Hi,
On the Apple tree below I’m wondering if I should make a heading cut on the leader now to try and get more growth into the arms or if it is better to wait until late winter?
The tree is planted about 3 weeks ago.
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It appears you are trying to espaliar that tree? If it were mine id make the heading cut now and take advantage of the growing season this year.
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I would cut it now. I too have had good success with summer pruning.
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Yes I’m trying to espalier it, totally forgot to state that 
I’m also inclined to cut it now, especially I hope that cutting it can promote growth lower down on the tree. Think that I will cut it between level 2 and level 3 and then let a new leader develop over summer that can be headed back in winter to start arms for level 3.
If you head it now, its likely that you will develop multiple leaders that you can stretch out to a 3rd level. Now that i know you are looking at going to a 3rd wire, I’d make the cut below the 3rd bamboo stake you have. This should give you multiple leaders that you can bend over to the bamboo stake.
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Yes that’s a possibility, just unsure if it is an good idea already to start the third level this year as I want to get the first and second level quite a bit longer than what they are now. Nearly all literature I’ve found on the topic warn against starting the upper arms before the lower ones are at their final length as growth tends to be directed to the upper parts of the tree.
Think that I will go with your suggestion, if it turns out it is hard to get first and second level to grow long enough I guess that I can always cut it back to between second and third level in the winter, and then get more vigor in the lower parts next year.
You are more likely to infect your tree with something pruning in the warm months. As a precaution I would recommend using a 1 part bleach to 10 parts water to pray on your tools and the wood to be cut. If I am doing very large cuts I also like to pat them dry with a clean cloth and cover them immediately with a healthy coat of superglue. It sticks well to wet wood and prevents infection and keeps the cambium from drying out or dying back so bad. I touch up the superglue if needed later. The tree will heal over the glue. I have done it for years it works great.
In addition to the ideas above, your bottom tiers might grow more vigorously if you angle them up more, say 45 degrees, if that fits into your space. More vertical limbs grow faster than more horizontal limbs, as you may know. You can always train them back closer to horizontal after a year or two of more vertical growth. I used to make the mistake of pulling my lower scaffolds to horizontal too early in their lives with the result that the tops dominated too soon.
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