how NOT to prune an apple tree

This is a typical example of the sort of pruning I see very often. Of course the owner of this tree has every right to treat it like this, but this tree will not fruit well.

This is the style of pruning I call a pudding basin hair cut, or alternatively a short back and sides. it represents the opposite of the advice and example in my pruning videos. The technique is self explanatory-you just go all the way reound the tree with secateurs snipping back everything you can see until you achieve a result like this. This tree has been pruned like a topiary hedge.

Apple trees can recover from this kind of treatment, if you inherit a tree like this , just remove about 40% of the branches with a saw (see my other videos for how to decide where to make the big cuts) and leave the rest of the tree alone for 3 years.You'll likely be amazed at the tree's power of recovery.

I posted a later video which shows that in the context of the precisely managed garden, this tree looks quite attractive in summer. Almost no fruit though.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• pruning
• prune
• apple
• tree
• how
• not
• to
• fruitwise
• topiary

[sternk13]

I'm a bit perplexed about your statement of poor fruit on a tree with many branches. I inherited several apple trees on an old farm and although allowed to grow naturally and have many branches, they put out an incredible amount of apples. So many that because I didn't put in gil-pokes, I have had branches break because of the quantity of apples on them. Some branches actually bow down and touch the ground they are so laden with apples.

[stephenhayesuk]

@sternk13 Hi. you mention that you have an incredible crop on trees that have been allowed to grow naturally. That's the point, the tree in this video is being grown UNNATURALLY, with all the growing leaders being cut harshly back every year. This keeps the tree a particular size and shape, but severely limits fruiting.

If you leave a tree completely without any pruning, it certainly will fruit. However, over timecropping will fall off. Its all about balance.

[stephenhayesuk]

Hi toobmes. Thankfully this tree is not my problem!

An even better idea would be if anyone out there has inherited such a disabled tree and could prove that my methods work by sawing out 40% of the overcrowded wood and leaving the rest. I believe it would restore the tre within 3-4 years, but ....

.....'ideally, I wouldn't be starting from here!'

[elzarsspiceweasel]

@TheCrazypotato111 That would be an Osage Orange tree (Maclura pomifera).

As for true apples (Malus domestica), there's an antique southern variety called "Horse."

[TheCrazypotato111]

can somebody tell me what tree produces horse apples

[toobmes]

Thanks, Stephen. It would be interesting to watch you salvage this tree, although I am sure you've got plenty of work to do in your own orchard.

[MadBadVoodo]

Five Stars!