Green pruning is a typical summer operation to be carried out on fruit trees, which integrates winter pruning and completes it effectively. Its name derives from the fact that it is performed just when the plant is in its vegetative period and the resulting benefits are numerous: in addition to allowing aesthetic results to be obtained and to model the shape of the tree, this type of thinning has a positive impact on production, both for the current year and the following seasons.
Thanks to the wide range of Campagnola pruning tools, It Is even easier to carry out this operation. But what are the advantages of green pruning and what are the techniques to perform it? Let’s find it out together.
What is green pruning for?
The essential purpose of green pruning is to act on the vegetative development of the plant, in order to select the portions of the crown being most suitable for production and concentrate the plant structure resources of the structure on the most fruiting branches.
In order to favor a good ripening of the fruits, it is important to contribute to the maintenance of a correct microclimate of the foliage: green pruning allows to create a better lighting of the branches, even those located in its innermost parts. This positively impacts on the fruit quality, size, as well as color and flavor.
The aeration of the plant resulting from this type of summer pruning is also an excellent strategy to face cryptogamic diseases, as well as an opportunity to eliminate any branches being already affected by similar pathogens.
A well-executed pruning also contributes to maintain the desired size of the fruit plant, satisfying the specific needs of the grower.
Green pruning: techniques and tools to perform it
Green pruning is a light pruning that can be done from the beginning of the vegetative phase until about the middle of September. Although it is practicable on any fruit plant, it is especially recommended for cherry, peach, plum, apricot or kiwi trees, as well as for the maintenance of vineyards and citrus trees.
Basically, there are two types of green pruning: for production and for breeding. As already mentioned, green pruning for production is intended to limit the vegetative development of the plant and of increasing the ventilation and brightness of its foliage.
The topping of the upper part of the tree, as well as of its main branches, is essential to limit its vegetative growth in favor of fruiting and is easily implemented thanks to the help of professional and easy-to-handle Campagnola chain pruners, such as the electric Kronos 58 with the battery in the backpack or the models, such as T-Rex and T-Fox, characterized by a plugged-in battery, small dimensions, a great power and a high cutting speed.
To then proceed with a correct thinning of the foliage, unproductive branches, such as those positioned incorrectly or those excessively robust and not useful for fruiting, can be eliminated: the Campagnola lines of pruning shears provide all the necessary equipment for a quick and professional intervention.
Those who want to operate without the use of PTO or engine-driven compressors can count on the performance of electric solutions powered by a lithium-ion battery in a backpack, such as Cobra Pro, characterized by long autonomy and high cutting capacity. On the other hand, those who do not want to give up complete freedom of movement can rely on the Green Line electric shears equipped with plug-in lithium-ion batteries, such as Stark M and Stark L: handy, lightweight and fast tools, they are perfect allies for working on fruit trees.
The elimination of aftershoots is another fundamental phase of green pruning, as it allows the operator to remove unnecessary formations that could steal precious nutrients from the plant.
Green pruning for breeding, on the other hand, involves younger plants and aims at balancing their development and speed up their entry into production, supporting the branches of their most productive structure. For precise interventions, Campagnola has also a wide range of electric and pneumatic shears and loppers, which you can discover on our website.
In any case, it is important to consider that, before carrying out green pruning, it is essential to analyze the characteristics of the single fruit tree and to plan each action around its specific needs.
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