Plastic pruning is a very important technical measure in the cultivation and management of Zanthoxylum bungeanum. In the past, most of Zanthoxylum bungeanum were not pruned and allowed to grow naturally, so the crown was often closed, the branches were messy, and the ventilation and light transmission in the crown were poor, which led to the breeding of pests and diseases, the tree vigor gradually weakened, the yield decreased and the quality decreased. When will the pepper tree be pruned? How to prune to get higher yield?

The main functions of pruning are as follows: first, it is conducive to growth and fruit, and improves yield. Second, pruning can improve lighting conditions and prevent pests and diseases.

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Pruning principle of pepper

When pruning pepper, we should grasp a principle: less main branches and more branchlets. Generally, 3 ~ 5 main branches can be left, and the branchlets are fruiting branches, so that the distribution of branches and side branches is reasonable and even.

Pruning time of pepper tree

Young trees and fruit trees in full fruit should be pruned after harvesting in autumn, and weak trees and old trees should be pruned after germination in spring. Pruning branches in winter is easy to freeze and dry up, and pruning trees in spring in full fruit period is easy to reduce production due to excessive bleeding. When pruning, we must adopt corresponding pruning methods according to different varieties, tree ages and tree vigor, pay attention to the combination of thinning and shrinkage, cut less and shorter, weaken the retention strength, and sparse strong buds.

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Pruning method of pepper tree

1, young tree stage

1? 3 years, at this time, it is mainly plastic surgery, and trees have natural happy and clustered shapes.

(1) clustering tree

After planting and before germination, the stubble should be leveled at a distance of 10 ~ 15 cm from the ground, and 3 ~ 5 branches with ideal orientation should be taken as the main branches (the bottom angle is 60? About). The opening angle of other branches is temporarily used to support the main branch, and it is removed when cutting in winter. Select 3 ~ 4 lateral branches on each main branch, and the cultivation and selection of lateral branches are the same as those of natural plastic surgery. Plastic surgery is completed in 3 ~ 4 years.

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(2) The shape of natural happiness

The tree is divided into three main branches on the trunk, with two or three lateral branches alternately arranged on both sides of each main branch, and each main branch and lateral branch is equipped with large, medium and small branches to form a plump and balanced crown. The tree shape conforms to the natural characteristics of pepper. Before germination after planting, the stem is fixed, and the height is generally 30-50cm. In the second year, when the main branch extends to 60cm away from the first side branch, the second side branch is cultured by coring. 30-40cm away from the first lateral branch, in the opposite direction, the method is the same as in the first year, and the third and fourth lateral branches are cultured by analogy. According to the size of the space, cultivate the middle branchlets. For the extended branches of the main branch and other leafy branches, pick the core lightly in late May or early July, squat down the inner cavity branches and enrich the branches and buds. When pruning in winter, the over-dense auxiliary branches and competitive branches are thinned or shrunk, and the core is taken at an appropriate position, and the shaping process is completed in 3-4 years.