Large Bramley apple tree - what to do?

[Pidgeonpost]

We've got a large Bramley apple tree in our garden, and it either needs major attention or removal. It's been pruned fairly heavily in the 10 years we've lived here, plus some fairly random annual pruning by me, out of desperation. 

It produces loads of apples - far too many for us to pick, use, store, or even give away. Everyone has too many apples and we can't even keep pace with the windfalls as you're talking of wheelbarrow loads each week. 

A local tree surgeon has said he could either remove or pollard the tree, and those seem to be the choices. Removal would be reasonably straightforward, but would pollarding just see us back in the same situation in a short time? 

It might not be so bad if we could slow the growth down, but it's rampant! Did I dream it or can you slow the growth by partially ring-barking on opposite sides of the tree? 

The tree provides some welcome shade at some times of the year - or steals the sunlight depending how you look at it! 

Interested in opinions. Pic attached - tree is 20+feet tall and climbing trees to prune them is a bit iffy now I'm 70+.

 

[Peasgood]

If you prune the middle out and leave about an inch rather than cutting flush they throw out more but much weaker water shoots. These are very easy to pull off by hand June/July. Makes it much easier to manage.

I have grafted half a dozen onto M25 rootstock in the hope I can get some trees just like yours, having said that I also have a hectare of them on M106 at my old place that haven't been pruned for a few years. They are heading the same way.

Edited August 16, 2020 by Peasgood

[Pidgeonpost]

Well folks, what can I say - except thank you all for your replies.  ?

The consensus seems to be to keep it, reduce as you've suggested and then manage it. That would be our preferred route. Removing trees is never our first choice, but we also have to bear in mind the on-going cost of possibly employing someone to do seasonal management. Some work I may be able to do myself once it's under control, but I'm 70+, pension, ladders etc...and then there are about another half-dozen trees needing a bit of TLC.

But thank you all. Hopefully we can take some action over the winter, virus permitting.

[Pidgeonpost]

Hello all, 

As you were so responsive and helpful over our Bramley, here's a pic of the tree after surgery. 

Hoping it will recover OK and continue to give us some fruit, though not as much as before! 

 

 

[Doug Tait]

Thanks for the update Pidgeonpost, nice to find out what happened 

[agg221]

It's a nice job that's been done on that. It will grow back but ideally I suggest finding someone who is able to summer prune it for you, taking out the water shoots in June/July before they get too big. That will slow it down a bit and make the job much easier and quicker (and cheaper) but you need someone who understands what they are doing.

 

It will still produce a lot of fruit. Are you aware that Bramleys will keep through until March? That may make good use of a few, for you and others. Whereabouts are you in the country? There are some people who will take them for juicing/cider, in exchange for a couple of bottles. Ultimately if they get composted, so be it.

 

Alec

[Mick Dempsey]

I can’t stand apples on my lawn so I do this every 3 years or so.

 

No point mucking about, it’ll look lovely by July.

 

 

 

[Stubby]

24 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

I can’t stand apples on my lawn so I do this every 3 years or so.

 

No point mucking about, it’ll look lovely by July.

 

 

 

Should put that one in the " who gets most outraged " thread Mick , just for a laugh 😁

[agg221]

2 hours ago, Stubby said:

Should put that one in the " who gets most outraged " thread Mick , just for a laugh 😁

Yep, that would get me pretty outraged 😁

 

Alec

[peds]

2 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

I can’t stand apples on my lawn so I do this every 3 years or so.

You know you can... pick them up, don't you?

 

Leave them tight in a barrel until dark brown and covered by liquid, mash them through a burlap sack, leave it in a demijon for a few months, bottle, ignore. Problem solved. 

[Mick Dempsey]

3 minutes ago, peds said:

You know you can... pick them up, don't you?

 

Leave them tight in a barrel until dark brown and covered by liquid, mash them through a burlap sack, leave it in a demijon for a few months, bottle, ignore. Problem solved. 

I prefer the ‘running them over with my tractor mower until they rot away and look like dog turds’  method.
Less picking up involved.

Edited April 12, 2021 by Mick Dempsey