Pruning or simple pruning is the latest technology applied to horticultural crops to increase the quality of fruit and vine crops. The reduction of the number of branches and vines provides the maximum utilization of the nutritive elements by the plant, which favors the production of vigorous and quality fruits. Excess branches and vines are just an addition to the plants, as they use more nutrients and do not give an advantage load in terms of fruit quality.
To produce higher quality fruit, excess branches and vines must be removed. They are simply leftover plant parts and are of no economic value to gardeners.
Benefits derived from pruning
1) Minimize competition from sunlight, nutrients and water: these three factors, when limited to plant growth, reduce their productivity. Pruning helps make them available to plants because some unnecessary parts of the plant have been removed.
2) Minimize the occurrence of insect pests and diseases – When you prune your plants, they are exposed to full sunlight, therefore reducing the attack of pests and diseases. Pests and diseases do not stay long in hot conditions compared to a shady place.
3) Minimize Spraying – When you don’t spray, you minimize production cost while helping to achieve a chemical-free environment.
4) Improve the quality of the fruits: pruned plants have larger fruits and have a better price on the market.
Common vegetable pruning techniques
• Upo, Patola and Ampalaya
1) 14 – 15 days after transplanting, remove lateral vines, including flowers and fruit, from the 1st to 12th node (at least one meter from the base of the plant.
2) Allow it to fructify at node 13 upwards (this is the fruiting zone).
3) Do a follow-up pruning and remove those curly leaves.
• Watermelon
1) Cut the terminal bud after the fourth node allowing 4 lateral vines to develop.
2) Remove secondary side vines, including flowers and fruit, up to the ninth node.
3) Allow fruits to develop at the 10th node upwards.
4) Remove the side vines, not the leaves that may sprout below the ninth node.
5) Allow 1 fruit of each lateral strain to develop a total of 4 fruits for the 4 lateral strains.
• Sweet melon and cantaloupe (without trellis)
1) Cut the terminal buds just like in watermelon.
2) Remove secondary side vines, including flowers and fruit, up to the fifth node.
3) Allow the fruits to develop at the sixth node upwards.
4) Keep 3 to 4 fruits per plant.
• Sweet melon and cantaloupe (with trellis)
1) Remove the side vines, including flowers and fruit, from the first node to the ninth node.
2) Allow the fruits to develop between the 10th and 20th node (fruiting zone).
3) Keep two fruits per plant.
• Pumpkin
1) Remove all side vines, including fruits and flowers, from the first to the fifth knot.
2) Allow fruits to develop at the sixth node upwards.
3) Remove the leaves below the sixth node once the side vines are fully developed.
4) Do not allow side vines to develop below the sixth node. Follow-up pruning should always be observed.
• Cucumber
1) Remove the side vines, including flowers and fruit, up to the fifth node.
2) Allow fruit to develop at the sixth node upward.
3) On all secondary vines allow two fruits to develop and then cut off the tip after the third node.
• Eggplant, Pepper and Tomato
1) Remove all the auxiliary buds up to the pig.
2) Above the pig, allow 4 branches to develop and remove the leaves below the pig.
3) After the fruiting stage, remove the leaves under the pig.
4) Do not allow branches to develop under the hog area.
Always prune your vegetables to get the best quality you want.
