting, disease- and pest-infested branches, and branches that affect ventilation and light within the plum tree canopy to reduce the density of branches inside the crown and improve lighting and ventilation conditions. The following points should be noted when thinning branches:
(1) The intensity of thinning should be moderate to avoid excessive thinning, which may affect the tree's vigor.
(2) When thinning, cut the branches from their base to avoid leaving stumps.
(3) Protect the wounds of the branches during thinning and apply园艺膏 (gardening ointment) to the cut ends.
2. Cutting back: Cutting back involves trimming the top of a plum branch to promote the germination of lateral buds and increase flowering branches. The following points should be noted when cutting back:
(1) The length of cutting back is usually 1/3 to 1/2 of the branch length.
(2) Choose full and strong-growing branches for cutting back.
(3) After cutting back, adjust the growth direction of the branches to ensure even distribution.
3. Reducing: Reducing involves cutting off a part of the plum branch to shorten its length, adjusting the tree shape, and improving flowering quality. The following points should be noted when reducing:
(1) The length of reduction is usually 1/3 to 1/2 of the branch length.
(2) Choose weaker-growing branches for reduction.
(3) After reducing, promptly treat the cut ends to prevent the invasion of diseases and pests.
4. Pulling branches: Pulling branches involves using tools such as ropes or wires to stretch the plum branches outward, changing their growth direction to increase the distance between branches and improve ventilation and light conditions. The following points should be noted when pulling branches:
(1) The angle of pulling should not be too large to avoid damaging the branches.
(2) Ensure that the growing points of the branches are not damaged when pulling.
(3) After pulling, regularly check to prevent the ropes or wires from becoming loose.
In summary, to achieve the desired results, it is important to master the timing and methods for pruning and shaping plum blossoms. Through reasonable pruning and shaping, plum trees not only grow more vigorously but also display higher ornamental value. It is hoped that this article can provide useful references for your plum cultivation.
The detailed explanation of when and how to prune and shape plum blossoms introduced above is for your reference and suggestion only!