Cutting back an apple tree

RAS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZG7DTeG2p8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObAjCBTgOoY and the other parts of the same story

What you get when you winter prune is water sprouts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzkouoIiopk although I would remove them in summer (summer pruning controls growth, winter pruning encourages growth)

Good detail here on how to make the cuts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHYrEcsJjJA

If you cut back all the branches to the main stems; each will produce 20-50 watersprouts and you will have to sort them out to recreate and develop fruiting wood.

If you open up the centre of the tree now, water sprouts will grow along the branches that can now get sunlight. Cut those back to 5 buds or so (top bud pointing outwards) in July and they will develop into spurs in the future.

cyclonebri1

Seanymph wrote: »

I had people in to take out an elderberry tree that had completely deformed my apple tee - it ended up with a hole in the middle, and branches either side.

They said 'in five years you can cut off the side branches because it will have filled in the hole'.

I didn't believe them - year one and it has sprouted probably around forty branches going straight up where the hole is!

They are obviously amazingly resilient things.

Sorry but the question here is a fruit tree not a problem shrub. I hope you understand?

The reason you where told to deal with it later is that unlike our preferred species, elder and other such stuff are very resilient, they keep coming back unless dealt with.

DaftyDuck

Seanymph wrote: »

I had people in to take out an elderberry tree that had completely deformed my apple tree - it ended up with a hole in the middle, and branches either side.

They said 'in five years you can cut off the side branches because it will have filled in the hole'.

I didn't believe them - year one and it has sprouted probably around forty branches going straight up where the hole is!

They are obviously amazingly resilient things.

cyclonebri1
Sorry, but firstly, that post was from October last year, secondly it IS about an apple tree, maybe read again, and maybe you understand now? :rotfl: I really don't think Seanymph's elder is coming back.

theoretica

hathor wrote: »

Not strictly on-topic - sorry - but we are buying an old house and have found that there's an apple tree in the garden. The house has been unoccupied for years and you can't get into the garden at the moment, so who knows what's out there? I only know it's an apple tree 'cos I can see windfalls on the ground in a photo taken from an upstairs window.
How do I find out what kind of apple it is? Don't really need to know the exact variety, I suppose, but "cooker or eater" would be good. Hoping to keep the tree...

There are a number of apple days around the country which often offer apple identification. An old tree may be something interesting and a nice flavoursome change from supermarket varieties.

Mojisola

There's also a few websites that might help if the apple is distinctive - https://www.gardenappleid.co.uk/index.php/how-to-use-this-website

cyclonebri1

In my defence, from post #13;

Originally Posted by Seanymph View Post
I had people in to take out an elderberry tree that had completely deformed my apple tee - it ended up with a hole in the middle, and branches either side.

They said 'in five years you can cut off the side branches because it will have filled in the hole'.


Yes, I got it wrong, but ...........

Cliecost

Ok, back to my original question.

I've attached an image of the tree. What should I cut off and what should I leave?

The buds on the branches are fluffy and white and so are those parts of the trees where branches have been cut of in the past and scars have formed.

Should I cut off all branches and the scars that are fluffy and white?

Thanks.

DaftyDuck

Well, assuming it is an apple tree (you are sure?) I'd do it at around this kind of height and length of branch.


It is rather overgrown, and I'd expect to give it a summer prune as well, as the winter prune will actually encourage growth this year.

You will want to make cuts to all those branches, I've only drawn some in. Make the centre open, like a wine glass, remove any weak or diseased branch, and trim the rest back. try to look at the buds just below where you are cutting: that's where the branch will... branch out, so the direction of the buds will define the new growth.

There are whole books on pruning technique but (just like making compost), it's not that difficult, and best way to learn is by experience.

Funky_Bold_Ribena

With that, I'd keep everything pointing out, and lose everything pointing up and pointing in. Always cut to above a pointing out bud so that the new branches will grow out and not in.

And as always - anything dead, diseased or crossing.

jonewer

Hard to really tell you what to cut from a 2-dimensional photo but you could do a lot worse than watching a bunch of Stephen Hayes' videos on youtube (as linked above).

With regards to identifying the variety, its probably going to be a fairly common garden variety as the tree doesnt look that old.

Trying to identify apples from sites like the one linked to above is difficult. There are simply too many varieties. I tried to use that site to identify my Claygate Pearmain and couldnt, despite the fact that it is quite a distinctive apple.

You should definitely keep any mature fruit tree. Graft on different varieties too!