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Here's How
A Few Clothespins Can Help Your Fruit Tree Thrive
By KATE NICHOLSON
By attaching wooden or plastic, spring-loaded clothespins to the first-season sapling branches of your fruit trees, you can train them to grow horizontally instead of vertically.
This horizontal growth is crucial for earlier and more abundant fruit production, as it helps differentiate the fruit-bearing branches from the central trunk of the tree.
The method involves clipping the clothespin to the desired branch, ensuring it faces upwards. Then, gently bend the branch downwards until it can be secured to the
central leader.
The aim is to achieve an angle of 45 to 90 degrees from the trunk. For younger trees with thinner trunks, the clothespin can alternatively be attached to the trunk.
Moreover, this technique is also adaptable for older branches. Just attach one end of the peg to the branch and the other to a small weight to guide the
branch downwards.
The clothespins should be removed either two to three weeks after attachment or at the end of the first season, depending on how well the branches have been trained.