Many people are afraid to approach apricots with pruning shears, but proper pruning lays the foundation for the future harvest. The basic rules that will help form a strong and fruitful tree were told on March 15 author of the Ukrainian YouTube channel “Korysne TV”.
Basic Pruning Tips
- Follow the rule of the outer bud – always make a cut on the outer bud. This is necessary so that the tree grows in width, and not in height or inside the crown.
- Make the cut 2 mm above the kidney – this way it will heal the fastest.
- For fruiting, shorten the side branches to 30 cm (slightly longer than the length of the pruning shears). This stimulates the appearance of branches and fruit buds.
- Leave the leader (the most powerful shoot) longer – about 50 cm (the size of two pruners).
- Eliminate competitors. If there is a branch of almost the same size growing next to the leader, shorten it to 30 cm so that it does not take away nutrition from the main shoot.
- First of all, cut out everything that grows inside the crown, crosses or rubs against each other.
Important nuances and life hacks
- Work for the future. Pruning in the spring of 2026 sets the stage for the harvest for 2027. Remember that the buds need a whole season to form and become fruit bearing. Autumn pruning does not give this effect, since the tree is dormant.
- Fruit buds are thicker and crowded (collected in groups), while growth buds are single and directed straight upward.
- Regular pruning and high-quality early treatment with copper-containing preparations can minimize the use of fungicides in summer.
How to trim
If you prune annually, you will only need pruning shears. Sections up to 1 cm tighten themselves and do not require putty.
