When it comes to healthy fruit trees, there are different ways to encourage growth and maximize fruit production. While branches that reach for the sky focus on girth and leaf growth, horizontal branches tend to produce more fruit earlier. For young saplings, which are small and have few branches, it's important to help them determine which branch will become the main trunk or central leader, and which ones will bear the fruit.
One option for shaping the tree is pruning, but there is also a less invasive method using branch spreaders. These spreaders can be made from wire, small pieces of wood, or even toothpicks for very thin branches. However, the easiest, cheapest, and most accessible option is to use clothespins.
One effective method for promoting the growth of fruit trees is to attach clothespins to the branches of young saplings. This technique encourages the branches to grow downward instead of upward towards the sky. By using clothespins, the tree understands that the clipped branches are not the main trunk. This practice is commonly used in the fruit-growing industry and is particularly useful for young trees that cannot be easily pruned, such as multi-grafted fruit trees. It is important to use spring-loaded clothespins, as the traditional wooden doll type pegs are not flexible enough for this purpose.
The how-to
To minimize environmental impact, wooden pegs made from raw, untreated wood are the most eco-friendly option as they are biodegradable. You can find a 50-pack of 2.9-inch wooden clothespins on Amazon for $5.49. If you prefer something more durable, plastic clothespins are a good alternative. Walmart offers a 50-pack of Honey Can Do brand plastic clothespins for $11.20. Additionally, colorful plastic clothespins can help you keep track of which branches you have already bent and which ones still need to be done, as they are more visible compared to wooden ones.
If you want a branch on your tree to grow horizontally, you can use a peg to train it. Start by clipping the "clip" end of the peg onto the branch, making sure it faces upward. Gently push the branch downward, with the peg attached, until you can slip the other end of the peg onto the central leader. The ideal branch angle should be between 45 and 90 degrees from the trunk. If the trunk is still thin, you can attach the peg to the trunk instead of the branch. Be careful not to break the branches, especially if they are older and less flexible. If you need to train older branches, clothespins can be useful. Attach one end of the peg to the branch and the other end to a small cement weight hanging downward. Remove the clothespins after two to three weeks or at the end of the first season, depending on how well-trained the branches appear.
