Time to Tackle the Persimmon
Right, so the persimmon tree in the backyard was looking a bit scraggly. It’s been a while since I gave it a proper prune, and things were getting tangled up in there. Decided today was the day to sort it out.
First thing, I went to the shed and dug out my tools. Grabbed the big loppers for the thicker branches and my smaller hand pruners for the fiddly bits. Gave them a quick wipe down, checked they were sharp enough. Don’t want to be tearing at the branches, makes a mess.
Getting Started
Out by the tree, I spent a few minutes just walking around it, looking it over. You gotta get a feel for what needs doing. Saw a few branches that were definitely dead – easy decision, those had to go first.
Here’s what I looked for specifically:
- Dead or broken branches. Obvious ones.
- Branches crossing over each other and rubbing. That just invites trouble.
- Anything growing straight up really fast, those suckers that shoot up.
- Branches pointing back towards the center of the tree. Want it open, not crowded.
- Low hanging stuff that gets in the way.
Making the Cuts
Started with the loppers on the bigger dead wood. Nice clean cuts, trying to get close to the main branch or trunk without cutting into it. Took out a couple of thick ones that were clearly goners.
Then I moved onto those crossing branches. Untangled them a bit and snipped off the weaker or badly placed one. Used the hand pruners for most of this. Also trimmed off those water sprouts I mentioned, cutting them right back.
Next, I focused on opening up the middle. Took out a few branches that were cluttering things up, aiming for that kind of open, vase-like shape. The idea is to let sunlight and air get into the canopy, which is supposed to be good for the fruit and helps stop diseases.
Stepped back every now and then to check the overall look. Didn’t want to take off too much all at once. Just trying to guide its shape and get rid of the junk wood.
Cleaning Up
Once I was happy with the pruning, it was time to clean up the mess. Gathered all the cut branches and twigs into a pile. Quite a bit came off, actually. Dragged it over to the side for now, will deal with it later.
The tree looks much better now. Tidier, more open. Feels good to get that done. Hopefully, it’ll thank me with a good load of persimmons later this year. We’ll have to wait and see.
