Now is the time to prune your fruit trees

[chasmo54]

It’s time to prune your fruit trees before spring. Pruning fruit trees, this time of year eliminates the #1 cause of how diseases are spread, Insects! Insects are attracted to the sweet odor of fresh sap flowing from freshly pruned fruit trees. Pruning at this time of year eliminates this possibility unless you have some tough bugs.

Five simple steps to pruning.


Prune all dead branches. This can be done all year as dead branches don't ooze but they do attract insects that bough.
Prune all inward growing branches as they will shade out the interior of the tree and will become rubbing problems.
Prune all up pointing branches, as it takes to much energy away from the tree to produce apples uphill and are usually stunted anyway.
Prune all down pointing branches that are under major limbs as the apples will be shaded producing once again a stunted apple.
Prune out all rubbing branches as these cause sap to ooze attracting insects.

[Spartaned]

Thanks for the reminder, and the good pruning tips!

[bjmad]

Thanks for the reminder. I was looking at them the other day thinking I needed to prune them again. Thanks for the pointers as well. My trees are only a few years old and most of them look like a stick coming out of the ground when I am done. By summer, they have so many branches it's unbelievable. What's a good fertilizer for apple trees like welch's, Ida red, etc.

[kbkrause]

Not that I know anything about pruning trees, but wouldn't you want to prune a fruit tree a little differently if you were using to tree for feeding wild life? (i.e. get rid of any low branches so the fruit could better fully develop?)

Just something I thought about...

[JBIV]

I was walking our hunting property last weekend with my Dad and noticed that we have at least a dozen apple trees that are hidden by thornapples. As far as I know most of these trees have not produced apples in years. We are going to clear the thornapples from around the apple trees to give them some sunlight, and trim up them up. Has anyone had any luck getting trees that have not produced apples in the past to produce? I've searched the threads here, but has anyone else done this? How soon should I expect apples, if ever. Also any tips working with older, shaded trees would be great!

[D_Hunter]

While it is difficult to suggest the exact way to prune each individual tree, there are some
general rules to follow. Keep in mind branches need to have some horizontal orientation to produce fruit spurs. Vertical growth rarely produces much fruit. Also, try to remove some branches growing into the prevailing summer winds to increase air circulation through apple trees, which can help reduce disease problems.
As you work on a tree, remove all damaged and diseased branches. When branches are growing into each other, choose the branch that contributes best to the overall growth of the tree and remove the other. Also cut out watersprouts, which are rapidly growing upright branches that tend to clog up the center of the tree. Suckers arising from the base of the trunk also need to be removed.
Oftentimes gardeners may be somewhat reluctant to start cutting away at apples trees. Carefully look over each tree and make an analysis of what needs to be removed. Start by pruning those branches that stand out as needing to be removed. Then consider what cuts may enhance the remainder of the growth on the tree.

[D_Hunter]

Here is a link to a 4 page printable pamphlet from the University of New Hampshire.

It has A LOT of good information with drawings to show proper pruning techniques. This is specialized for the mature apple tree.


http://ceinfo.unh.edu/Pubs/HGPubs/caremat.pdf

[Honker]

JBIV, My brother and I released a few apple trees two springs ago. These trees were so full of growth in the center we had to cut multiple branches out just to remove them out of the center. We also cut all of the dead wood out of ther trees. Soon after that we fertilized around the drip line. The first year you will see a difference, but the second year we had apples everywhere. Make sure they get enough sun, that is the key. Now we just check them yearly to take out the watersprouts and dead wood and hit them with fertilizer.

[Backwoods-Savage]

Thanks for the reminder. We usually prune near the first of March and haven't had problems, but you should be able to prune anytime during the winter when the trees are dormant.

We've done quite a bit of cutting in our woods the last few years trying to get the wild apple trees more sunshine and it has really helped a lot. We'll continue. Of course, last fall, almost any tree was bearing fruit. This year will probably be a bust.

[chasmo54]

Thanks for the reminder. I was looking at them the other day thinking I needed to prune them again. Thanks for the pointers as well. My trees are only a few years old and most of them look like a stick coming out of the ground when I am done. By summer, they have so many branches it's unbelievable. What's a good fertilizer for apple trees like welch's, Ida red, etc.
Nitrogen only is all you need unless your soil is proven nutrient deficient. 1/4 pound for every year the tree is old up to 2 pounds of actual nitrogen. One pound of 46-0-0 is 46% nitrogen or slightly less than 1/2 pound of actual nitrogen. Fertilize only in the spring!

[chasmo54]

Not that I know anything about pruning trees, but wouldn't you want to prune a fruit tree a little differently if you were using to tree for feeding wild life? (i.e. get rid of any low branches so the fruit could better fully develop?)

Just something I thought about...
I like how your thinkin KBK. This is a good point about low hanging branches on apple trees. Deer will leave the scent on these low branches and the all important scrape under them.

[BGB]

Did Mine Last Weekend , Do You Think The Deer Will Browse On The Trimmings?

[chasmo54]

Did Mine Last Weekend , Do You Think The Deer Will Browse On The Trimmings?
Yes they will BGB if their hungry. Whitetail will eat oak leave if given no other food choice.

[dcgreil]

JBIV, I would recommend cutting out any competing trees during the summer. A few years back I cut out competing trees in the winter and that was a huge mistake. The shoots and suckers from the cut trees have made the competition even worse. It is much harder for a stump to have shoots if the tree is cut in the summer.

Also, trim the apple trees in the winter and don't remove more than 1/4 to 1/3 of the tree's branches in any one year. That is supposed to cause too much stress on the tree.

You won't notice any results the first year, but should see significant results the second year.

Pick up a book on the care of fruit trees and it will be a great help.

As far as fertilizer goes, I think I use the Jobe's fruit tree fertilizer spikes. Once a year in May. Fertilizer will make a night and day difference in the growth of a young tree.

[JBIV]

Thanks for the good advice, thats why I love this site.

[dry flint]

Last night on WGVU they had a very nice section on the show that reinforces all that was said here. I have a few apple trees that if I don't freeze I plan on pruning these.

[chevyjam2001]

Is it to late to do anymore pruning? I found a bunch of crabapple at the back of my property that I would like to prune and fertilize.

[kdogger]

I saw an orchard this week where they pruned all the branches except the ones going straight up off the main limbs.

Why?

[dcgreil]

Is it to late to do anymore pruning? I found a bunch of crabapple at the back of my property that I would like to prune and fertilize.

No, it should not be too late. In fact, I've read that the best time to prune is just as the buds begin to swell.

Apple trees can be pruned any day of the year. When you prune, however, will have different results. Pruning while the trees are still dormant (now) will accomplish two things - decrease the risk of introducing a disease and promoting tree growth. If you prune earlier in the winter, then you generally don't need tree paint to seal the wound. As we get closer to spring and into the growing season, tree paint should be used.

Pruning during the growing season will slow the growth of a tree and will help to increase fruit production the following year.

I have been trimming my apple trees for the last seven years with great results. I've pruned as early as January and as late as late-March. I haven't pruned yet this year, however, plan on doing so next weekend (the 25th). Of course, I'm deep in the UP along the Lake Superior shoreline. You will need to adjust accordingly.

You should buy a good book on the care of fruit trees.

[Liver and Onions]

For those who are only concerned about producing deer apples, the best thing you can do for your apple trees is to make sure that they get full sun. If you have dozens of apple trees on your property, you're not going to have much time or energy for a lot of pruning. The deer wouldn't care.

L & O