2015 Pruning pics

[CrazyEd]

Anyone out pruning this season? Post up some pics! I am going out tomorrow to prune and collect scion wood. Super excited as I haven't been to my orchard in probably 7-8 weeks. Planning on some shed hunting too. I will post some pics here.

 

[wklman]

I won't be out until next Friday. Hopefully there's some nice weather in mn to get some work done.

 

[j-bird]

I need to - my concern is cutting too soon. What damage can be done if I prune too soon?

 

[wklman]

I think being in Indiana your fine pruning right now. They're deep in dormancy and not much unless a complete sustained deep freeze that stays for a long time will hurt them I believe. Even if there was a deep freeze there would be damage to any fruit tree pruned or not.

 

[tooln]

I always thought anytime during dormancy was good to prune. Am I wrong?

 

[Maya]

I'll be out pruning all weekend...here are some from last few weeks.

 

[Maya]

A Honeycrisp about 8-9th leaf and an oak grove I started in the background.

 

[Maya]

This HC is gonna need a lot of thinning this spring.

 

[Maya]

Some of the burn pile!

 

[Maya]

One from the Tall Spindle, all cleaned up.

 

[Maya]

Here's a real good pdf for anyone just starting out and want to know why you should be pruning and what you are doing by doing so.

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/422/422-025/422-025.html

 

[wklman]

Some of the burn pile!
View attachment 4143

You don't sell your applewood maya? I know a lot of people love it for smoking meats.

 

[JERRED GRACEY]

is the 2nd week of march to late to prune?

 

[wiscwhip]

Here's a real good pdf for anyone just starting out and want to know why you should be pruning and what you are doing by doing so.

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/422/422-025/422-025.html

Thanks for posting Maya, great information but now I am more confused than ever. :confused:LOL

 

[greyphase]

Century farm has some videos that might help with pruning methods and gathering scion. For me watching a video teaches me more that reading a paper, guess that's why I was a C average student :oops:.
http://centuryfarmorchards.com/demos/demonstrations.html
Just watch out for the banjo music at the beginning :eek:.

 

[Maya]

You don't sell your applewood maya? I know a lot of people love it for smoking meats.

I probably would sell some if someone hit me up for some, but right now I use it to burn and move some air around if we have a cold snap or frost during bud swell and bloom. The pile is in a low spot between two orchards, burning there really moves air.

is the 2nd week of march to late to prune?

Where are you, but most likely you should be fine so long as the buds are not breaking.

Thanks for posting Maya, great information but now I am more confused than ever. :confused:LOL

What's your confusion? Questions?

Taking a break, nice day out here, 25 and sunny!

 

[j-bird]

I guess I got some work to do then! Snip, snip!

 

[Maya]

The basic thing I teach people is to get light and airflow through out the tree to your fruiting wood. Keep a sound strong pyramid shaped central leader tree. Keep branches from forking, but keep that fruiting wood (small side branches going out from the main branch). Suckers, those growing aggressively straight up, and pendant wood, those growing strait down, can go.

If you have a lot to do on a neglected or wild tree, take your time, you don't want to do it all in one year. Just thin it out a little evenly throughout the tree, then do some more again next.

Try and promote that good fruiting wood, those that are two to four years old, with nice fat buds like this....

 

[Maya]

Here's what I mean by a fork and what to take out and leave....before....

 

[Maya]

After.........