Notching is a simple, old school trick that stimulates a branch to grow. Use it while training young, deciduous fruit trees to fill any empty spaces that would ideally, be fruitfully filled with a branch.
- Choose a lovely fat bud in the locale of the wished for branch.
- Using something sharp take a decent slice out of the bark, above the bud – as in the photo above. This slice will put a stop to the flow of life juice, the hormones will gather (not something we usually celebrate) and a new branch will appear in summer.
I have had great success with this, winning more than loosing. The loosing comes from older trees who, it would seem, aren’t interested in branching out. But don’t let this stop you trying.
If cutting into your tree feels scary, dig deep and find your courage. Notching works! Trust me. You cant go wrong, the worst that happens is your tree heals over the cut and ends up with a wee scar. I’ve seen some rough notch-ers in my time – using a rasp to rub into the bark (ouch), a hacksaw, a knife – I use sharp seceteurs.
Line the blade up on the bottom of the notch. Press it in firmly to push through the bark, rocking it back and forth to penetrate far enough. Make it long enough to be about a third to halfway around the trunk. For what I hope are obvious reasons, don’t go the whole way. Repeat this, at the top of the slice, joining the cuts at each corner. Flick the chunk out.
Notching is best done about a month before buds open, which for apples and pears is right about now.
And here, in this autumn photo, is the branch that sprang from the notch above. See how the notch has healed and the bud – galvanised into action by the gathering of hormones – has become a branch.
Come spring I’ll tie it horizontal, and hey presto – a bonafide fruit producing branch fills the gap. Such a good trick to have up your pruning sleeve.