I would cut it even lower. It appears that there are three low branches, a large one going left, a small one going right, and a medium one going back/just left of the trunk. Is this right? If so, cut just above the upper of those three. This will give you a vase shaped tree with three main scaffolds.

The other choice is to remove all branches below B and go with the upper limbs to form the tree. Only you can decide how high you want the tree to be. The second option might be better if say you have a deer problem and want the fruit above the deer.

Without deer, the shorter tree will be easier to spray, prune, and harvest.

The Fruitnut

Estreya:

That is the spindliest, weakest little Tomcot tree I have ever seen. Something is wrong here. Either your soil is really, really bad, or your poor little tree needs more nutritious mulch. My Tomcots here in Northern Virginia would beat the living daylights out of that tree, even though it is a Washington State creation.

I don't think I would prune that sad little tree at all yet. My two Tomcots have already been thinned, and are covered with rapidly developing fruits, which will be ready to pick on June 21, if past experience is a guide. My major problem with them is keeping their growth under control. They want to grow to 15 feet tall.

Do you know what rootstock your tree is on?

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Yes clearly the branching pattern is not the problem, rather lack of growth and vigor. The tree is stunted so you cut off its head as punishment? Top pruning decreases growth by removing food-making leaves and food-storing stems. When a branch is cut back hard the illusion of increased growth is created by the production of non-branching water sprouts as the tree attempts to replace the lost branches as quickly as possible. The overall volume of the tree is actually significantly reduced until the original branching is replaced. If the tree (or branch) had not been pruned it would have kept increasing in size during that time instead.

:)

You guys, you cut me to the quick! It's my Charlie Brown tree. It was wonky and absolutely pitiful when i brought it home last year. By October, it had developed these wierd, gangly lower branches that were as wide as the tree was tall.

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So late winter/early spring, i sort of chopped those lower ones off a bit, in the hopes that it would assume a more balanced shape.

It just hasn't leafed out yet. It will look better soon ...

Do you think it's doomed?

I'm determined not to give up on this tree. It was the only Tomcot in the nursery, and i just had to have it. Now, i'm going to love it tall.

I have so much to learn. But overall, i'm pleased with the way the fruit trees are coming along. Am i just being overly optimistic? Blind to obvious problems?

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Anyway, thanks for your feedback everyone. It looks like two slightly opposing opinions about the pruning cuts so far. I hope i can save this tree ...

:)

By the way, the Puget Gold right next to it isn't leafed out either. Nor is the peach. My assumption is that those trees are just the last to leaf out.

Maybe i'm assuming wrong and they're all suffering?

~ blink blink ~

The mason bees only popped out last week.

For a yr old and considering that you have already done a major pruning, your tree doesn't look bad at all. It had good growth before your last pruning. Only you can decide what height and form you want for the tree.

I answered your question as posed. But it will make a tree if you do nothing now. You just have to decide and then stick to the plan.

The Fruitnut

Thank you, Fruitnut! I feel reassured.

Whew ...

Now i have to figure out how to proceed, weighing the advise given here. Maybe i should leave it be for another season.

The longer you put it off, the further you set the tree back. Do what you think is best. But do it now. Waiting until next yr to cut more will just delay fruit production further.

The Fruitnut

Thank you, Fruitnut.

Will both of the approaches you mentioned be equally likely to fatten up the trunk? (Or unlikely, as the case may be?)

Height doesn't bother me so much either way (it's on a semi-dwarf rootstock, though i don't know what type). But i want that little spindle to plump up. The honeycrisp i posted a photo of above is about as tall, but it's middle is much stronger.

Thanks, that helps me understand your main concern. That trunk is a little spindly to have all the biggest branches on top. It will work that way but you will have to support the tree for a couple yrs. The trunk will eventually thicken up. But the easiest way to handle a tall spindly tree is to cut it back low. Leave those three low branches and you will have a nice sturdy tree. But it will still work either way.

The Fruitnut

Thanks so much, Fruitnut. I'm going to take the plunge this weekend. Probably Sunday, because it's supposed to be overcast, and there's just something in me that's saying it's better to do this job when the sun's not blazing.

I'm a little scared. I'm comfortable with shaping, but this is really drastic. As bboy said - i'm decapitating it!