Newly Planted Apple Tree Pruning (Photos Attached) (forum)

Brian starts with ...
I've recently moved to Richland, WA (Eastern Washington) and planted an
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3

Time: 5th December 2009 2:06am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author Brian14
Richland, WA
#UserID: 3074
Posts: 6
View All Brian14's Edible Fruit Trees

Itdepends says...
What sort of tree form are you looking for?- traditional vase, spindle bush, pyramid?

Compared to what we'd get over here in a nursery- that's a pretty advanced tree- and you're going to struggle to vary its form by too much. Is there much flex in the tree at the moment?- i.e. where you're looking at putting spreaders- is there much movement in those limbs- they look pretty big.

It's pretty hard to tell from a photo as you don't get any depth- so I don't know how far those limbs are spread now.

If they aren't spread much (and they don't look like they are- and you want a vase shape- I'd probably cut all of your main branches back at about the level of your "C" arrow and then get each main branch to sub divide again next growing season to give you 6 main leaders. Otherwise- for a pyramid- if that centre leader is the straightest one- take the two main other leaders out completely and take out any branches on the remaining leader that you can't bend/spread out to at least 45degrees from the vertical. (By the way- you'll get more shade from a vase shape).

All in- that's pretty drastic- but that's a pretty advanced tree to be shaping.

Daniel

Time: 6th December 2009 12:03am

Reply | Edit | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author
 
#UserID: 0
Posts:
View All 's Edible Fruit Trees

Damo says...
I's aggree with that.

Time: 6th December 2009 12:32am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Damo
 
#UserID: 2803
Posts: 77
View All Damo's Edible Fruit Trees