The almond tree is one of the most beloved fruit trees: its incredible resistance to drought and its beautiful flowers that cover it almost completely, in addition to its delicious fruits, make it a fruit tree that practically everyone who lives in a more o less warm, they take the opportunity to plant one … or several. Although it is a tree that requires little maintenance once it is established (something that you will achieve in just a year), from time to time you have to trim the branches: not only to make it look more beautiful, but also to make it easier much easier to reach its delicious almonds. Find out when the almond trees are pruned .
In this article we are going to tell you when the almond trees are pruned and how you should do it.
Main characteristics of the almond tree
The almond tree , whose scientific name is Prunus dulcis , is one of the fruit trees that grows best in calcareous, clayey soil. It reaches a height of about 5m, although it can be taller if it is allowed to grow on its own. In cultivation they are normally kept at a height of 4m, as this way the gardener or gardener can ensure that he can collect all the almonds from the tree. But when are the almond trees pruned?
Well, since it is a deciduous tree, which means that it runs out of them in autumn until spring, it is highly recommended to prune it during those months, except in the middle of winter, preferably after all its leaves have fallen, or before let it resume its growth. However, there is a problem: the weather .
As you may have already noticed, the climate is changing. Winters are getting shorter and shorter, summers seem to ‘join’ with autumn … Anyway. All this directly influences plants : their growth, their rest,… So, how can I know when is the best time to prune an almond tree?
Well, we know the theory: in autumn or late winter. But sometimes you prune in February (if you are in the Northern Hemisphere) because the flowers are beginning to appear and a cold wave comes after a week, damaging the plant (not seriously). What to do in these cases? For the moment, I advise you to prune the leaves immediately or, if you want to wait, do it in spring, after the risk of frost has passed . You may be forced to prune this way in March, but then at least the almond tree will not suffer significant damage.
When are almond trees pruned
We know that each type of tree has specific characteristics that we must take into account in order to get the most out of fruit production. These conditions are what make the almond tree a highly produced tree in Spain and there are cultivation and pruning specialists who have been perfecting the techniques to be able to increase production. Knowing when the almond trees are pruned is of vital importance in the whole process of almond cultivation. Depending on the type of pruning and it is and the time of year to do it has been chosen well or not, production can be further optimized and healthy trees rich in almonds can be seen.
Pruning is necessary in all cases since it is not only a necessity from the production point of view, but it is also a beneficial activity for the health of these trees. And it is that when the almond trees are pruned, excessive ramifications are eliminated and the direction of the growth of the branches is corrected to offer a new opportunity to grow in a balanced way.
The improvement in the quality and quantity of production is a direct consequence of the good condition of the almond trees. We are going to see what are the different types of pruning that the almond tree has.
Types of pruning
There are basically 4 types of pruning that are used in the almond tree. Each one of them has a different objective and they take place at a different time of year. We are going to see what the different types of pruning are and when the almond trees are pruned.
When are almond trees pruned ?: formation pruning
It is one that is done when the tree is young and you want it to take a specific shape to grow in a balanced way. Thanks to this pruning , the almonds can then be collected more easily. Growth must be well controlled during the first few years for that approach correctly. More or less, it is the first 4 seasons that this type of pruning must be carried out to help the tree to have a consistent structure and have healthy branches.
Fruiting pruning
Once the first 4 seasons have passed , the tree needs to change. Each year suckers and extensions must be removed and the dead or weak branches removed so that the rest of the healthy branches can continue to grow as a force. Care must be taken to maintain the balance of the entire tree. The main objective is to be able to extend productivity and that the branches do not suffer.
Restoration pruning
It is the one that tries to recover the strength of the almond tree. We know that with the passage of time the almond tree loses strength and its branches age. Restoration pruning attempts to restart the production cycle and increase the generation of quality almonds. This pruning is more used for those diseased or healthy trees that are already in a period of aging. If the tree has too thick branches and they are already in decline, a very aggressive pruning must be done . The problem with this type of aggressive pruning is that the tree can end up dying.
Pruning in green
This type of pruning is carried out after the flowering process and the collection of the fruit. Shoots are usually thinned out and most of the new shoots are removed to avoid excessive branching.
What is the pruning season for the almond tree?
We are going to see which is the best time of year to know when the almond trees are pruned. It is necessary to take advantage of the moments in which the almond tree is not in vegetative growth or flowering process to carry out the pruning. We know that the rest time of the almond tree coincides with the beginning of autumn or the end of winter. In this way, the farmer ensures that the almond tree does not suffer from frosts that could harm it.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about when almond trees are pruned and how to do it.
