apple tree pruning

[Millman]

Well it's that time of year again. I have to prune the apple trees. I have 7 dwarf all in great health, but I never know quite how to prune them. Any advice will help and hopefully if it's not too dark out tonight I can take some pics. I am in Western NY. Millman

 

[rebelman]

I think the optimum time is past. Wait till next winter. Proper pruning cuts, outside the collar, but no stubs. general principles, look for crossing and interfering, dead or dying, no more than 25% of the foliage. Every three years.

 

[gumneck]

My opinion is that you can cut away. Especially further North, I dont think you probably have bud swell yet. I dont know that your trees are still dormant but I would think so. I have many varieties that have no swell yet and some that do.

I would chop away even if they did have some swell.

 

[Millman]

pruning

My opinion is that you can cut away. Especially further North, I dont think you probably have bud swell yet. I dont know that your trees are still dormant but I would think so. I have many varieties that have no swell yet and some that do.

I would chop away even if they did have some swell.

I usually cut the branches that go straight up and leave the large, horizontal ones alone. The problem is that most of the branches go up. See the pics.

 

[Kate Butler]

watersprouts

That is a gazillion watersprouts!!!

1) First, cut all the biggest (not necessarily the tallest), rather the thickest at the base, of the watersprouts. Walk around the tree as you do this to keep the pruning balanced.

2) Then look for twigs that are crossed, or that have the potential to rub together in the wind. Cut one or both of those. Walk around the tree as you do this to keep the pruning balanced.


Step back and look at the tree all the way around. Repeat #1 and #2 until you've cut an approximate total of 25% of the sprouts.

Repeat next year.

FYI, I have heard that doing this sort of pruning in July lessens the regrowth of watersprouts and encourages fruit spurs. I know this runs counter to folklore, but so far, in my experience, it works. Less watersprouts mean less time spent pruning.

Good luck.

 

[treeseer]

kate nailed it; general rule for all trees is that spring pruning stimulates regrowth .

 

[Grumpy Kakapo]

It also depends if you want your apple trees to produce lots of fruit or if you want to keep them as a healthy ornamental garden tree.Commercial apple growers prune hard and promote fruiting spurs but puts the tree under stress.