Fruitwise guide to pruning apple trees-part 1

Stephen Hayes of Fruitwise Heritage Apples offers a series of video tutorials on pruning of apple trees. I do not claim to be an 'expert', I have learned about pruning from reading every book I could find and studying the trees themselves. See my web site on http://www.fruitwise.net for more about our orchard and apples. The pruning method I use is a mixture of renewal and a version of the Lorette style and a few other styles, but above all is based on an understanding of how the trees grow and perform from year to year which I have gained from pruning my trees, winter and summer, since we planted our first orchard of 250 fruit trees in 1992.

These are not professional videos, and I had a sniffly cold, I hope they are of some use-if not, show me how to do it better!

Kind regards to all-and remember, the biggest mistake people make about apple trees is not to grow one.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• apple
• tree
• prune
• pruning
• Durley
• Hampshire
• Fruitwise

[joarild]

Have you ever tried to grow your trees in a vertical axis or super spindel system on dwarf rootstock(M9 or B9)? In norway, sweden, The netherlands and USA most farms are converting to these system because of better quality and higher yield pr. acre. 60-90cm between each tree (high density). Pruning is a lot easier too..

[stephenhayesuk]

@joarild I am aware ofall this, and our new pear planting (33 trees) is vertical central leader dominant pyramid system. We started out with open centre bush/goblet shape and it seems to work OK for our system. I don't argue against the established fact that the spindlebush style is more economic for mass production, but as you may have gathered we are more enthusiastic amateurs than serious commercial growers. We don't depend on this for our main income

[CrustyBiker]

Our apple tree has just had its last apple picked, should I start pruning back now or wait till the leaves drop when winter comes in??

Excellent tutorials, keep 'em coming!

Cheers!

[stephenhayesuk]

Thanks Mr Biker

I won't start pruning until the ;last leaf has dropped, partly because I have so much else to do and pruning can wait, and also because I can't help thinking that as long as they are on the tree, the leaves are pulling down some sunlight and turning it into something useful, so why waste it?

All the experts (I do not call myself an expert, only an enthusastic amateur) say to prune between leaf fall and bud burst.

No hurry.

[believeingonhim]

Very helpful information Stephen. you have inspired me to plant apple trees in florida. check out my video on youtube channel believeingonhim. Tony.

[EatMyDuck84]

youtube is too damn slow

[tartrazine]

@TheDevilMadeMeToDoIt My uncle lives in Southern Germany and in his area the landscape is often grass with scattered apple trees. Here they grow open middled goblet shaped trees. So I think it is dangerous to say "here in mainland Europe" because it varies.

[joarild]

Have you ever tried to grow you trees in a vertical axis or super spindel system on dwarf rootstock(M9 or B9)? In norway, sweden, The netherlands and USA most farms are converting to these system because of better quality and higher yield pr. acre. 60-90cm between each tree (high density). Pruning is a lot easier too..

[mulambo420]

thanks for the tutorial, will keep checking up for more information

[TheDevilMadeMeToDoIt]

"Open-center dwarf bush is probably the most sensible way..."

I don't know about the UK, but here in mainland Europe everyone grows apple trees with a central leader (angle of 80-90 degree) in either pyramid-shape (old-school) or tall/slender/super spindle. You need to grow apple (and pear as well) in those shapes to maximize the fruit production, open-center bush shape is only going well with stone fruits (peach, plum, etc). Sorry for my English I know it's pretty bad.

[HowJunction]

Attach a video For great tips on how to grow, train and prune table grapes come and visit howjunction

[rebeka906]

Haha...apple is not for me so I don't think this video is useful for me...

I feel that the quote " An apple a day keeps you away from the doctor" does not apply on me....Apple is such a nightmare...