Poorly old apple tree!

[DGB]

Hi all, this is my first post on this forum so please go easy on me. I would like some advice on my apple tree. It is approxamatly 70 years old and for the 11 years or so I have lived in this house it has produced juicy big fat apples every year. each year I have pruned and shaped it to get it to the shape that suits me best for apple collection as its quite tall. However this year I removed a great deal of ivy that has been covering the trunk of the tree and found the sore sights in the photos. My questions to you are should I do anything to 'patch up ' the damage to this tree caused by either the tree splitting or very bad pruning and is in your opinions is it still structually safe? Any advice would be very welcome,

 

Thanks Damien

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Ok, so loosen off the tie downs. Got it.

 

How do I train the braches next year to give me horizontal spead if i allow them to grow and thinken would i stand more chance of damaging them by trying to pull them once there more establised.

 

Is now the time to cut??

 

if your hoping to train it in any way shape or form like this your better of felling this tree and starting over from scratch.

[agg221]

Ok, so loosen off the tie downs. Got it.

 

How do I train the braches next year to give me horizontal spead if i allow them to grow and thinken would i stand more chance of damaging them by trying to pull them once there more establised.

 

Is now the time to cut??

 

I'd give it a few more weeks - let the leaves fall. It's easier to see what you're doing and the bits are nicer to handle.

 

You don't specifically need to have a flat, horizontal spread. It's a traditional form, but not the only form. The tree would be quite happy as a slightly more rounded shape, as per my earlier sketch. However, if you specifically want the flat topped look, let the branches grow up and they'll form side branches. Once there's a side branch where you want it, cut the top out above it. If you really need a side branch at a particular point and one isn't forming, cut the top out of the bit that isn't branching and it will then re-sprout lower down - choose the new side branch you like. These branches will initially grow out at an angle, probably about 45degrees give or take, but as they lengthen they will arch downwards and the weight of leaves and fruit will gradually bring them down.

 

Alec

[Eddy_t]

If you want I can come and do it DGB, I live near Cannock so it's just down the road from me

[DGB]

Hi eddy , thanks for the offer. However Im making this tree a bit of a personal challenge to see what I end up with, but thanks again

[DGB]

All, so its been 4 years and each year a little came off. Today it looks like the pictures attached and is far more manageable and looks much healthier.

 

To offer some protection to the void from the elements I have spent 2 years growing a repeat flowering climbing rose around the lower trunk. This seems to work well and keep the trunk from filling with water.

 

Any way I just thought it would be nice to share the feedback as people dont normally return to forums once they have what they need from the posters (members)

 

Agg221- I think it is now fairly close to your plan from 4 years back - Thank you and thanks to all who posted.

 

Kind regards:thumbup:

[porky]

Thanks for posting. It's good to see follow up pics years later, well done.

[Mick Dempsey]

Thanks for the follow up, and well done, it looks great.

[AllTreeNeeds]

Very cool to see a present picture, why did you decide to pollard/hard prune rather than gradual thin/prune and have you been getting many apples off this new pollard?

[Mick Dempsey]

Very cool to see a present picture, why did you decide to pollard/hard prune rather than gradual thin/prune and have you been getting many apples off this new pollard?

 

As I read it he has gradually reduced it, did you read the most recent post?

[agg221]

All, so its been 4 years and each year a little came off. Today it looks like the pictures attached and is far more manageable and looks much healthier.

 

To offer some protection to the void from the elements I have spent 2 years growing a repeat flowering climbing rose around the lower trunk. This seems to work well and keep the trunk from filling with water.

 

Any way I just thought it would be nice to share the feedback as people dont normally return to forums once they have what they need from the posters (members)

 

Agg221- I think it is now fairly close to your plan from 4 years back - Thank you and thanks to all who posted.

 

Kind regards:thumbup:

 

Thanks for the update and the pictures - I would be pretty pleased with that outcome If you are finding there is little blossom then it could be encouraged to return to productivity by tying a few of the branches down to a lower angle but basically it will now just need the odd bit of thinning out on the structure (nothing too hard, just the odd bit here and there to stop the inner crown dying off) and enjoying it for decades to come.

 

Alec