To me the point of a central leader approach is that it is easier to assure a strong structure by choosing scaffold branches that are not much more than a third the diameter at the point of attachment to the trunk. Commercial growers use it because it is a more efficient system of harvesting light and it increases the per acre yield- but not to the extent that it should matter to home growers. I usually start out all fruit trees as a central leader and for trees I want as open center I cut out the leader after two or three years. The quickest way to get apples is to train a tree to a central leader and do no pruning except removing branches more than a third the diameter of the trunk until the tree bares fruit. After that you can train the tree anyway you want by taking out the center or leaving it and removing branches to create a more open tree.

Thanks for the advice; otherwise, I wouldn't have thought about fruit sunburn. It seems like pruning to a main leader will be best for my dwarf Goldrush. Since it has such a short growth potential, I guess I will just let the first tier of branches start 18 inches above the graft union. Each year thereafter I think I should be able to prune and train the leader for growing another 18 inches before letting each following tier of branching to develop. I was glad the instuctions sent with the tree, indicated that it will always need to be staked. Knowing that will keep me from making a mistake by expecting it's roots to develop well enough to support this tree. With the semi-dwarf sized Fuji apple tree, I planned to begin 30 inches above the graft union for the first tier of branching, and each time thereafter space the next tier of branching about 18 to 20 inches above that. It is not yet clear to me as to how the tree will grow and react if I try to prevent it from growing above 10 feet tall. Of course while the Fuji apple tree is growing in a pot over the next couple of years that should not be a concern. After that though, if it develops well enough, and thereafter enters into full enough dormant state, well enough, I plan to try and safely plant it in the ground. Once planted in the ground, and it reaches 10 feet tall, I am wondering if I can just keep pruning out any new buds which would otherwise allow the tree to keep growing higher. Hopefully I will not find that each pruning job thereafter becomes to demanding for me to expect that I will be able to keep the tiers of branches from spreading more wide than what looks best with the tree's main leader and tier structure.

its been there a month... and you are ready to go to town on it .... i would give it 3 years ... before i would contemplate such ... every leaf/needle is a food making machine.. for those roots you so rudely interrupted a month ago ... consider leaving them there .... until the plant get established ... first pic.. it looks awful close to the house... maybe a camera trick ... good luck ken

Lineria: How tall is this old tree? How big in diameter is the leader that you want to cut out? I hear you on not being able to safely and properly spray standing on a ladder. I too spray my 22 fruit trees with a pump sprayer. I find I can spray up to 15' while standing on the ground. The best spray pattern I can get is about 12'. Every pump sprayer I purchase, I fill will with water and run a test before using it. I spray my cement driveway to see how far it will spray and how well the concrete wets at different nozzle settings. So far my Chapin and Hudson pump sprayers do a decent job for about 12' and with the nozzle set to a coarser stream, I can get to 15' but with not as wide a spray coverage at that distance. Because of this, all my trees are kept to a maximum height of 15'. No use letting them grow taller for the insects to ruin if I can't spray them any higher. Standing on a ladder to spray is too dangerous and time consuming for me. Yes you can cut the leader back to open up the tree more for sunlight and height reduction. Best done when the tree is dormant in late winter. A central leader system is nice, but the tree will bear apples just fine if it is not central leader anymore. I have some apples as central leader and a few that are vase pruned. Both systems work. What "worms" are bothering your apples? I presume coddling moths? Where I live we normally have 2 generations of coddling moths each year. The first hits sometime mid-late june with the damage showing up early July. Most of the time apples hit this early abort. The second generation comes anytime late July thru August and these apples usually stay on the tree but ripen earlier than normal. It may be different where you live however.