Fruitwood - definition
Collective term in Fruit tree pruning for all subordinate shoots within the branch hierarchy of a crown that bear flowers and fruits.
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- Summer pruning on the fruit tree ensures a particularly large amount of fruit wood
- What is a bouquet drive? - Information about a special branch
- Important for growth habit, health and fruit development - the upbringing pruning for the fruit tree
By definition, fruit wood is not part of the permanent framework of fruit trees. The branches can grow old over time, bearing smaller and smaller fruits. Because of this, older fruitwood becomes one Fruit woodcut which aims at the growth of young fruit shoots.
When and where does fruit wood form in the crown? - Example apple tree
In the cultivation of fruit trees, it takes a little patience until the first fruit wood develops in the crown. Although a large part of pruning is aimed at the growth of fruit branches, wood occupies a subordinate position in the branch hierarchy. The following chronological sequence uses the apple tree as an example to illustrate when and where the first fruit wood usually appears in a
Round crown arises:- Duration of upbringing until the first apple harvest: an average of 4 to 12 years, depending on the height of growth
- In the first years of standing: growth of trunk, trunk extension and 3 to 5 leading branches
- Side branches thrive as scaffolding branches on the main branches
- The first fruit branches sprout from the permanent side branches, each with one Flower bud
- In the following year the fruit branches branch out to fruit wood with flowers and fruits
This growth behavior can be transferred to most fruit tree species in the home garden in a modified process. Regardless of the differences between stone and pome fruit, you can only do so with the growth of fruit wood Expect when a stable crown structure has developed with fruit branches that turn into fruit wood branch.
The best fruit wood is carried by an apple tree on the short fruit skewers that come from the two-year-old fruit branches. Only a well thought-out system of main and side shoots creates the basis for the growth of fruit wood.
Special forms of fruit wood - a brief overview
When reading instructions on all aspects of fruit tree pruning, you will come across various technical terms that are directly related to fruit wood. We have compiled the most common terms with information on their meaning for you below:
- Fruit skewer: very short, annual side shoot on a biennial or perennial branch with a terminal flower bud
- Bouquet: short shoots with numerous flower buds appearing on stone fruit
- Fruit rod: biennial rod with flower buds, which arises from last year's water shoot
The fruit cake plays an important role. Specifically, it denotes fruit wood with noticeable thickening. The thickenings mark the places where the stalks of fruits were in the previous year. Every fruit cake has the potential to produce fresh fruit wood and new fruit skewers. When pruning the fruit tree professionally, care should be taken to leave enough fruit cake on the tree.
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Tips
Is the waiting time for the first fruit wood, up to 12 years, much too long for you? Then simply raise your fruit tree as a spindle tree. On a single scaffold shoot as a mini trunk, all side shoots thrive as fruit wood. Under normal conditions, you can harvest the first fruits on an apple spindle after just 2 years.
