Pruning question

[Skelly]

Not doing the pruning until winter but I figured I’d ask now.

I pruned right above a bud last winter expecting that bud to become the leader this year. That branch decided it was just going to grow almost straight out allowing the next bud down to become the central leader.

Is this going to be an issue further down the life cycle of this tree. Should I go ahead and prune that branch off down to the central leader.

 

[Skelly]

Not doing the pruning until winter but I figured I’d ask now.

I pruned right above a bud last winter expecting that bud to become the leader this year. That branch decided it was just going to grow almost straight out allowing the next bud down to become the central leader.

Is this going to be an issue further down the life cycle of this tree. Should I go ahead and prune that branch off down to the central leader.

 

[j-bird]

I SUCK at pruning.....but if it was my tree - the top one going to the right is history and I let the other (without the clothes pin) become the leader. Once it takes off I may trim the "numb" above it off but not required.

 

[Skelly]

I SUCK at pruning.....but if it was my tree - the top one going to the right is history and I let the other (without the clothes pin) become the leader. Once it takes off I may trim the "numb" above it off but not required.

Yeah I’m thinking it would just make for a bad situation later on down the road.

 

[Turkey Creek]

You can prune that horizontal branch off if you like, but IMO you can leave it. I would cut that nub off at some point, it will likely die back to that horizontal branch.

 

[Barndog56]

I would remove both the horizontal branch and the branch with the clothespin. I see the branch behind the clothespin one is going vertical. It will grow best without any competition right at the top.

 

[Skelly]

Maybe not the best photo but from any other angle I was looking into the sun.

The cloths pin is holding a weight to fix the angle of the branch. That particular branch as it is pictured is 2’ lower than central leader. Not a lot of competition from that particular branch.

Much appreciate the advice on the horizontal. I want as much growth and hate to eliminate but I’m trying to plan for years to come.

 

[Apple Junkie]

Ok, another country heard from...

I'd leave everything alone for at least another growing season. The second one down (back) seems desitined to become the leader. The third one down (with weight) seems to be headed off at a nice 60 degree angle from the trunk, and the top branch going somewhat horizontal is headed off from the trunk too so it's not going compete with the leader. In my opinion, I'd give the tree some time to tell you where it wants to go. You can always cut it back later, but ya can't glue these branches back on. The branch I can't figure out is the one coming into view from the lower right of the picture, but if it's not crowing anything, let that one go too. In short, it's ok to wait for now. Good luck Skelly.

 

[Skelly]

Ok, another country heard from...

I'd leave everything alone for at least another growing season. The second one down (back) seems desitined to become the leader. The third one down (with weight) seems to be headed off at a nice 60 degree angle from the trunk, and the top branch going somewhat horizontal is headed off from the trunk too so it's not going compete with the leader. In my opinion, I'd give the tree some time to tell you where it wants to go. You can always cut it back later, but ya can't glue these branches back on. The branch I can't figure out is the one coming into view from the lower right of the picture, but if it's not crowing anything, let that one go too. In short, it's ok to wait for now. Good luck Skelly.[/QUO

3’ up from the ground is a branch that is less than 45 degrees that’s 2’ long. I pruned the tip last year and one of the buds shot back towards the center of the tree. That’s the branch you are seeing coming into the frame.

I was planning on pruning that entire branch due to it starting at 3’. I’ve read on here to prune anything under 5’ -6’ so that it’s easier in the future to mow.... ??

 

[Apple Junkie]

Ahhhhhh... Yes, that makes sense now, it can go.

Go slow, but don't get paralyzed by fear of doing something wrong. Apple trees are pretty forgiving and will usually thrive in spite of "help".

 

[Barndog56]

Skelly, I prune anything under 5 feet because the deer will eat it. They still eat the branch tips off a few trees at 6 feet high.

 

[Skelly]

Skelly, I prune anything under 5 feet because the deer will eat it. They still eat the branch tips off a few trees at 6 feet high.

That was my plan as well. I have a group of 8 trees I planted last year that came from a local nursery. I wouldn’t say any had a very good shape to them. I’m having to use the cloths pins with weights in order to fix the crotch angles. I’m only fixing them when the start at or around 5’ the rest I plan on starting to remove this coming winter.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

No need to rush with pruning lower limbs off in the first few years. Training the central leader is good to get the tree growing upward. But the lower limbs will provide more leaf surface to aid photosynthesis and make more energy to feed the tree. You can always prune the lowest limbs off in Feb. or March in a year or 2, once the tree has shot upward and is more established. I've had deer nibble the ends of the lowest limbs, and it didn't hurt our trees a bit. The limbs further up & the central leader just kept growing upward, which is what we want for bigger trees later on.

I guess I should note here that training for a good central leader requires keeping the crotch angles of limbs at around 45 to 60 degrees. If limbs are allowed to grow more or less straight up, they compete with the central leader, causing the leader to NOT reach it's potential. Using clothes pins to train smaller limb shoots to grow outward and not so much upward is an easy way to accomplish this. If limbs are kept growing at 60 degrees or less, the tree "knows" to send more growth energy to the central leader, which grows a taller tree ( what we want ).

Credit for this info ^^^^^ goes to Maya, Appleman, Crazy Ed, TC, and several books on growing & training apple trees. I learned from them - and it works !!

 

[Skelly]

No need to rush with pruning lower limbs off in the first few years. Training the central leader is good to get the tree growing upward. But the lower limbs will provide more leaf surface to aid photosynthesis and make more energy to feed the tree. You can always prune the lowest limbs off in Feb. or March in a year or 2, once the tree has shot upward and is more established. I've had deer nibble the ends of the lowest limbs, and it didn't hurt our trees a bit. The limbs further up & the central leader just kept growing upward, which is what we want for bigger trees later on.

I guess I should note here that training for a good central leader requires keeping the crotch angles of limbs at around 45 to 60 degrees. If limbs are allowed to grow more or less straight up, they compete with the central leader, causing the leader to NOT reach it's potential. Using clothes pins to train smaller limb shoots to grow outward and not so much upward is an easy way to accomplish this. If limbs are kept growing at 60 degrees or less, the tree "knows" to send more growth energy to the central leader, which grows a taller tree ( what we want ).

Credit for this info ^^^^^ goes to Maya, Appleman, Crazy Ed, TC, and several books on growing & training apple trees. I learned from them - and it works !!

B&B

Yep thanks for the tip with the weights. I read on here or watched a video on it. This is my first year using them and working great. I occasionally will undo one the clothes pins and see that the branching is hardening with the angle I want.



Red deliscious I probably would not plant again due to its CAR but my wife wanted to have one for her Growing pretty well for second year in the ground I purchased from a local nursery
Second one here is a Moonglow also second year. Pretty good angles on the higher branches already.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Skelly - Your use of clothes pins is different than what most folks use them for when training limbs. The usual method is to put them on the leaders of young trees, just above a new limb shoot. This forces the new, tender limb shoot to grow a crotch angle almost straight out from the leader. I'll look for some pix or a link to where you can see this method.

Your use of clothes pins to attach limb weights is a safe way to avoid the weight wire or cord biting into the limbs.

 

[Skelly]

Skelly - Your use of clothes pins is different than what most folks use them for when training limbs. The usual method is to put them on the leaders of young trees, just above a new limb shoot. This forces the new, tender limb shoot to grow a crotch angle almost straight out from the leader. I'll look for some pix or a link to where you can see this method.

Your use of clothes pins to attach limb weights is a safe way to avoid the weight wire or cord biting into the limbs.

I also tried that and some of them just popped off in the wind. I may not have done it correctly. This is working though.

Thanks

S

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I have some of mine pop off too. Wind whipping the trees I believe. Things happen !!

 

[Skelly]

The only downside that I’ve noticed is that if I put numerous weights on one side of the tree the central leader just wants to lean in that direction. Leaning really doesn’t fix the issue it just would make the tree grow crooked.

I just tied the central leader a little further down in the opposite direction. My hope is that it will harden with time and be fine.

 

[NE PA QDM]

I use a lot of clothes pins on younger trees to weight down the branches, it works great. I also have some small weights (made out of leftover mortar from tile work and metal wire) that I clip on the end of the bigger branches. It seems to help the trees grow in a more open fashion and greatly limits competition with the central leader.