Apple Tree Pruning

[Beer Belly]

I have 2 Apple Trees that are rather large, one tree produces a good amount of fruit up high (15 ft.+), and barely any below that. The second Apple Tree is being overtaken by the nieghbors Grape Vine (non producing.....will probably cut it to stop it's advancement and then work on removing it later). What is the proper method for Pruning??, I was told to "Top the Apple Trees", by climbing it and cutting off the top to encourage fruit growth on the lower branches.....is this right??,.....high much should I cut off??.....how tall should I allow the tree to grow??....these Trees have to be somewhere around 35-40 ft. tall.

........The Trees are in the back w/ White Buds....this picture was taken from a distance. The Garage type structure stands 8 ft tall to give you a referance as to the size of the Trees

 

[Stumper]

Topping-the indiscriminate cutting of branches to a predetermined height, is a terrible thing to do to your trees. Most experts will agree that crown reduction-the reducing of the trees canopy by removing leaders back to secondary/lateral branches is only "good" compared to topping because it is less bad-It can still be stressful to the tree. Most of us will approach an apple tree with a slightly different attitude because fruit production and harvest are important objectives and those things can be enhanced by limiting the height of the canopy.
If highest quality fruit and ease of picking are not your primary goals(i.e. you like the trees as shade trees and the fruit is merely a bonus) then removal of dead branches some very minor thinning of interior branches, and perhaps reducing the tips on lower branches that hang in your path when loaded with leaves/fruit is all that you should do.

If fruit production and harvest are your primary goals then crown reduction is probably justified.

 

[Beer Belly]

Thank You Stumper....but can you translate this to laymans term

the reducing of the trees canopy by removing leaders back to secondary/lateral branches

....I have no idea of "Leader & Secondary/Lateral Branches" are....I believe the "Canopy" is the hieght of the lower Branches in relation to the ground.

 

[Stumper]

Canopy is the whole top in this usage. It would also correctly be called the crown.
Reducing to laterals means cutting the longer/taller fork of a branch back and leaving the shorter/lower/smaller fork. (It is important that the branch being left not be a mere twig-it should be at least 1/3 the diameter of the branch being removed)
Hope that helps. :angel:

 

[Beer Belly]

Is there a particular time of year that this is best done?.....I really love my Trees and don't want to do any damage.

 

[Elmore]

I think that, if I recall correctly, summer is the best time to do this reduction pruning.

 

[Stumper]

Summer pruning tends to slow growth. Minor reduction in the summer can be a very good thing. If you are planning a major reduction where a large portion of the top will be removed then......1. It is best to do it in stages spread over 2-3 years. 2.Pruning while dormant(fall/winter) will be a little less stressful.

 

[Elmore]

Summer is best to do this less aggressive type of pruning. Dormant pruning results in more vegetative growth at the expense of fruiting. For a major structural pruning I would work when the tree is dormant but to gradually reduce the crown mass and encourage fruit production I would concentrate my efforts in mid-summer. Hey, don't take my word for it, see for yourself :

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/ag29.html#dormant

 

[Stumper]

Elmore and I are in agreement we are simply expressing it in different ways. When will be best is dependent upon the degree of pruning attempted in one operation.

 

[Beer Belly]

Thanks Folks, I will be doing it slowly and in stages. I plan to start late August/early September.