The kumquat is one of the relatively fast-growing plants, so it should be trimmed regularly. Regular pruning also ensures that your kumquat tree grows nice and compact and stays healthy for a long time.
Pruning not only gives you a shapely kumquat tree, because the shortened branches grow new shoots. They also offer your tree the opportunity to bloom particularly lavishly and bear plenty of fruit.
The best time to prune your kumquat tree
As a rule, the end of hibernation is considered the best time to prune a kumquat tree. Cut out all malformed branches, as well as weak and transverse branches. Then shorten shoots that are too long and too thin. Extremely long shoots can be cut back to a third of their original length.
If your kumquat has grown too much during the summer, you can prune it in the fall. Then it doesn't need as much space to hibernate. This is often an important argument for potted plants, especially if you have a lot of them.
The essentials in brief:
- Spring is the best time to cut
- cut out weak and malformed branches
- Cut extremely long shoots by up to 2/3
- with strong growth possibly already cut back in autumn
- only use good tools
The right tool for tree pruning
As with any other gardening work, good tools are important when pruning trees. If the branches are not neatly sawn or cut but squeezed, then pests can easily nest there or fungi can form. Always use good quality sharp pruning shears. Whether you prefer so-called anvil scissors or scissors with two blades is secondary.
tips and tricks
The best time to prune your kumquat tree is at the end of hibernation. If you have limited space to overwinter your kumquat, prune your plant in the fall.