WEEK 9 - PRUNING

Hello there earthlings, we have yet meet again for the weekly report of my field activities. For this week activities the lecturers had briefed to us about Pruning. If you want to learn more about pruning,read on.

Pruning involve the selective removal of certain parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots. Reasons to prune plants include deadwood removal, shaping (by controlling or redirecting growth), improving or sustaining health, reducing risk from falling branches, preparing nursery specimens for transplanting, and both harvesting and increasing the yield or quality of flowers and fruits.

We were given an example of pruning which is Root pruning. Root pruning is the process of cutting back long roots to encourage a tree or shrub to form new roots closer to the trunk (common in potted plants too). Tree root pruning is an essential step when you are transplanting an established tree or shrub. 

Pruning tree roots before planting reduces transplant shock when the moving day comes. Root pruning trees and shrubs is a process intended to replace the lengthy roots with roots closer to the trunk that can be included in the root ball.

There are some advantages of pruning, which is pruning can improves sunlight penetration and increase air movement through the tree. Pruning also develops the structure of the tree so that it can support the crop load. 

The lecturer briefed to us about pruning and transplanting.

Then, we were briefed about Transplanting. Transplanting is the process of removing a plant from the place where it has been growing and replanting it in another. The major requirement in transplanting (especially of larger plants) is a sufficient water supply, since the roots are almost inevitably injured in the process. Transplanting uses double stage.

In the first stage, 2 - 4 months can transplant from small polybag ( 6 x 9 inch) to big polybag ( 15 x 18 inch ).

1. Watering
2. Prepare big polybag with soil medium
3. Sandy Clay Loam ( best soil) for 2 cm

In the second stage :

1. Remove the polybag
2. Make holes
3. Put fertilizer 
4. Fill up the soil
5. Apply mulching

These are a few pruning tools

The student is guided by the Planter's Executives the way to prune the Oil Palm Tree.