Overview
Tangerine trees provide an abundance of sweet, juicy fruit that can be enjoyed throughout the year. However, in order to ensure your tree produces an abundance of tangerines each season, it is important to properly prune your tree. Proper pruning helps encourage healthier growth and increases the number of quality fruits produced. This guide will discuss the basics of how to prune a tangerine tree so you can get more out of your citrus harvest.
Preparation
Before getting started with pruning a tangerine tree, there are some important preparations that need to be taken care of first:
1. Choose the right tools for the job: Pruners should have sharp blades that are able to make clean cuts through branches and stems without damaging them. It’s also best to choose long-handled tools if possible as they help reduce strain on your back and shoulders when reaching up into tall trees or across wide expanse branches.
2. Pick a day and time for pruning: Ideally choose a mild climate day with no wind or rain predicted for several hours afterwards will help prevent any additional damage from occurring after you’ve finished up with trimming off excess limbs or branches from your tree.
3 Deadhead flowers: To promote fruiting instead of flowering it is important that all flowers are removed before starting any other type of trimming work on the plant itself (this includes buds as well). This step allows more energy towards growing fruit rather than putting time towards making new blossoms bloom which uses up valuable resources from within the plant itself during its already limited seasonality in many parts climates where tangerines grow best .
Pruning Steps
Once these preparation steps have been taken care off, it’s time to begin actual pruning work on our tangerine tree! Here’s what you’ll need to do next:
1 Remove deadwood/growth : Look over each branch carefully and remove any deadwood such as twigs or old leaves by cutting down at their base point until only healthy wood remains lessening chances disease spreading around rest vegetation nearby later down road if left unchecked now while still small issues . Additionally use this same technique look out any unproductive shoots which may appear bushy but yield little nothing edible wise due lack size maturity yet again – snip those away too!
2 Trim & shape : Now start shaping remaining foliage through careful trimming back excess foliage soit doesn’t overwhelm entirety surrounding area giving way potential pests like caterpillars taking home amongst tender new growth encouraged by proper TLC being shown here today Be sure leave enough room air circulation otherwise multiple infections could occur quickly resulting undesired outcomes via blocked pathways much needed airflow when things heat summer months come around . Finally remember don’t forget about height either – most people want nice even canopy above theirs heads not wild mess jumble every direction so keep monitoring shape overall crown taller varieties usually require checking once month two if allowed get bit out control again !
3 Check Suckers & Water Sprouts : Lastly check lower part trunk near soil line often called “sucker” these fast growing vertical stems actually sap nutrient stores away from existing roots starve parent plant own nutrition needs So nip them off quickly using pair secateurs just above ground level then spray antifungal solution onto wound ensure there no spread bacteria causing further detriment progress hopes maintaining healthy specimen future seasons enjoy ! Also try removing water sprouts which tend shoot straight upwards spindly branching habit unlike normal lateral growth typical mature specimens ; cut just beneath node juncture between stem leaflet allow better chance replacing inner branching structure steadies entire form while harvesting plenty sweet treats year round too boot !
Conclusion
With all these tips under our belt we’re ready go forth confidently tackle task ahead us Taking pride ownership our gardens brings host rewards both physically emotionally As always happy gardening everyone
