pruning and care of apple trees

[cpweaver]

Help: We are so new at this. We bought some property and are now
TRYING to get the apple trees to start growing apples. The trees are
very old and have been smothered with brush and other, bigger trees. We
have cleared all the brush around the trees and cut the other trees
around them so that they can get some fresh air and sun light. The
trees desperately need some nutrition and we don't know what to do. Do
they need pruned in the fall or summer. What kind of fertilizer do they
need. Can they be revived in order to bear fruit again. We are trying
to grow apples so that the deer on the property can have something to
eat. We are great land lovers and want to make this property into what
it once was. Can you help us

Thanks so much

Paul Weaver

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Sunlight is needed for good apples, so are polinators like bees.

Prunning should be done gradualy. Deadwood is fair game, but if the trees are realy old then you should not remove vast amounts of folaige in any single growing season. Maybe 10% at a time. This figure is somewhat arbitrary, not having looked at the plants, but a rule I use on older fruit trees.

here is a search on proper prunning I keep bookmarked.

http://search.dogpile.com/texis/search?q=proper+pruning&geo=no&fs=web

I don't think they need any fert, but mulch is always good for trees. Nothing that is from trees in the rose family though. Find a tree company and let them know they can dump clean chips on your property and they will love you.

Also talk to area orchards, most of these people do it because they love to and also love talking about it.