Cutting back an apple tree

Cliecost

jonewer wrote: »

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!

It's a Cox apple tree, about 30-40 years old.

It's infested with Wooly aphid and last year (and possibly the year before) was infested with flat leaf worm (http://goo.gl/ueClvk).

I wanted to cut it right back and then disinfect it with Bayer bug killer (http://goo.gl/6NGUOe).

So I don't imagine there will be any fruit this year. There wasn't last year and the tree looked in a right sorry state of affairs.

Thanks for the help though.

theoretica

What shape do you want the tree to end up? It seems to have have major cut backs twice in the past but no regular prunning - once just about fence height after the five main branches and once 2-3 feet higher up. I would probably keep all the main branches but cut the thin one towards the fence right back to convenient apple picking height, cut out one of the three 2ndary branches over on the left and probably one or two others and most of the rest about level with DaftyDuck's lower marks - I like my apples easy to pick.

Cliecost

theoretica wrote: »

What shape do you want the tree to end up? It seems to have have major cut backs twice in the past but no regular prunning - once just about fence height after the five main branches and once 2-3 feet higher up. I would probably keep all the main branches but cut the thin one towards the fence right back to convenient apple picking height, cut out one of the three 2ndary branches over on the left and probably one or two others and most of the rest about level with DaftyDuck's lower marks - I like my apples easy to pick.

I don't know what shape it should be. I just know it's infested and needs sorting. We moved into this house and found the tree in an ever worse state. I cut it back but it got infected over a year ago and now looks like this.

thorsoak

I know my OH used to "band" the fruit trees at some time during the autumn/winter .....it wasn't done in the winter 2010/11 when he was ill, and since his death I haven't done it either - and consequently have suffered fruit spoiled by maggots etc. I did mean to do it at the beginning of this winter but forgot - am I too late to do it now? I have a very large bramley, a worcester permain, and a conference pear and a williams pear - plus damson, victoria plum and greengage trees!

Cliecost

thorsoak wrote: »

I know my OH used to "band" the fruit trees at some time during the autumn/winter .....it wasn't done in the winter 2010/11 when he was ill, and since his death I haven't done it either - and consequently have suffered fruit spoiled by maggots etc. I did mean to do it at the beginning of this winter but forgot - am I too late to do it now? I have a very large bramley, a worcester permain, and a conference pear and a williams pear - plus damson, victoria plum and greengage trees!

What does 'band' mean?

RAS

tree bands are used to stop a number of moths see https://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=518

regarding woolly aphid, you can

1. Squash with fingers
2. Spray with water and mild detergent

People used to paint the aphids with meths or meths and water but that is now banned by the EU.

Cliecost

RAS wrote: »

tree bands are used to stop a number of moths see https://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=518

regarding woolly aphid, you can

1. Squash with fingers
2. Spray with water and mild detergent

People used to paint the aphids with meths or meths and water but that is now banned by the EU.

This place http://goo.gl/Es7Uzn suggested some chemicals.

Any good?

Cliecost

bumpbumpbumpbump

RAS

Cannot quote for some reason.

Yes they will work to some extent but on parts within easy reach just squash.

Cliecost

RAS wrote: »

Cannot quote for some reason.

Yes they will work to some extent but on parts within easy reach just squash.

Excellent! Now all I need is some good weather!!!