Apple tree

[RobG 86]

Good evening everyone, hope you’re well. Due to the bad weather I’ve been asked to look at the damage of an apple tree I’ve gone and taken a look and give my opinion. Not sure they liked what I said. I was just Just interested to find out if your opinion  would be the same as mine.   Please find attached photos. Thanks. 

[Stubby]

4 minutes ago, RobG 86 said:

Good evening everyone, hope you’re well. Due to the bad weather I’ve been asked to look at the damage of an apple tree I’ve gone and taken a look and give my opinion. Not sure they liked what I said. I was just Just interested to find out if your opinion  would be the same as mine.   Please find attached photos. Thanks. 

Lovely old tree . Obviously clear up the detached limb ( fire wood ) and get some potting compost and plant daffodils in all the natural cavitys .  Looks great in the spring . Thats what I would do .

[Peasgood]

If they had someone who knew how to prune an apple tree in the winter they would even get a good crop off it (not what everyone wants either)

Other than that, as above just tidy the broken bit up.

[Will C]

More years left in that than most would believe. Prune every second or third (I believe in little and often so I would do it most years) winter to stop it getting to big for its strength and it will go on longer than most of us. 
 

Edit: also seems to be no targets so why worry if it does fail?

 

@RobG 86What was you opinion?

Edited July 17, 2023 by Will C

[daveatdave]

seems to be a bit of canker on it if they are wanting fruit get rid and start again with new if not a proper prune not a haircut like a lot i have seen by people who do not know how to   

[Paul in the woods]

11 hours ago, Peasgood said:

If they had someone who knew how to prune an apple tree in the winter they would even get a good crop off it (not what everyone wants either)

Would you not summer prune that at all, and if not can you explain why? I know you can summer prune trained apple trees but I have wondered if you could summer prune an old tree like the above.

[Stere]

Water shoots can be thinned out in summer but easier to see whats   in winter as the mass of leaves makes it harder to see the underlying framework of branches.

 

 

 

But summer prunning also helps surpress vigour so u get less new water shoots

 

 

Either way will work imo but im no expert.

 

https://www.rhs.org.uk/fruit/apples/managing-watershoots

 

[Stere]

If OP said fell/get rid of the tree would be real shame imo to loose  the  old apple tree.

 

 

People pay thosands for similar  lookin old gnarly olives  so what not value the old apples "beauty" also?

 

 

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[Peasgood]

On 18/07/2023 at 09:56, Paul in the woods said:

Would you not summer prune that at all, and if not can you explain why? I know you can summer prune trained apple trees but I have wondered if you could summer prune an old tree like the above.

You can summer prune, I tend not to as I am too busy elsewhere.

On the op's tree it wouldn't harm to pull off some of the watershoots now (which I do usually make time for). My comment was referring to the amount of new growth sprouting from poor pruning in the recent past.

If you reduce a young branch it causes loads of new shoots sprout off it. My main rule is if you are going to cut it off, cut it off completely.

The tree is in a garden so it doesn't really matter, just make it look pretty. I tend to see these things from a commercial growers point of view. I also see most garden apple trees with the above mistake and then the client says there crop is poor.

[Stubby]

When is the OP getting back to us then ........? @RobG 86

Edited July 19, 2023 by Stubby