Things to be doing now : apple/pear tree pruning

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Things to be doing now : apple/pear tree pruning
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gil
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Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18410

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 07 10:47 am Post subject: Things to be doing now : apple/pear tree pruning

Even if it's not yet time to start sowing, and your plot's too wet to dig without compacting the soil, there are other things to be getting on with.

It's mid February, so time to prune apple and pear trees, especially if you've got young ones that need to be pruned to give them a good structure for later in life.

Older pear trees can also be 'dehorned' at this time of year : this is when you shorten that long branch in the middle of the tree to encourage other growth and stop the tree getting too tall and spindly.

You can still be pruning gooseberry bushes too.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 07 11:00 am Post subject:
Oh dear. Pruning is one of my blind spots and a huge source of angst for me. It all looks straightforward in the books, then I get outside with my secateurs and get all confused - and usually end up not taking off anywhere near enough.

jamsam

Joined: 21 Oct 2005
Posts: 2560
Location: erm....i dont know, its dark.

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 07 11:31 am Post subject:
aha..i knew it was time to chop the tree up!!! thats i..im off with a saw...

bernie-woman

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7824
Location: shropshire

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 07 2:31 pm Post subject:

judith wrote:

Oh dear. Pruning is one of my blind spots and a huge source of angst for me. It all looks straightforward in the books, then I get outside with my secateurs and get all confused - and usually end up not taking off anywhere near enough.

I have the same problem - why do trees never look like the diags in the books

Kinnopio

Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 356

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 07 8:29 pm Post subject:

bernie-woman wrote:

judith wrote:

I have the same problem - why do trees never look like the diags in the books

I have to agree. I've got some first year cider apple trees which are basically sticks. The pruning guide said to cut back to the first four buds, but that would mean chopping off about two thirds of the tree! Can that be right?

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 07 9:33 pm Post subject:
I can't manage it either. I think I might just randomly chop bits off. Lots of them!

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sat Feb 17, 07 9:08 am Post subject:

Kinnopio wrote:

I've got some first year cider apple trees which are basically sticks. The pruning guide said to cut back to the first four buds, but that would mean chopping off about two thirds of the tree! Can that be right?

No, it's not right. You should only cut shoots back to 4 buds if you don't want the branches for framework for the tree. So young trees are pruned lightly to establish a decent shape, reducing a strong branch by about a half is often recommended although to keep shape I might prune one branch to a half and only the tip off another. If the tree is very small I would have thought it could be left for another year but that would be worth checking up on.

As for pruning established trees I tend to find it quite easy and a pleasant job. I just remember the basics, cut out diseased wood, cut out material to stop crossing branches and then reduce shoots to about 4 buds. All the time keeping an eye on the shape of the plant, so if cutting to 4 buds means new growth might cross I'll cut to the nearest bud that doesn't cross.

gil
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Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18410

Posted: Sat Feb 17, 07 3:39 pm Post subject:

Re pruning yearling trees or thereabouts : After pruning, they will look like sticks with several (4-6) branchlets towards the top end, which will eventually form the strongest, structural branches.

If your cider apple trees are basically just sticks with no branches, I wouldn't do very much to them at all. If there are short stems towards the bottom of the tree, prune them off half an inch out from the main trunk, at an angle so the rain runs off. This is because the tree won't need them in later years : you want a tree not a bush, and you won't want branches that hang down to the ground. Pruning the bottom shoots makes the tree put its energy into the shoots nearer the top.

Same applies to crab apples you are trying to grow as trees rather than as part of a hedge.

I pruned my apple trees this morning.

They are all about 8 years old, but were moved to here after being planted for a couple of years at the old place. Moving 3-year old fruit trees really sets them back : one apple tree fruited (5 fruits) for the first time last year (5 yrs later), and some of the others the year before. They are still quite small (5-8' high, depending on variety/rootstock)

Pruning consisted of (as TD says) :
1. Cutting out dead wood (not much on mine)
2. Cutting out crossing or 'probably going to cross' branches (about half an inch out from the main trunk or branch)
3. Pruning the leader branches back to 1/3 of last year's new growth, just above an outward facing bud, at an angle so the rain runs off
4. Pruning out anything growing straight upwards or downwards (again, half an inch out from the main trunk/branch), because they will end up getting in the way.

I'm still structuring mine, aiming for an open cup-shape of main branches.

LynneA

Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Posts: 4893
Location: London N21

Posted: Sat Feb 17, 07 7:05 pm Post subject:
I did my apples & pears last month. I always find it's easy once you know the difference between a leaf bud and a fruiting spur. I'm now waiting for the time to prune the cherry and plum trees.

Kinnopio

Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 356

Posted: Sat Feb 17, 07 9:42 pm Post subject:
Thanks for the advice. I was following the info on this link https://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_september_2d_apple.asp Which seems to be about pruning to grow a bush tree rather than a standard tree shape. Am I right in thinking that bush trees are more productive or are they just easier to harvest?

Dunc

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 134
Location: Lancashire

Posted: Sun Feb 18, 07 10:40 am Post subject:
I thought I'd missed the boat on pruning the apple tree this year. Any advice on a particularly crooked young apple tree. The trunk is nice and straight up to about four and a half feet, then shoots off at almost 90 degrees. It is young enough that I can afford to sacrifice a years crop (Though I sure would miss those four apples Thanks, Dunc

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45453
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Feb 18, 07 10:47 am Post subject:
I've got one just like that Dunc, I've no idea what to do with it. Part of me just wants to rip it out and start again.

OP

Joined: 28 Jul 2006
Posts: 4661
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Sun Feb 18, 07 11:08 am Post subject:

Kinnopio wrote:

Am I right in thinking that bush trees are more productive or are they just easier to harvest?

Bush trees are easier to harvest and generally look after than standard trees, simply because they are usually not as big. However the most productive form is the spindlebush, grown on a dwarfing rootstock. The shape is vaguely similar to a Christmas tree. However it has to be staked permanently with a 7ft post, and the branches have to be tied down for the first few years, so it does look a bit of a mess for a while. The emphasis is on training rather than pruning.

My current favourite pruning book is "Pruning fruiting plants" by Richard Bird - available on Amazon and very good value, lots of excellent photos. It has a good description of the spindlebush pruning and training.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45453
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Feb 18, 07 11:10 am Post subject:

orangepippin wrote:

My current favourite pruning book is "Pruning fruiting plants" by Richard Bird - available on Amazon and very good value, lots of excellent photos. It has a good description of the spindlebush pruning and training.

Sounds like one I should invest in. Any others?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Feb 18, 07 1:18 pm Post subject:

Dunc wrote:

Any advice on a particularly crooked young apple tree. The trunk is nice and straight up to about four and a half feet, then shoots off at almost 90 degrees. It is young enough that I can afford to sacrifice a years crop (Though I sure would miss those four apples

I had a problem with one of my young apple trees last year, the main stem had canker killing off the top. So I cut off the top, down to a strong bud and over the summer a strong 50cm shoot has grown to replace the top. That might be worth trying although it would mean the top part not producing apples for a couple of years.

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