At Agro Vivero del Mediterráneo, we have spent years passionately dedicated to the fascinating world of pistachios. Our experience, forged season after season, has taught us that the success of an orchard is not the result of chance, but of meticulous planning and the application of precise techniques from the very beginning. One of the fundamental pillars to guarantee a prosperous future and high profitability is, without a doubt, training pruning during the first year. 🌳

Many farmers, especially those starting out in this exciting sector, underestimate the importance of this first intervention. They think it is a simple cut, a formality of no great consequence. Nothing could be further from the truth! First-year pruning is the foundation upon which the entire structure of the tree will be built. It is the moment when we define its skeleton, its future architecture, and lay the foundations for it to become a strong, balanced and, above all, highly productive specimen. A mistake in this initial phase can drag on throughout the life of the orchard, limiting its potential and reducing the profitability of the pistachio orchard.

Therefore, we have decided to share our knowledge and detail the most common mistakes we observe in the field, so that you can avoid them and steer your project towards success right from planting. Join us on this journey through the art and science of training pruning.

The Psychology of the Young Tree: Why Prune So Early?

Before picking up the shears, it is crucial to understand what we are doing and why. A young, newly planted pistachio tree concentrates all its energy on developing a powerful root system that allows it to anchor itself well to the soil and absorb water and nutrients. Its initial aerial growth may seem slow or even disorderly. This is where we, the farmers, come in as guides for that growth.

Training pruning does not seek to eliminate just for the sake of eliminating. Its main objective is to direct the sap and energy of the plant towards the points that interest us. We want to create an open, well-ventilated structure with a distribution of branches that allows optimal capture of sunlight. ☀️ This is vital for photosynthesis and, in the future, for the correct ripening of the precious nut.

A tree well-trained from the start will be:

• Stronger: Its structure will be able to support the weight of future harvests without risk of breakage.

• Healthier: Good aeration and insolation of the interior of the canopy prevents the appearance of fungal diseases.

• More productive: All parts of the tree will receive the necessary light for homogeneous and quality production.

• Easier to manage: Agricultural tasks such as phytosanitary treatments and, of course, harvesting, will be much simpler and more efficient.

With this understood, let’s see what those missteps are that we must avoid at all costs during this first and crucial year.

Mistake 1: Impatience – Pruning Too Early or at the Wrong Time

One of the most common impulses is wanting to “shape” the tree as soon as it is planted. We have just acquired our pistachio plant with all the enthusiasm and we want to see it grow fast and orderly. However, haste is a bad counselor.

The mistake: Making the training cut (or heading) right at the time of planting or in the weeks immediately following, especially if planting is done in spring.

Why is it a mistake? The plant has just suffered considerable stress: transplanting. Its roots are still adapting to the new environment. If at that critical moment we remove the apical bud, which is the main producer of auxins (the hormones that promote rooting), we are hindering its ability to establish itself correctly. We force the plant to allocate energy to the sprouting of lateral buds when its absolute priority should be to develop a strong root system. The result is usually weak growth and a general delay in the tree’s development.

Our recommendation: Patience! 🧘‍♂️ After planting in winter or early spring, we must let the tree sprout freely. Let it develop its leaves and begin the photosynthesis process. We need the stem to reach a certain height and thickness before intervening. Generally, we will wait until the main stem exceeds 90 cm in height and has a diameter at the cutting height (typically between 70 and 80 cm) similar to that of a pencil (about 8-10 mm). This moment usually arrives towards the end of May or June, depending on the climatic conditions and the vigor of the plant. Only then will we make the training cut.

Mistake 2: Vertigo – Leaving the Trunk Too High or Too Low

The height at which we make the first cut, the one that will define the height of the trunk and the insertion point of the future main branches, is one of the most important decisions we will make.

The mistake: Making the cut at an inappropriate height.

• Cut too low (below 60-70 cm): This will cause the main branches to be very close to the ground. In the short term, it may not seem like a problem, but as the tree grows, these branches will greatly hinder mechanized tasks (passage of the tractor, atomizer, shaker, etc.), the application of herbicides in the row, and the general management of the orchard.

• Cut too high (above 90 cm – 1 meter): An excessively high trunk creates a “leverage effect” that makes the tree more vulnerable to the wind, especially in its early years. In addition, it raises the center of gravity and can make harvesting difficult, even with an umbrella shaker. A more ungainly and less compact structure is created.

Our recommendation: At Agro Vivero del Mediterráneo, based on our experience and modern agricultural machinery, we recommend making the training cut at a height of between 70 and 85 cm from the ground. This measurement offers a perfect balance. It allows the comfortable passage of machinery, facilitates manual tasks, and creates a low and stable center of gravity for the tree. To ensure a clean cut, it is essential to use sharp and disinfected tools. An oblique cut, with the lowest part on the side opposite the last bud we leave, will help rainwater not to accumulate and will prevent possible diseases.

Mistake 3: Overconfidence – Not Using Stakes

A young tree is like a child learning to walk: it needs support. Its stem is still tender and flexible, very susceptible to the action of the wind or the weight of the shoots themselves.

The mistake: Not staking the plant or doing it poorly.

Why is it a mistake? A tree that grows without a guide is a perfect candidate to develop a crooked trunk. Constant wind in one direction can tilt it permanently. A curved trunk is not just an aesthetic problem; it is a structural problem. It generates internal tensions in the wood, hinders the correct circulation of sap and, most importantly for us, greatly complicates future mechanized harvesting. The shaker needs a straight and firm anchor point to transmit vibrations efficiently and not damage the bark. A crooked trunk is an invitation to problems and inefficient harvesting.

Our recommendation: Staking is an investment, not an expense. It is absolutely essential. From the moment of planting, each tree must be accompanied by a sturdy stake (bamboo, fiberglass, or PVC), of an adequate caliber (minimum 20-22 mm) and sufficient height (about 1.50 meters). The plant must be tied to the stake as it grows, without strangling it, using anchor bands or elastic materials. This guide will ensure perfectly vertical growth, creating the straight and strong trunk we need for the future. It is one of the services we consider key when planning a new orchard.

Mistake 4: Disorder – Poor Selection of Main Branches

Once we have made the training cut at the right height, the tree will respond by sprouting several buds just below the cut. Here comes another decisive moment: the selection of what will be its main branches, its skeleton for life.

The mistake: Leaving too many branches, choosing poorly located branches, or not removing rootstock shoots.

Why is it a mistake?

• Leaving too many branches: The tree will have to distribute its energy among many growing points, resulting in weak, thin, and elongated branches that will compete with each other for light and resources. A dense, “broom-like” canopy will form, poorly ventilated and unproductive.

• Choosing poorly located branches: Selecting branches that emerge from the same point on the trunk creates an area of structural weakness that can tear off in the future with the weight of the harvest or by the action of the wind. Choosing branches that grow very close together or at very narrow angles (less than 45º) also generates weak unions and shaded areas.

• Not removing rootstock shoots (suckers): The rootstock (the base of the tree, like UCB-1) is extremely vigorous. Any shoot that emerges below the graft point must be removed immediately. These “suckers” steal a huge amount of energy from the grafted variety (Kerman, Larnaka, Sirora, etc.), even drying it out if not controlled in time.

Our recommendation: The classic and most widespread training is the vase with 3 or 4 main branches. Once the shoots that have emerged after heading reach about 15-20 cm, it is time to act.

1. Selection: We choose 3 to 4 shoots, the best located. What does “best located” mean?

   • Well distributed: They should be distributed around the trunk, like the spokes of a wheel, to create a balanced structure (at 120º if there are 3, at 90º if there are 4).

   • At different heights: Ideally, they should not all come from the same point. A vertical separation of a few centimeters between the insertion points will give them much more strength.

   • With a good angle: We look for an insertion angle with the trunk of between 45º and 60º. Very narrow angles are weak, and very wide angles can have slower growth.

2. Removal: Very carefully, using our fingers (desuckering) or a sharp knife, we remove the rest of the shoots that we have not selected.

3. Constant control: Throughout the first summer, we must periodically check our trees and remove any shoot that emerges from the trunk (below the main branches we have left) and, of course, any sucker emitted by the rootstock. This task is crucial so that all the tree’s strength is concentrated on forming those 3-4 branches we have chosen.

Mistake 5: Greed – Wanting to Produce Before Time

It is understandable. We have invested time, money, and enthusiasm and we want to see results as soon as possible. However, in agriculture, and especially with the pistachio tree, haste is never good.

The mistake: Letting the tree produce small clusters of nuts during its first years of training (second or third year).

Why is it a mistake? Nut formation is the process that demands the most energy from a tree. It is a huge reproductive effort. A young tree, which is still developing its woody structure (trunk and main branches), should not divert its resources to production. If we allow it to produce, even a symbolic amount, all that vigor that should go to thickening the trunk, lengthening the branches, and strengthening the root system, will be used to ripen those few pistachios. The result is a tree that “settles,” that slows its vegetative growth, and that will take longer to reach the adult size necessary to support large harvests. We will be mortgaging future production for an insignificant short-term reward.

Our recommendation: During the first 3-4 years, our only goal is to train a tree. We want wood, not nuts. Therefore, if inflorescences (flowers) appear in the second or third year, we must remove them. We know it’s hard, but it’s one of the best investments we can make. By doing so, we are sending a clear message to the tree: “Grow, develop, get strong.” A tree that has dedicated its first years exclusively to growing, without the burden of production, will enter full production much more vigorously and with a much higher productive potential.

The Correct Process: A Step-by-Step Summary for Success

To make everything clear, we are going to synthesize the ideal pruning and training process during the first year, the method that we at Agro Vivero del Mediterráneo have perfected and that we recommend to all farmers who trust us.

• Step 1: Planting and Patience (Winter – Spring).

  • We plant our quality pistachio plant.

  • We install a good stake next to each plant and tie it loosely.

  • We water and apply the necessary care, but we do not prune.

  • We let the plant sprout and grow freely. We watch it wake up and become active. 🌱

• Step 2: The Training Cut (Late Spring – Early Summer).

  • We monitor the growth of the main stem.

  • When it exceeds 90 cm and has a thickness of 8-10 mm at the desired height, we proceed to cut.

  • We cut at a height of between 70 and 85 cm from the ground.

  • We use clean and sharp tools, making a clean, beveled cut.

• Step 3: Selection of Future Leaders (Summer).

  • A few weeks after the cut, the plant will emit several shoots near the cut area.

  • When these shoots are about 15-20 cm long, we select the 3 or 4 best ones, looking for balance, distribution, and a good insertion angle.

  • We carefully remove all other shoots from the top.

• Step 4: Maintenance and Constant Vigilance (All Summer).

  • We tie the stem to the stake as it grows to ensure its straightness.

  • We check the trees every 15-20 days.

  • We remove any regrowth that appears on the trunk, below the branches we have selected.

  • Total war on suckers! We systematically and rigorously remove any shoot that emerges from the rootstock, below the graft point. It is the most important task of the summer.

By following these steps and avoiding the mistakes we have described, we will reach the end of the first year with a young tree but with an already defined structure: a straight and clean trunk up to 70-85 cm and 3 or 4 well-distributed main branches that will form the base of its future canopy. We have laid the foundations for success. 💪

The path of pistachio cultivation is a long-distance race, not a sprint. Every decision we make, especially in the early stages, has a lasting impact. At Agro Vivero del Mediterráneo, we are not only dedicated to producing plants of the highest genetic and sanitary quality, but we are committed to accompanying the farmer in every step of the process. We understand that your success is our success. That is why we offer comprehensive and personalized advice, because every farm is a world of its own and every project deserves maximum attention.

If you are thinking of starting an orchard or if you already have one and want to optimize its management, do not hesitate to contact us. Our technical team will be happy to study your case and offer you the best solutions. You can even request a personalized quote through our reservation form. Together, we can build strong, healthy, and profitable orchards, ensuring that today’s effort and investment translate into abundant harvests in the future. 🚜📈