The good news is that all my apple grafts have taken. A couple of them have 2 or 3 branches each. Is this ok, or should I limit it to one branch each? Here’s a pic of my Golden Dorsett, and Fuji grafts. ps: I know I spelled Fuji wrong :-/ Thanks, Ed
I tend to just the pinch the tips off the shoots you dont want to keep at this point. Probably wouldnt prune them off completely until the main leader is well established.
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I don’t quite understand the question- can you maybe give us a shot that includes more of the tree, and maybe a little more idea of why you feel a need to prune? That would help me, at least, see what’s what.
If you’re looking at the “golden xxx 3/18” on the right I think I know what I’d recommend: I’d pinch back the competitive side branches, yes, but not remove them completely. Leave just three leaves on each of those. Encourage that main shoot to dominate.
It looks like you’ve got some nice grafts there and a nice, healthy tree. And nice work with the spreader, too. I need to make some of those.
Mark, I pmed you.
I always want to spell Fuji Fugi. Glad I’m not the only one,
Thanks for the replies. Actually, I don’t know what I’m trying to do. This thread follows my previous thread trying to figure out what to do with our small Anna apple tree.
Jolene on this fourm sent me a generous selection of scions. I pruned off all the tall whippy branches and grafted on 4 different scions, Fuji, Granny Smith, Dorsett Golden, and Aunt Rachael. I made some branch spreaders out of some scrap wood. A couple of the grafts have a few branches, and I didn’t know if I should just let them grow or…but I think you answered my question about pinching the side shoots. Will try and post some better photos. Am very new at this, and am really having fun grafting. My tree design leaves a lot to be desired. Please don’t flame my frankenstein tree :- ) The squirrels will be the ones eating any apples anyway :-/
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Here’s a few better pics. My main question is about the Fuji, and Dorsett Golden grafts. They each have 3 branches…so am assuming that pinching the two side branches to encourage the main branch is the way to go, right?
I think so. Those photos show it well. Your tree looks good.
Anna and Dorsett Golden don’t play well with others; they will blossom months earlier and suck all the vigor of the tree; your high-chill branches won’t get much bigger than they are now. The high chill varieties do best on their own rootstock.
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That’s fine…just messing around. If the Anna and Dorsett Golden dominate, it’s a victory. The squirrels will be happy. I have another rootstock that I grafted Granny Smith and Dorsett Golden on, so now I might clip the DG, and just let it be a Granny Smith. If the apple thing doesn’t work out, we can always grow more citrus and peaches. We’re emotionally attached to apples, having lived in apple country for 30 years…might not be so good down here though.
Me too
Mmmm…I would beg to differ. Apples grow fine just about anywhere, including Uganda. The photos below are an orchard in 2015 through 2018.
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Looks like a heavy duty fence in the middle photo. What’s the idea there?
The orchard is on a large property that has a maize processing plant and warehouses on it. This is part of the perimeter fence.
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Yes, beautiful orchard. I wasn’t referring to the climate as to “things not working out here.” I know that Anna and Dorsett Golden grow well here, that’s no secret. I was referring more to the squirrel situation. Not sure how many years I want to wait to have more apples than the squirrels can eat. Not one critter touched our oranges last year, and they hang there on the tree for 6 months. Granted, oranges are green for a long time, but even when orange, nothing bothers them.