Does spare wood distance really matter?

[clint.taylor91]

So you have made a cut respecting the crown buds. It’s just past the crown buds as per the rules. This happened to be a shoot or cane not needed.

You’ve also cut back a spur to 2 visible buds. You have allowed spare wood cutting just below the 3rd visible bud. This ticks the rules for S&S technique.

The crown buds stimulate healing around the cut site.

In the scenario when you cut just above the crown buds this is allowed, but with a cut made above the 2nd count bud you must leave spare wood. Would the 2nd bud not stimulate the same healing process at the crown buds?

I have seen a couple of studies with Alan de Louriee and other universities that show their results from studies and cross sections resulted in the fact that the length of spare wood has no result on the healing result. As long as you respect the diaghram you will get the same result.

Is there any info, trials, documents etc that i can read that helps get an understanding for the S&S method if spare wood and at least 1+ diameter of distance cut?

If a basal bud or crown bud cut area can heal quick and not result in a desiccation cone then why cant a 2nd count bud cut do the same?

Thanks so much

Look forward to hearing from you!!!

[Piet]

Dear Clint,
I posted something similar to this 2 months ago:

I was wondering where this figures of 2 cm comes from and is it really that important? If you look at the picture below, you can see that the dehydrations stops at the diaphragm and this prevent further necrotic penetration. The diaphragm is depositing polyphenols and other substances around the wound, and/or producing a callus able to seal the injury.
You can find more information about this here, https://doi.org/10.20870/IVES-TR.2021.4817

You can find my full post on page 4.

Best regards,
Piet

[clint.taylor91]

Thanks for putting up that link. I think I came across your question in the groups one day! Perhaps the 2 cm rule came from Hidalgo I think the name is which is quoted a few times in the article in the link you posted.

Some other thoughts I had was that the following year when you prune off the dead wood stub on the unwanted spur, you do so by respecting the buds and it’s clear the node section has stopped the dedication. So would this not mean you could just cut above the buds respecting diaphragm and it will heal up nicely without the need to trim up the following year reducing work load.

Cheers

[Piet]

I agree with you, as long as you cut above the bud, the desiccation stops at the diaphragm. The length of the spare wood doesn’t really matter according to several scientific studies. And if you preprune in the winter and do the finishing fine tuning at the end of february, there will be no risk at frost damage.
If the crown buds can mak a good healing of the wound, why should’t the first or secund bud do the same?

Piet