Mature apple tree pruning

[Hank]

Here's where I got to with it today—having stepped back and had a look there are a couple of branches I'd like to remove to reduce the height just a bit more but overall I think it's looking ok. My goal was to keep it looking NICE as the focal point of the garden and to also take off what felt appropriate and see how it reacts over the next year as per @Steven P's good advice! With that in mind I also wanted to begin the process of making the apples easier to reach etc. I do worry that I took off too much but it was so cluttered in there that it felt right to open it up in this way.

 

Good day, ghastly drag at the end. Thanks for all the advice.

[sime42]

That's a good start I reckon. Best not to overdo it with too much off in one hit. 

 

 

[Steven P]

Looks good

[nepia]

2 hours ago, sime42 said:

That's a good start I reckon. Best not to overdo it with too much off in one hit. 

 

 

Zackly; leave it for this year.  By July you'll see what we mean!  Then you Google 'summer pruning of apples' and the work continues.

[sime42]

Then after about three or four years it should have settled down into a more manageable growth/pruning cycle. Hopefully with plenty of reachable, decent fruit.