Hello All. I have an apple tree and It’s in need of pruning but I have never done it before. I have attached pictures any input would be welcome.
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People here recommend this guide http://boyernurseries.com/boyers/media/Fruit-Tree-Pruning-Guide.pdf
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Can you take a couple closeup photos of the major crotch that’s 3 to 4 feet above ground?
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Welcome!
Pruning can also be cultivar specific. And end form desired too. You may what it short and very bushy to harvest scions. You might want a classic form. Seen English nursery sights heavily slanted to wire training and espalier. When my Royal Sweet and Circassian scions arrive; I will prune them to match their cousins in the wild apple forests; but with space to walk under.
From your original photo I was concerned that might be a weak crotch but I can’t really tell. Hope other growers will weigh in.
Do you know any experienced tree people- arborists/fruit growers who could take a look?
In additional to regular maintenance pruning, do you have any other goals you are trying to accomplish e.g. reducing height?
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Yes I would like to reduce the height and bear more quality apples. Last season had a bunch of apples but they were very small
It needs pruning, but you should also consider thinning for better quality, larger fruit
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I must admit, I’m curious to see recommended cuts to reduce height. Probably cringe worthy I bet. But no doubt beneficial to new growth and better yields.
I know all the really huge Apple trees I’ve read about seem to make medium size apples at best, Usually a bit smaller.
Have you learned to graft? Or do you know someone nearby that grafts? If you want to keep the variety but reduce the tree height, you should consider top working it by cutting off all scaffold about a foot above each fork then using a bark graft technique to add several different varieties. The lager limb cuts will require about 4 scions to completely heal the cuts. This would produce fruit at a more desirable lower height within a few years.
Dennis
Kent, wa
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Pruning a long neglected tree like that should be at least a 3-4 year project.
There are lots of university extension guides out there on how to deal with/prune neglected apple trees
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I’d like to see photos of the tree from a distance like the first picture, but from different vantage points -say, from every 90 degrees around the tree. It would help make sense of the structure.
I’d want to remove a lot of the wood above about 16 feet I think, taking branches off a bit at a time to reduce the weight and damage from the limbs falling. Clear out branches shooting towards the center of the tree, anything that’s dead or diseased, of course, and “junk” wood such as water shoots sticking up off of main scaffold branches. Like @smsmith says it’s going to be a multiyear project. And you’ll have a lot of new growth showing up in the summer and that needs to be knocked back if it’s in the wrong place.
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Short walk around video might help as well.
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@Lobb4920 The Boyer Nursery Pruning Guide that @ltilton posted above is the best I’ve seen that covers everything in one place. Digest that and you’ll be off to a good start.
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Check out two pdfs below, they have before and after photos of neglected apple tree pruning. I hope it helps.