Several of the grafts I made this spring produced spindly growth this summer. Is there a pruning/fertility trick to get more robust growth this coming spring? I thought I had seen a reference to this in the forum but couldn’t find it.
Thanks, Chikn.
The usual cure for spindly growth is to prune back. Next spring would be a good time. More fertilizer and water will help but only if deficient at present.
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If they are supported and not blowing in the wind, that will also tend to have them put on spindly growth. I have quite a few lower branches on my apple trees that are resting against my deer protection fence and they are more spindly than those that support their own weight.
Chikn,
Check out this post on tipping Tipping to make a bushy more productive fruit tree. Sounds like what your looking for.
The rootstock plays a role in the growth of the scion. What some people may not be aware of is the fact that the rootstock does not only determine the length of new growth, it also determines, to some extent, the thickness of the new growth as well. Some rootstocks are more prone than others for making spindly growth. If a rootstock description states that it should be staked, I would assume that it isn’t going to grow thick and sturdy new growth. Something that you may want to keep in mind in the future if you have a choice of different rootstocks. Also, if your young trees are in pots, if you put them in shade in the morning and bright light in the afternoon, they will have thicker growth with shorter distance between internodes. This gives them something sort of like the cold treatment used in greenhouses.
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