Features of pruning irgi
Irga is one of the most frost-resistant berry bushes, which is why it has become widespread throughout our country. The plant is able to withstand temperatures down to -50 degrees, as well as normally grow and bear fruit on depleted soils and problem soils. However, in order for the irga to develop properly and give a rich harvest, it must be regularly looked after.
Why is pruning necessary?
Pruning is considered an important agrotechnical event and has a huge impact on the development and productivity of plants. In addition, the shrub has high decorative properties, so regular crown formation is simply necessary. Otherwise, the irga runs the risk of turning into a shapeless green mass and will spoil the look of the garden with its carelessness.
In bushes that are not regularly pruned, yields are significantly reduced. This is due to the fact that the plant will have to spend a significant part of the nutrients and energy on the rapid growth of leaves, while in timely pruned bushes these forces will be directed to the formation of more ovaries and timely fruiting.
Another important argument in favor of pruning is to increase the level of insolation for not yet ripe berries.On an overgrown shrub, it is much more difficult for the sun's rays to break through to the fruits, and therefore the timing of their ripening is significantly shifted, and the berries themselves turn out to be quite small.
In addition, a too dense and tangled crown is an excellent environment for pests and reduces the plant's ability to resist various fungal diseases. In addition, a large amount of greenery does not allow the preparations sprayed in case of plant disease to penetrate deep into the crown.
Timing
The first pruning of the bush is done in the spring, in the second year after planting. At the same time, 6 large buds are left on each branch, and the rest are cut off. This will help the shrub rationally spend its strength and not waste it on the formation of excess green mass. Autumn swatch is carried out immediately after harvest. During this period, the crown of the plant is formed and the old dried branches are removed.
It is necessary to give the bush a beautiful shape every autumn, but you can perform anti-aging pruning every 3-4 years. The frequency of work in this case depends on the growing conditions of the plant, the yield and intensity of aging of the branches.
How to prune a plant?
A properly formed irga is a multi-stemmed bush, consisting of strong basal shoots. Weakened and broken branches are to be removed. There should be from 10 to 15 trunks of different ages in the bush, each of which should give at least one young growth. The remaining trunks are cut down at ground level, leaving only the strongest young shoots.After pruning large trunks to the root, the irga quickly grows with many new shoots growing from the root, so pruning a large number of branches should not be a concern.
The formation of irgi depends on the purpose and desired forms of the bush. If it is decided to grow compact young bushes, then the pruning process will resemble the formation of currant bushes, during which adult branches are cut out, and only young root shoots and 2-year-old branches are left.
If it is planned to grow a large ornamental bush, then three years after planting, all strong zero shoots are left at the plant, and the young shoots are cut off, while leaving two or three shoots necessary to renew the plant. In total, there are three types of pruning: shaping (decorative), sanitary and rejuvenating.
decorative
Such pruning does not cause difficulties even for beginner gardeners. The process of forming a crown is quite creative, so in this case you can afford to experiment moderately and form a crown in accordance with your ideas. In addition to being decorative, formative pruning allows the plant to receive more sunlight and makes it easier to access the fruits at harvest time. The pruning technique is quite simple: to give the crown a beautiful shape, it is necessary to cut the branches protruding from above and along the sides.
In addition to giving plants rounded or cone-shaped forms, decorative pruning of old bushes serves as an additional impetus for growing new branches, and also helps to remove dry and diseased shoots that were not removed during sanitary pruning. However, the latter applies more to adult bushes.On young plants, there are practically no branches damaged and affected by diseases, so the process of crown formation is reduced to trimming the crown to the desired height.
Sanitary
This pruning is carried out to remove diseased, frozen, dry and twisted branches that spoil the appearance of the shrub, and the diseased ones also pose a danger to healthy shoots. This type of pruning can be done at any stage of the plant's development, including flowering and fruiting. The process of removing affected branches should begin with a visual inspection of the entire plant, during which all parts that are to be removed should be noted. Then you need to cut off the marked processes one by one, and in addition to them, remove all branches that are intertwining and rubbing against each other.
In addition, during sanitary pruning, it is recommended to remove all shoots, as well as branches growing inside the bush. Such pruning should be performed annually and act in such a way that after each procedure 12-15 trunks remain in the bush, which in subsequent years, as they age and lose productivity, will be replaced by new ones.
Pruning of old branches should be done as close to the ground as possible. This is necessary so that short prunings do not spoil the decorative effect of the shrub and it is impossible to scratch them. After removing the old thick trunks, it is recommended that they be trimmed with charcoal or garden pitch. This will help the wound heal faster and prevent it from rotting.
Anti-aging
This pruning is an important step in caring for old plants and can significantly extend their life.A common mistake of many novice summer residents is the desire to cut down an unsightly clumsy plant without even trying to rejuvenate it. As a result, the shrub is destroyed, and it takes time to grow a new fruitful one. And even despite the fact that the irga is a fast-growing species, it will take several years to resume the fruiting of the garden.
Therefore, if there are old low-productive bushes on the site, it is often enough to cut them correctly, after which the plant comes to life and begins to bear fruit no worse than a young one. If the site was acquired relatively recently, and the owner cannot know exactly how old he got the bush, you can determine the need for rejuvenation by a number of indirect signs. So, if the irga, with abundant flowering, gives little yield or regular shedding of flowers and fruits occurs, this means that the time has come for rejuvenating pruning.
The removal of old branches is carried out according to the following scheme: the oldest and thickest branches are selected, shortened by 2/3 of the original length and immediately processed with charcoal. Then the central part of all the remaining branches is cut off to the first fork, as a result of which a magnificent, beautiful crown should be obtained.
At the same time, it should be ensured that more than 15 trunks do not come out of the ground in one bush. If their number is somewhat larger, it is recommended, at your discretion, to cut out the thickest and stiffest ones, leaving the strictly recommended amount. The height of the bush after rejuvenation should not exceed 2.5 m.
It is not necessary to leave too high a crown. This will make harvesting difficult and cause significant shading of neighboring plants. It is better to stop at a bush height of 2-2.3 m.
Aftercare
Irga does not require any special care after pruning.The plant is able to grow branches very quickly, so in some cases decorative pruning can be done twice a year. After each pruning, you only need to monitor the reproduction of shoots. Sometimes it happens that the growth of new branches occurs unevenly, because of which the bush begins to lean in one direction or another.
To avoid such distortions, it is recommended to tie the trimmed bushes with willow twigs or other material. The tying will help level the bush and prevent the young fledgling growth from bending under the weight of the fruit during harvest.
Regular pruning and proper crown formation will make the irga the main decoration of the garden and annually receive a rich harvest of delicious fruits.
You will learn about the autumn pruning of irgi from the following video.