Hi Alan,
Great articles on this thread, thanks for starting! My question is regarding water sprouts on apples. My scaffolds are all trained for horizontal growth, so I do get water sprouts. Have you discovered a way to prevent recurrence each year? Is there a best method or time of removal to reduce or prevent regrowth?
Dennis
Kent, Wa
Iām guessing he means kerf cuts like is done in carpentry to get a bend in wood.
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This apple tree needs major pruning but my main concern is the central leader. The trunk is about 5 ft high. Iād like the trunk to go higher but it is not cooperating. Iām thinking I may need to graft the top of it. Any other suggestions?
Shibumi got it. You cut with a sharp pruning saw a third of the way into the underside of the branch you are trying to spread. You start just out from where the branch joins the trunk or the scaffold it is growing on top of and make from 3 to maybe 8 cuts an inch or so apart- however many it takes to make the branch possible to bend without too much force. Usually I tie it to maybe a 65 degree angle if I can using string and a branch below as the anchor. Sometimes I can tape them to a nearby branch.
I learned the method from text so I hope you can also.
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After the oversized scaffold starting on the right side of the trunk is removed you might be able to use the smallish upright shoot above it. I think that oversized branch has taken over the vigor from the trunk above it.
Thatās a plan. Iāll prune this spring. If I donāt see any trunk growth then next Iāll just do a graft.
Thatās what happened to me on my one apple tree about twenty years ago. I didnāt correct it and have lived with it ever since, but itās far from ideal.
If I had known then what I know now Iād do as Alan says.
Thanks Alan. This makes sense to me. I wasnāt familiar with kerf cuts either but I watched a video and it made a lot of sense. Thank you! I will keep this in mind and try to use it if the need comes up.
Thanks @Shibumi as well for the clarification and reference.
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I was fascinated when I first heard of it here as well.
Of course there is no reason why it would not work except for creating more area to heal, but since the branch is not separated from the tree below the work, it should heal well and quickly.
Iād imagine this might be used for those who are shaping tress into different forms by working on much larger branches than first year growth.
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Did that on my Aunt Rachel which was almost completely devoid of branches on one side. I didnāt make quite that wide a notch but it was successful.
I learn a lot from Skillcult and I support him on patreon. Iām not sure if I would have dived so deeply into grafting without the support of his videos.
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Heās a great help to those that come across his content. I hope he attains the level of recognition that he deserves and Iām wishing him the best in his pursuit of a new property to continue his work.
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