Pruning of Plants
Pruning is the selective removal of plant parts—shoots, leaves, flowers, or fruits—to regulate growth, enhance productivity, and improve plant health. It is an essential practice in both open-field and protected cultivation.
Objectives of Pruning
- Remove dead, diseased, or unproductive plant parts.
- Enhance light penetration and air movement in dense canopies.
- Control plant size for high-density planting systems.
- Encourage flowering, fruiting, and better quality produce.
Types of Pruning
- Thinning Out: Removal of entire branches from the base to improve light penetration.
- Heading Back: Cutting back terminal portions to encourage bushier growth.
- Renewal Pruning: Removal of old, unproductive branches to rejuvenate the plant.
- Disbudding / Deblossoming – Removal of excess flower buds to improve fruit size.
- Pinching / Tipping – Removal of shoot tips to control vegetative growth.
Tools for Pruning
- Hand pruners and secateurs for small branches.
- Loppers for medium branches.
- Pruning saws for thick woody branches.
- Knives for precise tip pinching.