Driving and pruning methods in local horticultural varieties

Summer is the busiest time of year in the garden, and many of the species we grow there require a little help to grow better and produce quality fruit. For this reason, we will describe some methods of training and pruning local horticultural varieties.

What does each concept mean?

• Pipe: consists of creating a structure that allows us to climb the varieties ourselves as they grow, fastening the shoots to the structure, or for the climbing varieties to develop on this structure. A triangular structure is usually used, made with reeds (hence the name "encanar") and metal rods, since this allows ventilation through the hole in the middle, and creates distance between the plants. However, other structures are also used, such as pieces of wire mesh, usually used for beans.
• To blunt: consists of pinching or cutting the main eye of the plant, which is usually at the top of the plant. This limits the growth of the plant and promotes the development of the fruits that have already formed.
• Eliminate outbreaks: There are plants that produce more than one bud, or eye. It is very easy to see, since these buds have the same structure as the plant, although where the root would go is attached to the stem. You can see a stem, with leaves and an eye from which more leaves continue to grow. These buds mean that the plant has to allocate many more resources, since it is as if many different plants were growing with a single root system.

Here is a practical guide to the most common vegetables and the tasks that can be performed:

🍅 Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

• Do I need to pipe? Yes. Tomatoes, especially those with indeterminate growth (those that grow without stopping), need good support to prevent them from touching the ground and getting damaged. Traditionally, those with a small shoot have not been staked, although if it can be done they produce more and of better quality, and diseases or pests are avoided.
• Do I need to remove sprouts? Yes, in most cases. This favors better aeration and more concentrated production. In ramellet tomatoes it is not so necessary.
• Do I need to sharpen my knife? At the end of the season, it can be pinched off to concentrate energy on the fruits that are already forming.

🌶️ Pepper (Capsicum annuum)

• Do I need to pipe? It depends. If the plant produces a lot of fruit or if it is a tall variety, it is worth staking it to prevent it from falling over.
• Should I remove axillary buds? Not usually. It is not pruned like tomatoes, although you can remove old or diseased leaves.
• Do I need to sharpen my knife? Optional. Some people do this to make the plant branch more.

🍆 Eggplant (Solanum melongena)

• Do I need to pipe? It is not necessary, although it is recommended, since the fruits are quite heavy and can cause the plant to break.
• Should I remove axillary buds? The lowest ones can be removed to facilitate ventilation.
• Do I need to sharpen my knife? If you want to control the number of fruits or direct growth, yes.

🥒 Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo)

• Do I need to pipe? No need. They are creeping or semi-erect plants.
• Do I need to remove sprouts? It is not essential, but it is advisable to remove old or diseased leaves to improve the health of the plant.
• Do I need to sharpen my knife? Only if you want to limit its growth.

🍈 Melon (Cucumis melo)

• Do I need to pipe? No, it's a creeping plant.
• Do I need to remove sprouts? The main guides can be pinched out when they have 4-5 leaves to encourage branching and limit the number of fruits.
• Do I need to sharpen my knife? Yes, it is often done to concentrate the effort on fewer melons and make them ripen better.

🍉 Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)

• Do I need to pipe? No, it's also creepy.
• Do I need to remove sprouts? As with melons, you can guide the branches and limit some of them to prevent the plant from spreading too much.
• Do I need to sharpen my knife? Yes, especially if you want larger fruits. Normally, 1 or 2 are left per plant.

🎃 Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima / musk melon)

• Do I need to pipe? No, but you need space: they are very expansive plants.
• Do I need to remove sprouts? The stems can be guided and pinched after the second or third fruit.
• Do I need to sharpen my knife? Yes, to control the size and quantity of pumpkins.

🌱 Bean plant (Phaseolus vulgaris)

• Do I need to pipe? Only tall bean plants (climbers). Low-growing ones do not need it.
• Do I need to remove sprouts? No.
• Do I need to sharpen my knife? No need. These are plants that grow well on their own.

The use of training and pruning methods in local varieties of horticultural crops can be essential to obtain a healthy and quality harvest.

At the our website You will be able to find a wide variety of horticultural species of local varieties!