Introduction:
Gardening, especially growing trees, is a process that requires time, patience, and a proper guide to ensure success. When you start out, you might encounter a few struggles, but with the right knowledge, the joy of seeing your plants flourish is a wonderful experience. One of the first things to understand is the importance of pruning and shaping the trees properly from the beginning. Unpruned trees can grow in stark directions, making it harder for them to bear fruit in the future. For new gardeners, it’s crucial to avoid mistakes like leaving trees unshaped or pruned wrongly, as this can affect their growth over years.
The shipping and packing process of trees from a nursery can also affect their health. It’s important to ensure that the trees arrive in good condition, so they don’t struggle during the early stages of growth. Whether it’s a small sapling or a more mature tree, the training of branches, especially in the first years, helps the tree grow in the desired shape. If you’re dealing with a drought, it becomes even more important to be patient and allow your trees the time they need to adjust and thrive. With a little effort and care, the effort invested will reward you with years of enjoyment and growth.
How to Prune Fruit Trees?
Pruning fruit trees is key for their health and fruit production. Best done in late winter or early spring, it helps the tree heal and prevents disease. Use sharp tools, like pruners for small branches and saws for large ones, and sterilize them to avoid spreading infections. Common pruning styles include the Central Leader Form, which promotes vertical growth, and the Open Center Form, allowing better sunlight and airflow. Regular pruning ensures better fruit quality and tree strength.
Why Prune Fruit Trees
Pruning is a crucial practice for ensuring the overall health and strength of your fruit-laden trees. There are several reasons why pruning is essential, especially when it comes to promoting the production of high-quality fruits. When trees are properly pruned, they have better air circulation and sunlight exposure, which helps them grow stronger and healthier.
This process reduces the risk of diseases and pest infestations, as well as prevents the spread of damaged or dead branches. Over time, this makes the tree more resistant to stress and helps increase its ability to bear large fruits.
One of the key benefits of pruning is that it helps maintain a tree’s shape and keeps the branches in good structural form. When trees are young, pruning encourages better branching and ensures the development of a strong framework for the future.
As the tree matures, regular pruning ensures that the branches are not overcrowded, and the tree has enough space for its fruits to grow to their full potential. This leads to better quality, larger fruits, and an earlier harvest. Pruning also helps the tree reach its full height without growing too tall or out of control, making it easier to harvest the fruits when the time comes.
In addition to improving fruit quality and size, pruning also encourages healthier growth by removing any damaged, diseased, or dead wood that can affect the tree’s vitality. Controlling the tree’s shape and structure through pruning also prevents the development of weak or tangled branches that could break under the weight of the fruit.
Prop the tree with strong supports if necessary to avoid damaging branches during the harvest. Proper pruning ultimately leads to more productive trees and a better harvest year after year.
When to Prune Fruit Trees
Pruning fruit trees at the right time is essential for promoting healthy growth and maximizing their potential. The best time to prune is during late winter or early spring, before the tree begins to grow new buds. This allows the tree to heal from the cuts quickly and prevents the spread of diseases like fungal or bacterial infections.
Winter pruning also minimizes the risk of frost damage, as it reduces the exposure of damaged or dead wood to the cold. For trees that have been established for a year or more, you can also prune lightly in summer or fall, but avoid cutting during mid-summer when the tree is in full growth, as this can stress it and affect its health.
When pruning, focus on removing undesirable or damaged branches, like dead wood or diseased limbs. This allows the tree to allocate more resources to healthy growth and the development of desirable buds and fruit. Cutting away sterile or unproductive wood helps the tree grow more efficiently, improving fruit size and quality.
If you notice heavy growth in certain areas, it’s a good idea to prune to allow space for better air circulation and sunlight. This keeps the tree healthy and minimizes the risk of pests and diseases, making it more susceptible to producing sweet fruits like cherries and other delicious varieties
What to Prune Fruit Trees With
1. When pruning fruit trees, using the right tools is crucial to avoid unnecessary damage and ensure clean cuts. For small branches or twigs, sharp hand pruners are ideal as they offer precision and control. For slightly thicker branches, loppers provide extra leverage, making the job easier.
For large branches, a saw might be necessary, especially for those that are too thick for pruners or loppers. Ensure that all your tools are in good condition and sharp to reduce the risk of bruised or torn wood, which can lead to infection or diseases.
2. Before using any pruning equipment, it’s important to sterilize your tools to prevent the spread of infection between trees. Simply clean them with soapy water and then wipe them down with a disinfectant solution. This helps to prevent the transfer of harmful bacterial or fungal spores.
It’s also a good idea to clean the tools regularly, especially after cutting damaged or diseased branches, to ensure that you are not carrying over any unwanted pathogens to healthy parts of your tree.
How to Prune Fruit Trees?
Step 1: Choose Your Training System
Central Leader Form:
The Central Leader Form is a way to train fruit trees to grow with a single main stem, helping them develop strong, healthy forms. This method allows the tree to focus its energy on growing upwards, making it easier for the tree to bear fruit more easily and abundantly.
By pruning and training certain branches to grow outward, you create a structure where sunlight and air can circulate, promoting better overall growth. This form is especially effective for trees that are expected to produce large quantities of fruit, as it helps them develop in a way that maximizes their potential.
Modified Central Leader Form:
The Modified Central Leader Form is an adjustment of the traditional central leader method, designed to promote more balanced growth. This form encourages the tree to grow vertically, with a strong, sturdy trunk that supports branches growing in various directions, including both lateral and upright.
For example, when growing apples, peaches, or plums, you can prune the tree to remove certain branches that may overcrowd, allowing light to penetrate to all areas. This way, the tree can develop a pyramid-shaped canopy, which maximizes space for fruit production while allowing enough airflow and sunlight to reach each part of the tree.
By using the Modified Central Leader Form, trees like cherries, nectarine, and apricot can bear more fruit because the structure helps each branch get the necessary resources for strong growth. The key is to train the tree with selected branches that grow horizontally, creating a balance between the central leader and side branches.
Whether you’re growing figs, pears, or even pecan trees, this method ensures a productive harvest of sweet fruit, all while maintaining a compact yet efficient tree shape. Regular pruning of unwanted limbs helps achieve a well-shaped tree that is easier to manage. The compass of pruning should guide you toward creating a balanced tree structure, ensuring your trees grow in the right direction for years to come.
Open Center Form:
1. The Open Center Form is a popular tree-shaping technique that encourages growth in a vase-like structure, where the center of the tree remains open. This method is ideal for trees like peach, plum, nectarine, and apricot, which benefit from the free flow of sunlight and air throughout the tree.
By pruning the central leader and focusing on the branches that grow outward, you create a shape that allows better exposure to light for the lower leaves, helping the tree grow stronger and healthier. The goal is to ensure that the tree has enough space for sunlight to enter the center, creating the right environment for fruit production.
2. Trees like pomegranate, pear, and cherry thrive in this form because it reduces the risk of weaker growth and allows for better shade control, especially for trees grown in warmer climates. The open structure also helps prevent overcrowding, which can restrict airflow and lead to disease.
With careful pruning, the upper branches remain well-formed while the lower part of the tree is left open to receive light. The open center design works well for trees like olive and persimmon, ensuring they have a strong structure for healthy growth and abundant fruit.
Espalier Training:
Espalier training is a unique and effective way to grow fruit trees in a structured, two-dimensional form, perfect for saving space and creating an attractive display. By choosing a central leader and using wooden posts or stakes, you can train the tree to grow vertically and guide its branches into a specific pattern.
The branches are carefully fastened to wires or tape, helping them grow at the desired angles, either vertically or horizontally. Over time, you’ll cut and manage the shoots to maintain their form, spacing them inches apart to ensure a balanced shape. This technique is great for trees like apple, pear, and cherry, ensuring they grow strong and productive.
To start the espalier process, select the most vigorous buds or shoots and carefully train them along the supports. As the tree develops, you may need to adjust the wires or sticks to help it grow in the desired shape, avoiding overcrowding. The goal is to ensure the branches grow at the proper height and that sunlight can reach the leaves effectively.
This method allows for wider fruit production, especially for trees grown in limited spaces, and provides a stronger structure to bear fruit without the tree becoming stiff or damaged. The branches will eventually be able to support the weight of the fruit, making the tree more productive and easier to manage.
Step 2: Prune Based on Your Chosen Training System
Central Leader Training:
The central leader training method is ideal for trees that you want to grow with a strong, vertical structure. To train the tree, you begin by selecting a leader branch that will grow upright and become the main trunk. You remove any competing branches early in the process to avoid hindering the growth of your central trunk. This allows the leader to grow straight and tall, promoting a pyramidal shape.
As the tree develops, you will need to prune the lateral branches, ensuring they are evenly spaced around the leader to form a balanced scaffold. The branches should be trained at 45-60 degrees, creating an open structure for better sunlight and air circulation.
In late spring or early summer, after planting, prune the tree to stimulate growth and encourage the leader to remain the tallest branch. Any branches that grow too low or at awkward angles should be removed. By July, you may start to see the tree establish its form, and by fall, the shape will be clearer.
Regular cutting throughout the growing season will help promote healthy, upright growth, leading to a tree that is strong enough to bear fruit. Keep the branches spaced properly to maintain height and prevent overcrowding, ensuring that the tree has enough room to grow and flourish without interfering with the central leader. The result will be a well-formed tree that produces abundant fruit in the years to come.
Modified Central Leader Training:
In the modified central leader training method, a tree is developed with a central leader as the main trunk, but with a twist. Instead of just one main leader, multiple-leader branches are encouraged to grow at different levels, forming a strong, well-spaced scaffold.
This system helps the tree to develop more strength and support, especially as it matures and begins to bear fruit. The branches are trained to grow at proper angles to avoid the formation of weak crotches, ensuring that the tree is sturdy and can handle the weight of fruit over the years. As the tree grows, you’ll need to remove any competing branches to allow the leader and selected branches to dominate and develop properly.
By the time the tree has become established, it will have a robust and wider trunk that supports multiple-leader branches, all growing at the right angles. This training method is particularly useful for trees that are expected to produce high yields. The system encourages healthy growth while providing better air circulation and sunlight to all parts of the tree.
Regular pruning may be necessary to ensure the branches remain evenly spaced and that the trunk stays strong enough to support the fruit. Over the years, the leader and branches will grow with the structure and strength needed to support the tree’s long-term production.
Open Center Training:
1. he open center training method is all about shaping a tree so that it has a clear, open space in the middle. The process starts by cutting the leader early on, which encourages lateral branches to grow outwards. These branches are spaced evenly around the trunk to form a strong scaffold.
The goal is to remove any non-primary growth so that the tree’s primary branches have enough room to develop and grow without overcrowding each other. This method works best when done in early spring, when the tree is ready to grow. By creating this open center, it allows more light to reach all parts of the tree, improving airflow and reducing the risk of diseases.
2. As the tree matures, you’ll need to regularly remove any inward-growing branches to maintain that open shape. Over time, the branches will develop into a strong, evenly-spaced system that supports the tree’s health and fruit production. This method also encourages a sturdy, well-structured trunk as the branches are properly trained from the start.
The soil around the tree should be kept well-maintained to promote healthy growth, and with regular pruning, the tree will thrive season after season, providing good yields.
Step 3: Remove Dead, Diseased, or Damaged Limbs (3 D’s):
When caring for your trees or plants, it’s essential to regularly check for dead, damaged, or diseased parts, often referred to as the 3 D’s. These limbs can affect the overall health of the plant, so it’s important to cut them off as soon as they are identified. Dead wood will appear brittle, with a broken or rubbed appearance and a change in color.
Damaged branches may show signs of injury, while diseased ones might have visible spots or mold. These damaged limbs can prevent the plant from producing healthy buds and fruits, and they can also create a weight imbalance, making the plant more susceptible to broken limbs in the future.
When removing any of the 3 D’s, make sure to cut the affected area back to healthy wood, leaving as much of the healthy branch as possible. This will ensure the plant continues to grow strong and healthy. It’s a good idea to check these limbs regularly, especially after storms or harsh weather, to prevent any further damage. Proper care and attention will encourage your plant to thrive and produce better fruits in the long run.
Step 4: Prune Suckers:
Pruning suckers is an essential task for maintaining the health of your tree. These shoots, which typically grow from the base or near the trunk, can sap energy from the main plant, diverting nutrients that could go toward more important growth. If left unchecked, they can damage the tree and block sunlight from reaching the canopy.
Regularly removing suckers helps ensure your tree continues to thrive, as the energy is focused on growing strong branches instead of unnecessary shoots.
Just like you would wonder how long for seeds to germinate, timely care and attention to the tree’s needs, like pruning suckers, can make all the difference. By removing these unwanted shoots, you allow the tree to respond better, focusing its energy on developing a strong trunk and sturdy branches.
If you notice any suckers near the trunk, it’s best to prune them quickly to prevent further injury and encourage proper growth.
Step 5: Prune Downward, Upward, & Inward Growing Branches:
When you prune branches that grow downward, upward, or inward, you help maintain the tree’s shape and health. Branches growing in these directions can interfere with other parts of the tree, often causing damage or rubbing against each other, which can lead to disease.
For example, downward growing branches may weigh the tree down, affecting its ability to bear fruit properly. Similarly, upward and inward branches can block sunlight, which is crucial for healthy growth.
By carefully trimming these branches, you ensure that the tree focuses its energy on more productive growth, allowing it to thrive and bear the best fruit. When you notice branches that are competing for space or rub against each other, it’s essential to prune them to prevent further damage and encourage a stronger, healthier tree. Regular pruning also allows for better airflow, keeping your tree healthy for the long run.
Step 6: Prune the Whorls:
To prune the whorls, it’s important to identify the small branches that grow in clusters around the main stem. These branches often compete for nutrients and sunlight, weakening the tree. By removing the weakest and less healthy branches, you allow the strongest branches to thrive, ensuring that they receive the proper support and resources to grow.
Properly pruned whorls help the tree develop a more stable and productive structure, promoting overall tree health.
Step 7: Prune Back All Branches:
When you prune back all branches, it’s important to focus on cutting the small or weak ones, as they can hinder the tree’s overall growth. By cutting back the branches at the right location, you encourage the strongest and healthiest stems to grow. This allows the tree to develop in a balanced way, ensuring the thicker, more outward branches get enough support.
Pruning also helps the tree direct its energy toward producing flowers and buds in the upcoming season. Make sure the cuts are clean and made at the right angle for optimal recovery and growth. If you’re also looking to grow sun flowers, similar principles apply, where proper pruning ensures better access to sunlight for the plant’s healthy development.
Step 8: Thin the Buds:
To promote healthier fruiting, it’s crucial to thin the buds on your plants. When there are too many buds close together, they compete for resources, which can affect the weight and sugar levels of the fruit. By removing some of the buds and spacing them apart, you allow the remaining ones to develop better and reach their full potential.
This helps the plant focus its energy on producing high-quality fruit, leading to a better harvest with high sugar levels and healthier fruits.
Training and Managing Fruit Trees
Tree Training Systems Overview:
Tree training systems are essential for proper tree development and achieving high-quality crops. The program focuses on positioning the tree’s shoots and limbs in a way that encourages precocity and improves fruiting efficiency. Through careful pruning and removing unwanted growth, the tree can bear more loads without compromising its structure.
Intensive training from the beginning of the tree’s life helps build a strong architecture, supporting the tree as it matures. This approach not only promotes better crop yield but also reduces labor and ensures consistent growth during the summer months.
Fruiting Habits:
The fruiting habits of trees like apples, peach, plums, and pears rely heavily on the amount of light and exposure they receive. A well-developed canopy allows the right amount of light to reach the spurs and shoots, encouraging a productive bloom and a fruitful crop.
Proper thinning of the branches ensures that the tree doesn’t overburden itself with too much growth, allowing the wood to mature and support the best-quality fruit. For optimal penetration of light and nutrients, trees may need strategic cuts to open up their structure, especially for varieties like cherries. These practices help the tree’s habit of fruiting thrive as it matures and prepares for future harvests.
Pruning Tools:
When it comes to pruning trees, having the right tool is essential for making clean, effective cuts. For smaller branches, hand shears are useful, providing precision for young trees. For larger, thicker branches, a saw or long-handled shears comes in handy. These tools allow you to reach high areas, especially when using a ladder or stepladder to safely access the trees.
It’s important to always use a sturdy tool and ensure you have good training to avoid accidents while working on the ground or at height. For jobs that require firmly holding the tree in place, a stepladder or ladder can offer extra support to prevent accidents. Always remember to choose the right tool for the size of the branches to make the job easier and more efficient.
Pruning Specific Fruit Trees
Apple Trees:
When pruning apple trees, it’s important to manage the branches and limbs carefully to ensure healthy growth and a productive harvest. In early spring, before the tree begins to grow vigorously, remove any shoots that may compete with the central leader or the main structure.
This helps maintain an organized shape, such as an espalier or a simple bush-like form. If you’re growing trees along a trellis, you can tie the branches to stakes or a post to keep them upright and support their weight as they grow. Make sure the branches are spaced about 6-10 feet apart and keep them horizontal to maximize exposure to sunlight and improve the fruiting system.
As the trees mature, you can remove any dead or damaged wood. This encourages the tree to focus its energy on the most productive branches and promotes better fruit growth. If some branches grow too close together, thin them out to give each limb enough space to develop without overcrowding.
Pruning during the dormant season or late summer can help manage the tree’s overall structure and allow for better return in the following spring. Focus on keeping the branches between 18 to 30 inches from the ground to avoid unnecessary strain on the tree, ensuring it maintains a strong, balanced shape.
Pear Trees:
When growing pear trees, proper pruning is key to maximizing fruit size and maintaining a healthy tree. The central leader system is ideal for these trees, ensuring that the main trunk remains strong and vigorous while supporting upper limbs that spread horizontally.
As the tree matures, it’s important to remove any suckers or long shoots that could reduce fruit production by taking energy away from the spurs that bear fruit. Pruning during summer helps to invigorate the tree and direct energy into the side branches and spurs, improving fruit size and quality, especially in varieties like Comice and Anjou.
If you’re growing pear trees on a trellis, make sure the branches are tied in a way that they grow horizontally, providing better sunlight exposure and airflow. This can also help to reduce shade on the central leader, allowing the tree to reach its full height and potential.
Pruning to maintain the spread of the branches around 24 inches from the ground helps the tree grow efficiently without excessive competition. In my own experience, careful pruning can significantly increase fruit production, especially when you keep the branches well-spaced and the shoots reduced to promote healthy growth.
Stone Fruits (Peach, Plum, Apricot, Fig, Persimmon):
When growing stone fruits like peach, plum, apricot, and fig, proper pruning is essential to ensure healthy growth and larger fruits. One effective method is the vase type pruning system, which helps to open up the canopy and allows better light penetration.
Pruning current season’s shoots can help to stimulate new growth, remove poor crotches, and shape the tree height. It’s important to cut back side shoots and long shoots that may compete for resources. This allows the tree to focus energy on its most productive branches and encourages the growth of secondary scaffold branches. Typically, you should prune during the dormant season before the spring when the tree is not actively growing.
For trees like apricot and persimmon, pruning is especially critical in the first few years. In the second or third year, you’ll want to remove weaker branches and focus on developing a strong, single-trunk form. This helps the tree grow to a mature size and prevents the branches from growing at poor angles, which can affect fruiting and structure.
Heading back the top of the tree can also stimulate more productive shoot growth, leading to larger fruits later. Regular pruning will keep the tree strong, minimize damage from winter weather or freeze damage, and ensure a healthy crop for the coming seasons..
Nut Trees:
1. When growing nut trees, it is crucial to focus on improving the quality and production of your trees. Pruning young trees can help induce better branching and structural strength, which is especially important as they mature. This helps the trees grow healthier, supporting fruit-laden branches and enabling them to increase in size.
For mature trees, regular pruning can reduce unnecessary growth, allowing the tree to focus on producing a larger harvest of fruit. In the long run, proper training and care will improve the overall health and yield of your trees.
2. Additionally, using the right care techniques, like spraying for pests or providing support where needed, can increase your trees’ ability to thrive and produce more fruit earlier. It’s essential to ensure that the fruit-laden branches are well-supported to prevent breakage and to encourage maximum harvest.
If you’re starting with young trees, providing them with a proper prop to support their growth will allow them to reach their full potential and mature into strong, productive trees.
Pruning an Old, Neglected Fruit Tree:
When pruning an old, neglected fruit tree, the goal is to invigorate the tree while allowing light and air to penetrate the canopy. Start by removing any weak or small branches that overlap or climb into the center, as this can hinder growth. Use a saw or cutting tool to thin out dense areas and free up space for healthier shoots and limbs to develop.
As you prune, focus on the outside branches to encourage upright growth, cutting back any pendulant branches that may be too heavy or weak to bear fruit. By removing these, you help the tree maintain its height and proper form, allowing it to reach its full potential.
Be sure to prune gradually, removing branches in a way that promotes strong, well-spaced scaffold systems. Avoid removing too much at once, as this can stress the tree.You want to promote a strong, open structure where the center can breathe and the limbs are properly supported. This method helps fruit trees grow more robustly and produce better figures of fruit in the following seasons. By focusing on the head and outer limbs, you’ll improve the overall health and strength of the tree over time.
Tips and Best Practices for Successful Pruning
Central Leader:
When pruning trees like Apple or Pear, it’s important to focus on maintaining a strong central leader, which helps the tree grow in a healthy and controlled manner. Begin by selecting the most vigorous shoot as your leader, and ensure it grows in a vertical direction, extending higher than the surrounding branches. This central shoot should remain upright, directing the tree’s overall growth.
As the tree matures, carefully prune the lateral limbs and branches, ensuring they are spaced well apart to prevent crowding and encourage better light penetration. The leader will guide the tree’s pyramidal shape, with branches growing horizontally as they move farther from the trunk.
For proper shaping, make sure the shoots are directed to grow at an angle that is pointed upward, allowing the limbs to develop a healthy extension. If you’re pruning Sweet Cherry Trees or any other fruit trees, always remove any horizontal branches that compete with the central leader, keeping the vertical growth as the priority.
Cutting back the higher shoots will also help focus energy on the selected growth and improve the overall structure. Make sure the growth remains balanced and spaced, ensuring the tree has a solid structure for both aesthetic value and optimal fruit production.
Vase-Shape/Open Center:
When shaping trees like Sour Cherry or Apricot Trees, the vase-shape or open center pruning method is ideal for encouraging healthy growth. Start by selecting a leader and pruning the trunk to a height of about 28-36” to ensure it remains strong and upright.
The goal is to create an open structure by removing any competing or crossing branches, especially those growing toward the center. This allows sunlight to penetrate and promotes better fruit production. As the tree grows, focus on shaping the limbs in smooth and balanced directions, avoiding any ragged or broken branches that could hinder growth.
Regular pruning is important to maintain the vase-shape and prevent overcrowding. Thin out any stubby or broken branches, and be sure to remove shoots growing in undesirable directions. Thinning out the sprouts will also help with airflow and prevent potential issues with wind damage.
By keeping the tree’s structure open and balanced, you’ll promote a compact, grafted tree that remains strong against wind while bearing healthy, abundant fruit. Make sure to prune during the dormant season for optimal results.
Additional Topics…
Basic Terminology:
–Pruning is the process of cutting back parts of a tree or plant to promote healthy growth.
–When pruning, you may need to make a thinning cut to remove excess growth like sucker sprouts or water sprouts.
–Proper pruning helps shape the framework of a tree, especially with 1-year-old growth.
–The crotch angle of branches should be about 45-60 degrees to encourage healthy growth.
–Cut vertical branches at the correct angle to promote horizontal branching for better light exposure and space for leaves and fruit.
–Avoid leaving a stub when pruning; cut just above the buds to support healthy shoot development.
–The leader is the main shoot that directs the growth of the tree; keep it healthy and upright.
–Make clean cuts with sharp tools and seal large cuts to avoid infections.
–Regularly maintain the crown and scaffolds of the tree for strong, balanced growth.
–Ensure that branches are spaced properly to avoid overcrowding and encourage better fruit production.
–Be mindful of the angle of cuts to promote proper development and growth.
What is a Rootstock?
A rootstock is a part of a plant that is used as the root system for grafting another plant onto it. This is commonly done with fruit trees like apple trees, where a non-dwarf rootstock can help support the tree’s growth. The rootstock provides the foundation for the tree, allowing the trunk and limbs to grow in a controlled manner.
For example, a rootstock can help a tree maintain its height, spreading out the branches and ensuring that the tree remains productive. When pruning, it’s important to keep in mind that the rootstock will influence how the tree’s branches grow, whether vertical or horizontal, and how much light penetrates through the tree’s canopy.
The rootstock also controls the tree’s growth, preventing it from growing too large or sprawling too much. For apple trees, choosing the right rootstock can determine whether the tree grows to a height of 24 inches or reaches up to 40 feet tall. It ensures that limbs are spaced evenly and that the tree can handle the weight of the fruit. This careful balance of the rootstock and the grafted part of the tree promotes a strong system for the tree’s growth, ensuring that it remains healthy and produces high-quality fruit.