Defective crowns are often produced in orchards as a result of incorrect formation or inattention, which can not withstand the load of fruit and tear. V-shaped crowns composed of two or three branches of the same thickness are exposed to tearing, which, growing out of the trunk, form sharp angles of bifurcations between themselves. V-shaped crowns can be prevented from tearing thanks to live bonds (Lynx).
Lynx. Live bond protects the limb from breaking off.
The simplest live bond can be obtained by directing one stem towards each other from two opposite branches and twisting one around the other. As a result of twisting, these shoots will fuse together within a year or two, creating a strong and durable bond (Lynx.).
Lynx. A lively bond formed by twisting two shoots together.
The second way to create a living bond is this, that we cut two such shoots diagonally, by joining the cut surfaces together. At the point of connection, we wrap them tightly with raffia, and coat the surface with garden ointment.
Most often, however, a live bond is made by grafting a shoot under the bark of the opposite branch. We cut the shoot diagonally, so that the cut surface is approx 2 cm in length. Make an incision in the shape of an inverted T on the bark of the limb. Put the cut end of the shoot under the bark, we nail it with a small nail and spread it with ointment (Lynx.). Fusion occurs after a few weeks.
Lynx. A living bond formed by the implantation of a shoot under the bark of an adjacent limb
