Turnip pruning (Modifield Leader)
One of the most used types of fruit tree pruning is turnip pruning. In this form of training, no branch will continuously assume the position of leader (scout or central) and as soon as a branch dominates the other branches and becomes bigger than them and assumes the status of a scout, its end should be cut off and the scout handed over to other branches.
This training method makes the tree have strong branches in all its sides and shows a very high resistance and tolerance against external pressures such as snow and storm. In buckthorn tree pruning, after the seedling has become a branch, we cut its head at a distance of 180-150 cm from the ground and during the sleeping season.
This seedling produces a number of sub-branches during the growing season the following year. In the winter of the following year, select 3 to 5 suitable sub-branches in different directions that are at a suitable distance from each other as the main arms of the tree, and remove the rest of the branches that have closed angles (relative to the main trunk) or deformed branches. We remove the bottom part of the branch. (Complete removal without heel)
The selected branches form the main skeleton of the tree in the future. This action is better to be done during the cultivation of seedlings in the nursery. If the length of the selected branches is more than 30 cm, it is shortened by pruning and the length of the branch is about 25-30 cm. If the length of the selected branch is less than 30 cm, there is no need for pruning. It will be postponed to next year.
As mentioned, in this type of pruning, the height of the tree is limited and the crown of the tree is expanded. Fruit trees that are pruned in the shape of turnips have strong branches that are more resistant to external pressures. Fruit trees such as apples, pears, persimmons, apricots, almonds, walnuts and pistachios can be cultivated in the form of turnips.
It is better to open the angles of the branches after pruning with the help of the pruned branches, which later form the main skeleton of the plant. Also, to open the angle of the branch, 100 to 150 cm sticks can be inserted into the soil around the tree, and the branches that should find a wider angle can be tied to those sticks with the help of thread.
Opening the angle of the branches leads to the acceleration of fruiting and also makes the branches resist and break against the large crop of the following years.
This post is written by mn69amd