Fruitwise pruning a neglected tree part 2

pruning a neglected and overgrown apple tree. Sorry that due to the dark background (one of our hedges) the contrast is a little poor, this was the nearest we had to a neglected apple tree and short of hanging a white sheet over the hedge for contrast, this was th ebest we could do. May find a really badly neglected tree later, find that Royal Horticultural SiSociety book 'the Fruit Garden Displayed' if you can, great section on restoring a neglected fruit garden in there.

This is a 6 or 7 year old neglected tree, often the neglected tree may be 20 years old or more and much larger, but the principles are the same. Here, although I say don't cut out more than a third of the wood, I probably cut out about half or a bit more. Just goes to show that you need to treat each tree as an individual. this was really an example of converting a badly overgrown young-ish tree which is in a very bad bushy shape to a clean trunked half-standard which will now find a much better shape.

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• Fruitwise
• apple
• pruning
• neglected
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[shvancy]

Stephen, this is the best tutorial I have seen on the subject. Thank you, it is exactly what I needed. I am looking at pruning some neglected trees in northern British Columbia, and I am also wondering if it is possible to correct the slanted growth of an apple tree trunk? Thanks again!

[stephenhayesuk]

@shvancy Thanks. I have just made a video considering the issue of slanted growth of apple trees and will post it later today.

Basically, if a young tree bends over at an angle, you can dig around it carefully, loosen the roots and cut through a few if neccesary, raise the tree up to the correct angle and stake it in that position. This works for young trees, bigger trees are more difficult and may have to be reconstructively pruned. WIll post.

[7777dmith7777]

The last couple of springs weren't the best, It rained alot during peak bloom. This tree also produces a crazy amount of sucker chutes they will grow 5 feet in one summer should i cut them all off ? Is it ok to cut the suckers out in the summer ? Mabe the tree still has too many branches ? I can take a picture of it if It would help you determine ? I would greatly appreciate any advice. I just want it to look like a tree in an apple orchard, just totally loaded with fruit. It makes good pie !

[stephenhayesuk]

Be patients and it will probably come right in time. you do want to remove vigorous water shoots except where they are required for replacement of post-mature branches which are sawn out.

I you are getting 'tons of bloooms and small apples but all drop' it could be a polliination problem.

Checking my most up to date reference book (Michael Clarke's Apples a field guide) I see that Crispin is a triploid, this mens it needs 2 other apples to pollinate it. It is in flowering groyup 3 -->>

[stephenhayesuk]

--> Crispin like several very good apples including Bramley, Suntan and Ribston Pippin are triploids, they are hard to pollinate.

If you can plant one, preferably 2, other apples nearby which flower at the same tine, you should be OK. If you can't do this, graft in 1 or 2 pencils of wood from suitable trees to act as pollinators. Use the saddle graft, see my videos on this.

Thanks for this enquiry, I will make a video about this particular problem. PS remove the suckers at any time

[alloutperformance]

Stephen,

I cleaned up and heavely pruned back a bunch of trees last year after watching all of your videos and they had a lot of new growth this last year. I know this takes a lot out of the tree and they sometimes won't fruit much, so I'm hoping this year will be a more fruitful year.

thanks for the help.

[stephenhayesuk]

I wouldn't worry so much about 'taking a lot out of the tree', if its clean and well watered and manured as required, its likely to be OK. The important thing is to balance the tree and not take too much out at once, almost bnever more than 40% in a year. Thin out rather than hack back

BW

[EnglishDave6767]

Thanks Stephen! Your videos are really useful & informative. I'm refreshing myself on pruning apple trees..way over here on the southern Oregon coast. I'm a fellow Brit (originally, from the Isle of Wight.) Years & years ago, my Dad had a commercial apple & pear orchard in the Hood River valley, Oregon...4,500 trees on 26 acres. Crikey. After some major adjustment pruning, we got a million pounds of fruit a couple of years later. Some local friends here, have young trees and need my help prunin

[nickflit]

IS this video shot with a VHS camcorder?

The advice seems good but I haven't a clue what is going on visually because of the GRAIN-Vision.

[7777dmith7777]

I have been battling a neglected apple tree ( Crispin I believe ) for about four years now, It is a fairly old tree mabe 12 in at the base. I have it pruned up nice hollow center and about 9 foot high. but It doesn't produce friut that well it should have a hundred apples on it but I only get about 20. I fertilize it , I use dormant oil spray, I lime sulfer spray before the buds crack in spring and after the blooms all drop, It makes tons of blooms and small apples but lots drop. Help me ??

[alloutperformance]

@stephenhayesuk

Don' t get me wrong, I'm happy with what's happened, we just had a bad year with bees polinating. The trees were neglected, and I still have a problem getting the owner to understand the value of pruning trees. He's frustrating.