May bunch

May bunch

The May Mazzetti are flowering darts with a grouping of buds at the apex; these are characteristic stone fruit formations, such as the plum and the cherry tree.
The bunch of May is, in fact, a small branch 3-6 cm long and provided with numerous close-to-fruit buds (from 4 to 7) and a wood bud at the apex. In some cases, the apical bud may also flower.
In the peach tree the bunch of May is frequently found in old, weak plants and, therefore, with little vegetative activity. On the peach tree, the bunch of May, produces fruit of small size except that, with the thinning, not a single fruit is left.

In cherry, apricot, plum and almond, the May bunch is an important training for production purposes. The wood gem guarantees the renewal of the May bunch, therefore, while the flower buds complete the production, this forms a new bunch of May for the following year.
Normally this renewal can take place for 4 – 5 years.
For this reason, along the branches, it can be seen that the bunches of May are always longer in the older sections.
Thus, the ability of floriferous darts to renew their self, means that drupaceous trees, with the exception of peach trees, require lighter pruning, so they must be renewed only when their production is now scarce, when they have lost their vitality, to stimulate a new vigor.