Help pruning neglected apple tree
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
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- 6 years ago
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Help with neglected apple trees
Comments (3)I have renovated 100's of "young" apple trees like the ones in your photos over the last 25 years, and they are young compared to the trees that take the majority of my work which tend to be over 100 years old. Those look to be 40 or so. Don't be afraid to take out well over half of the branching the very first year- you won't kill the trees, believe me. As you suggest, completely remove the largest uprights like the one you photographed specifically. It may be helpful to know that leaves receiving less than 30% available sunlight are an energy sink so those trees are wasting a lot of energy- if they wind up wasting significant light at the beginning of the growing season because of wood removed they can easily spare it. The oldtimers used to do something called de-horning to renovate apple trees too tall and large. they would butcher every branch to about an 8" diameter stub. I've seen this done with trees the age of yours and 5 years later they looked pretty much as full as when the butchery occurred. Like a lot of old time practices, this one is not the best way to go and what you need to do is a lot of branch thinning focusing on most upright and vigorous wood. The less vigorous wood will be more productive of fruit- especially when exposed to ample sunlight and if you spray the trees you can probably have a great crop the first year. Expect it to take 3 years for the tree to more or less have the shape you desire but I consider renovation a project that continues for the life of the tree- at least it is when you are pruning for apples. A good Japanese pruning saw will make the job much easier, if you can afford one. I use a Gomtaro 300MM Silky saw with all course teethe (actually pretty fine for apple work). AM Leonard carries this model. You will be amazed how quickly it can work through even 7" diameter branches....See MorePruning a neglected apple tree
Comments (1)As you know apples can tolerate (and even require) a lot of pruning to be productive. On trees like yours which have gotten too big, they often cut off the main leader/trunk to make the form lower and to open the lower branches up to more sunlight. Cut out any lower branches that have grown across others. Even after that you'll probably want to prune some more, but you don't need to reform the entire tree in one year. Yes I'd remove the upper leader and any lower cross branches and then I'd look at it for a week before considering more. I'm not a fan of pruning sprays (those tarry coverings) but I would cut the trunk at a 45 degree bevel and spray it. I've no experience with those insect attracting balls,but that are used commercial to test when the moths are present to know when to spray. The pheremone traps might be better - don't know. I use permenthrin type sprays which are IMO among the safest and very effective. I've read tha ta kaolin clay dusting on the fruits is effective too....See MoreHelp! Pruning neglected apricot tree...
Comments (2)Hi Sabrina12. That tree doesn't look in too bad of shape. It could use some pruning for sure but nothing horrible. Here is a pruning tutorial from youtube that may help you out. I would wait till Summer to prune your apricot due to a disease called eutypa. Here is a link that might be useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWu4u--cZ84...See MoreHelp! Badly neglected apple tree with cankers/black rot.
Comments (1)Wow, what a mess someone left you with. There is a video on youtube of a grower shaving off all of the infected area of a canker down to clean wood and allowing the area to dry before painting over the bare wood with 50\50 white interior paint and water to seal it. I don't know if that's the ideal way to handle canker or not. Just relaying the video. I think your tree may also be a good candidate for cleaning off all of the side growth and leaving that one central leader, if it looks like it could produce viable growth. You would want to wait till late winter to do such major surgery. I don't think you can do wrong with regards to finding branch collars. Just whack those suckers off as best you can. The trunk will never be beautiful but I happen to like the gnarled look myself....See More- 6 years ago
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