Apple tree pruning

[Matthew Arnold]

I have a gardening client who wants his apple trees thinned, shaped and deadwooded. He would like it done as soon as possible which is fine by me. When is the best time of year to prune them?

[5 shires]

I have a gardening client who wants his apple trees thinned, shaped and deadwooded. He would like it done as soon as possible which is fine by me. When is the best time of year to prune them?

 

NOW is good latest February

[Arob]

During dormancy (in winter) but not when frost is expected within 24-48 hrs, at least that's what i go by, but Alec and Gollum are the lads with the experience.

[agg221]

Now would be fine, but I prefer to wait until the leaves are all off as then I can see exactly what I'm doing (mine aren't yet).

 

To a certain extent, the earlier you do it, the more vigorous the extension growth early in the season, due to auxins concentrating at the tip. If you are taking a fair amount off, which sounds like it may be the case, I would go later. Still don't take more than a third of the growth out though in one go or it will bolt upwards and stop cropping for years. Getting it back into shape is a 3-5yr job.

 

Mr Humphries sent me this, which could be handy:

 

VETree - Management of veteran fruit trees on Vimeo

 

Alec

[felixthelogchopper]

Alec, I've got a couple to do which have been untouched for a few years and so have water stems rather than water shoots. Would it be ok to take them out in one or should I nibble them back over a few prunings?

[Darrin Turnbull]

Hows this. (My tree) Pruned last year.

[agg221]

Alec, I've got a couple to do which have been untouched for a few years and so have water stems rather than water shoots. Would it be ok to take them out in one or should I nibble them back over a few prunings?

 

Take shoots out whole rather than nibble away at them, but if there are lot, don't take them all out at once, just take about a third of them (thin them out) then the same again next year etc.

 

You are likely to get re-growth. Don't necessarily cut all of these out - if there is space then leave some but bend it down (tuck it under another branch) to form new laterals.

 

Is this a paid job, or your own? It's easier to get things to go the way you want on your own as you can follow up.

 

Alec

[felixthelogchopper]

Take shoots out whole rather than nibble away at them, but if there are lot, don't take them all out at once, just take about a third of them (thin them out) then the same again next year etc.

 

You are likely to get re-growth. Don't necessarily cut all of these out - if there is space then leave some but bend it down (tuck it under another branch) to form new laterals.

 

Is this a paid job, or your own? It's easier to get things to go the way you want on your own as you can follow up.

 

Alec

 

At the in-laws so I can take the secateurs round any time.

[agg221]

Hows this. (My tree) Pruned last year.[ATTACH]171032[/ATTACH]

 

Looks fairly young? Has it started cropping yet?

 

It's hard to say from a single image (need more angles) but if that thicker looking branch in the middle really is going straight up higher than the others, I would cut it right out this year and probably not do much else. This would create an open centre and allow you to keep the lower branches cropping as they would get more light and not be shaded out.

 

If it's actually leaning away from the camera then I would leave it to fill the gap towards the shed, and take the upper growth off the other branches instead (hard to describe this).

 

Alec

[Tree Lc]

If the cold snap hasn't hit you yet, wait a little until there are no leaves on the tree. Believe it or not there are still some on the tree here.

 

Tree LC

Tree surgery Horsham