I have two trees, the first is a semi dwarf golden delicious, the second is a dwarf kindercrisp. I’ve been reading about pruning and how it’s best not to over prune young apples. Wondering if I should leave these two alone or remove one upper branch on each. I feel like the each have a branch that may be too big compared to the central leader. They overall look kinda spindly to me so I don’t want to discourage them too much!
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What shape are you trying to maintain - central leader or modified central leader? Also, do you know the exact rootstock your trees are on?
In the first picture, I see three strong shoots at the top competing to become the central leader, so that’s something you’ll probably want to address.
The second tree looks fine to me for a dwarf rootstock - maybe it just needs to be straightened a bit.
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No, unfortunately I don’t know the rootstock. The golden is from Stark Bros and they don’t specify. I was assuming to do central leader, just because that’s what I’ve seen recommended. I’m not sure the pros and cons of modified. The second tree was planted near a large maple that I had removed last year, so it will get more light from now on.
Cut that
Notch above all of the dormant lower buds to get more branching, The existing branching is very good
Apple Notching Success (so far) - General Fruit Growing - Growing Fruit
I think your tree has the potential to look like this clearly faked photo
If you want more height then clip here but still notch the dormant buds
They look healthy to me honestly. At two years old I’d just leave them alone and let them grow. That one branch competing with the leader, you could bend it down with a clothespin or a bit of string rather than cutting it off. Gives you the fruit wood later without losing any growth.
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I thought the lower branches had nice angles but then my orchard book said scaffolds need to start about 3 feet off the ground.
Sorry I tried to reply but I guess I just added another comment below yours!
Yeah, the angles of the lower branches look nice, no doubt. The only issue is that you have too many of them for the first scaffold level (for a central or modified central leader), and they’re shading each other. You can leave them for now and remove some later.
I recommend taking a look at pruning videos from Cummins Nursery for the Modified Central Leader system (and even the Vertical Axis system). Make sure to watch the “Pruning for a 9th Year Apple Tree” video to see what the structure of a mature tree actually looks like.
Here’s the playlist:
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orchard book said what tree form needs to start 3 feet off the ground.?
Espalier is starting 1.5 and the top run is 3.5 feet
The most productive for an apple tree would be a tall spindle or modified central leader.
when done properly this is what your tree should look like
I believe the question was asked before. What shape do you want to maintain.
What do you want this tree in your front yard to look like.
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Thank you! I’m working my way through these videos. I watched a bunch of videos and read up on peach pruning last month. Then was surprised how different apples are. I planted the 2 peach and 2 apple all the same year. There is so much information and I’m trying to make sense of it but I think it will all stick better with more hands on experience.
The book was talking about central leader. In rereading I think maybe the “problem” with lower scaffolds would just be lack of sunlight. So if I kept the tree smaller that wouldn’t apply. I had planned on central leader originally because that’s what seemed to be recommended. I’m trying to understand the benefits of one vs. another. I think modified might be a better looking tree. Going to watch the videos above to learn some more. Although I didn’t think there would be a difference in pruning yet between the two. Doesn’t a modified central leader get pruned the same as central for the first few years?
Its not that anyone here thinks your book is wrong, or the advice bad. Some of us are just saying ignore it.
I think this very short gardener has a perfect modified central leader
I’m calling him short because if those lower scaffolds started at 2.5feet he must be short.
It easy to remove the lower scaffolds later. But hard to impossible to get them to grow back.
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Yeah the first time I read it I thought he was saying there is something inherently wrong with low scaffolds, like they won’t be capable of good production. Thinking now he’s just referring to light getting in. That is a nice tree in the video!
Not to confuse you, but apples can be pruned to open center as well. Here’s my 10 yrs old CrimsonCrisp on M.7 (semi-dwarf) apple rootstock. Had to make a larger cut this year to remove a large limb which was shading bottom limbs.
Amend! @Rae please keep that in mind.
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There is so much to learn and it’s so interesting. For instance I started out wanting all full dwarf trees, because I’m in a fairly small yard. But after reading about the rootstocks and how growing conditions can limit even a standard tree, I decided semi dwarf sounded much better. I don’t like the idea of weak roots and trees blowing over. The kindercrisp is dwarf but I got it for $12 or so, and I didn’t have really high hopes for that spot in the yard so decided to try it.
So in your pictures above, the suggestion of chopping off the whole top would be for a very short tree?
SkillCult has very good explanatory videos, highly recommend to watch them on the pruning topic:
Fruit Tree Training Explained, Modfied Central Leader & Delayed Open Center
Smart Fruit Tree Training #2: Two and Three Year Old Trees, Remedial Training
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The blue is your do over zone. You can manipulate any of those green dormant buds into a new branch and get it to grow into a new central leader. You want your next set of branches to be around where the red line is now red line. But you want them to grow out like the lower branches are not up and out like whats there now.
So the idea is to get a new central growing and then curate the branches you want and where you want them.
You could also try T-buding branches in the fall where you want them.
If all that fails you can cut the central leader off and say you where going for open center in the first place.
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So I could cut where the red is, and notch below to get a new central leader and the next set of scaffolds. OR just cut off the two competing branches leaving the current leader, but still notch to try for better upper scaffolds. And the only issue with just letting some of the little twiggy branches become scaffolds is that they’re so much higher up?
The twiggy branches can work to but I can only see one side of your tree if you have full coverage around you can just keep those.
The only need to make soon red line, until efforts to get your new central or scaffolds pay off you don’t need to remove the other.
Less is more, But you cant neglect your summer pruning and training either.
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DK whether anyone asked – do you anticipate any pressure from animal pests? In my neighborhood, deer would ravage any foliage below 7’.