The flowering crabapple is one of China's traditional famous flowers. Its flowers are vibrant and long-lasting, making it beloved by many gardening enthusiasts. However, how to properly prune a flowering crabapple to make it grow more lush and have a longer flowering period is a puzzle for many people. This article will provide a detailed introduction to the pruning time, tools, methods, and precautions for flowering crabapples to help everyone solve this problem.
Pruning Time for Flowering Crabapples
The pruning time for flowering crabapples is very important and is generally done in spring and autumn. Spring is suitable for light pruning, mainly to remove unhealthy parts such as withered and diseased leaves, as well as for shaping. Autumn is suitable for heavy pruning, mainly to prune the entire canopy to make the tree shape more beautiful.
Tools for Pruning Flowering Crabapples
There are many tools needed for pruning flowering crabapples, such as pruning shears, a steam sterilizer, a pruning saw, gloves, etc. Pruning shears are generally used for pruning small branches with a diameter of no more than 1 cm, while a pruning saw is suitable for thicker branches.
Pruning Methods for Flowering Crabapples
The pruning methods for flowering crabapples mainly include: removing withered, diseased, and pest-infested leaves, shaping pruning, heading back pruning, and topping. Among them, removing withered, diseased, and pest-infested leaves can effectively prevent the spread of diseases. Shaping pruning can make the crabapple tree more aesthetically pleasing. Heading back pruning can promote the growth of new branches. Topping can make the flowering crabapple fuller.
Precautions for Pruning Flowering Crabapples
When pruning flowering crabapples, pay attention to the following points: First, always use clean tools to avoid spreading diseases. Second, before pruning, determine the location and strength of the cuts to avoid over-pruning or under-pruning. Third, be sure to protect the roots of the crabapple to avoid causing damage.
How to Perform Light Pruning
Light pruning is generally done in spring. Remove all withered, diseased, and pest-infested leaves to prevent the spread of diseases. Perform shaping pruning to trim the canopy into an aesthetically pleasing shape. Perform heading back pruning to cut off some unhealthy or overly dense small branches.
How to Perform Heavy Pruning
Heavy pruning is generally done in autumn. Prune the entire canopy, cutting off strong branches to make the tree shape more beautiful. Perform topping by cutting off the top of the tree to promote the growth of new branches. You can perform a small amount of heading back pruning to improve the tree's air circulation.
How to Prune Dry Branches of Flowering Crabapples
Pruning dry branches of a flowering crabapple requires a pruning saw. First, saw the dry branches into small sections of 5-10 cm, and then use pruning shears to trim them to the appropriate length. This can avoid damaging the tree when directly using pruning shears.
How to Prune Side Branches of Flowering Crabapples
To prune the side branches of a flowering crabapple, you can use heading back pruning to cut off small branches that are no more than 2 cm long. This can make the flowering crabapple more aesthetically pleasing.
How to Perform Shaping Pruning
Shaping pruning is to make the canopy of the flowering crabapple more beautiful. You can first trim the canopy to an appropriate size, and then trim it further to make its shape more aesthetically pleasing.
How to Perform Topping
Topping is to promote the growth of new branches on the flowering crabapple. You can cut off the top of the tree to make the flowering crabapple fuller. It should be noted that do not cut the top too short, as this may affect the growth of the crabapple.
How to Perform Heading Back Pruning
Heading back pruning is to promote the growth of new branches on the flowering crabapple. You can cut off unhealthy or overly dense small branches to improve the tree's air circulation. It should be noted that do not cut off too many small branches, as this may affect the growth of the crabapple.
How to Avoid Accidentally Damaging the Roots
When pruning a flowering crabapple, be sure to protect its roots to avoid accidental damage. You can loosen the soil with a shovel before pruning to better observe the location of the crabapple's roots.
How to Control Pests
Flowering crabapples are susceptible to pests such as aphids and powdery mildew. You can use a spray made from plant ash water or tobacco water, or use insecticides for control.
How to Control Diseases
Flowering crabapples are susceptible to diseases such as black spot and powdery mildew. You can use agents such as glufosinate-ammonium and carbendazim for control.
Through this article, we can learn about the pruning time, tools, methods, and precautions for flowering crabapples. Only by pruning the flowering crabapple correctly can it grow more lush and have a longer flowering period. Let's cherish this beautiful flower together.