Winter pruning of apple trees
Apples as a food source have been intwined in human history since, well the begining of human history. This much loved and versatile fruit is eaten and grown all around the globe, in hot and cold climates alike.
During the course of my work I have seen many hundreds of private gardens over the years and the one constant, well certainly in the vast majority, is the ubiquitous apple tree. Sometimes cared for other times neglected but always seemingly much loved by their owners.
Very often these apple trees are in the singular despite the fact that most varieties demand a pollinating parnter. As many of you may have found out your single tree may well fruit with abandon without a second tree in your garden. This is of course because with so many gardens, particularly in citys, close by all with their own single apple tree you are effectively living in a compartmentalised orchard without realising it.
Winter is the traditional and correct time to carry out apple tree pruning, that is unless you grow established espaliers, cordons or fan trained specimens in which case a summer pruning is appropriate. If growing these forms of tree from young stock you should still prune in winter during their formative years and train them to shape accordingly.
For traditional apple trees If you are planting new one year old trees known as ‘maidens’ prune back the central stem to about 70cms above ground at the time of planting. This will enduce lateral or primary growth during the next growing season.
In year two remove any vertical shoot from last years pruning cut and select the five strongest most balanced shaped lateral growths, try to form a goblet shape, and cut these back by about half. Remove any other shoots completely back to the central stem. Always cut just above a healthy bud and don’t let your tree fruit for these first two years.
In the third year shorten the years new growth by a third to a bud and remove any central strong vertical growth.
Continue with this method year on year and the tree will incimentally get larger. Remove any diseased wood or branches that are touching or crossing, over the years you are trying to keep an open structured goblet shaped tree.
On inherited or established trees that are in good shape continue pruning as above by reducing new years growth every winter by about a third but not at the expense of creating an over crowded secondary branch system. Try to keep your five to eight main branches from which can come maybe eight to ten secondary side growths off these can be six or eight fruiting spurs.
With over grown trees you may have to remove some larger branches to bring your apple back into a quality fruiting tree. We are still looking for that same open centred goblet shaped tree with five to eight primary large branches in the long run so bear this in mind. Start by clearing out dead and diseased wood, branches that are rubbing and strong growth that is internal to the tree crown.
On large specimens the height and width may need to be reduced to make the tree more appropriate to the garden space available. Look to reduce these branches back to strong side growth about a third in diameter size wise the the branch that is being removed. It is sometimes advisable to carry out very major pruning of trees such as these over a couple of winters to decrease the stress put on the trees systems.
While this pruning of old trees is suggested, if you have a huge magnificant ancient apple tree in your garden that either you don’t want the fruit from or is quite happily fruiting to your satisfaction then just leave it be. An overgrown relic like this is often a lot more endearing than a manufactured commercial orchard shaped specimen and possibly more valuable to your garden as such. Just remove any dead would and enjoy it.