In our gardens, we increasingly grow species and varieties from warmer climates, which may, unfortunately, freeze during extremely cold winters. Peaches, nectarines, many varieties of plums and even cherries are the plants most sensitive to low temperatures.
It was they who suffered the most during the passing winter, because in many parts of the country temperatures dropped to -25 or even -30 ° C.Fortunately, thick snow cover persisted throughout this time.Snow, an excellent insulator, protected tree roots, but mainly flower buds and young, one-year-old shoots were damaged, so some of the trees (e.g.peaches or nectarines) will not bear fruit at all.
Since we will not have fruit this year anyway, it is worth carrying out a radical rejuvenating cut.Without fear, we can reduce and lower the crown of the tree to the desired size, as well as cut the oldest branches.Frozen branches can be recognized by the brown color of the wood and the peeling bark. We cut them out completely to a he althy place.
Also in summer we check if the branch does not dry out. If there is a need, we remove diseased shoots by making another cut. It is not worth leaving them, as they are often infected with cancer of fruit trees or bark gangrene, which will make them grow and bear fruit poorly anyway.
Treatments after winter
In April you can clearly see how fruit trees and shrubs overwinter. Nail the protruding bark on the trunks with small nails, smear the bites by rodents with a fungicidal preparation, and cut out the frozen and non-developing shoots completely to a he althy place.
If the crown is cold …
If we notice that the majority of the above-ground part of the tree is cold, it does not mean that we have to remove the entire plant right away.In the case of young trees, several years old, it is enough to cut the crown with a ball, leaving only the trunk, which was under the snow and has not been damaged.
A tree with a he althy and strong root system can quickly regenerate damage. Young, strong shoots should grow from the buds sleeping on the left trunk, which will allow the tree to rebuild a new crown within 1-2 years.
