Pruning Help

[mtholton]

I received a couple of big box trees as a gift last year. Got them in the ground and they seemed to do okay in their first year. I just planted and fenced them and didn't do much else aside from getting some buckets of water on them when I could.

In researching trees this spring for a future plot, I remembered that on one of the trees there were three main branches that were all vertical. The other had more of mix of horizontal and vertical. As I understand it after some basic research, I should have just one leader. Should I lop off the other two vertical branches? Pics from last year attached. I'll be headed to the land this weekend and will prune based on the whatever you guys think.

My goal for these trees is basic survival and a the potential to grab a novelty apple or two down the road. I don't have high yield expectations and they are near the shack area so they wouldn't be used for food plot purposes.

I don't recall the varieties, but believe they were semi dwarf.

 

[swat1018]

It looks like a pear tree, is it? Maybe it's the form. If it's a pear tree, it will have the vertical structure.

 

[mtholton]

It looks like a pear tree, is it? Maybe it's the form. If it's a pear tree, it will have the vertical structure.

I recall them both being common apple trees... Could be wrong, but pretty sure...

 

[j-bird]

So in my limited experience... With a young tree I focus on the leader and getting it to grow skyward. The rest for the most part I worry about only once the leader is well defined. Your leader is the backbone of your tree. You ideally want a straight line from the base of your tree to the top. You don't want your "leader" off of a fork or the like in your tree. That fork is a weak spot...so even if you have to cut the tree back quite a bit...it's better in the long term to do it and get that structural support correct... Sometimes folks think the "leader" is the tallest one by default...that sometimes isn't true, and why you need to look at the frame of the tree in considering which is your leader. You then simply cut the other limbs back or off so your tree can focus it's growth into that leader.

I fear your tree in the second picture seems to have a fork in it and even though you have two large limbs off of it....you may be well off to eventually remove them. The weight and the like may very well significantly damage your tree later. Without really being able to see how that area of the tree comes together (blocked by the tag) it's difficult to tell for certain, but I would certainly start there on that tree in determining which is your leader. You might, MIGHT, need to consider cutting back or removing the stuff left of the red line. I know that seems like a lot of tree but it might help the long term health of your tree. It's tough to tell from a picture.... All just my 2 cents worth...

 

[mtholton]

So in my limited experience... With a young tree I focus on the leader and getting it to grow skyward. The rest for the most part I worry about only once the leader is well defined. Your leader is the backbone of your tree. You ideally want a straight line from the base of your tree to the top. You don't want your "leader" off of a fork or the like in your tree. That fork is a weak spot...so even if you have to cut the tree back quite a bit...it's better in the long term to do it and get that structural support correct... Sometimes folks think the "leader" is the tallest one by default...that sometimes isn't true, and why you need to look at the frame of the tree in considering which is your leader. You then simply cut the other limbs back or off so your tree can focus it's growth into that leader.

I fear your tree in the second picture seems to have a fork in it and even though you have two large limbs off of it....you may be well off to eventually remove them. The weight and the like may very well significantly damage your tree later. Without really being able to see how that area of the tree comes together (blocked by the tag) it's difficult to tell for certain, but I would certainly start there on that tree in determining which is your leader. You might, MIGHT, need to consider cutting back or removing the stuff left of the red line. I know that seems like a lot of tree but it might help the long term health of your tree. It's tough to tell from a picture.... All just my 2 cents worth...
View attachment 23294

Thanks you, I assumed I'd have to do that based on my limited knowledge, but wanted someone that knew something to give me the confidence to do it... I'd rather trim back now and have something survive long term.

 

[j-bird]

Thanks you, I assumed I'd have to do that based on my limited knowledge, but wanted someone that knew something to give me the confidence to do it... I'd rather trim back now and have something survive long term.

Let some others with more experience chime in. I'm not an a guru on fruit trees. So others may have a different vibe about it. Also just remember that you have to leave enough tree for there to be enough leaves for the tree to survive. So don't go nuts with the pruning either. You may need to cut those back to half this year and then remove them entirely next year. You can't essentially cut 1/2 the tree off and expect it to do very well.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I would cut off the one in the middle left this year, and see how the other one does. It may also help if you tie that other one to the far left down to see if in a year, the angle will correct itself, if not, trim it back next year, or the following year. The tree is young enough that you can mess with it and train it like how you want too. Any idea what kind of tree it is? I had one just like it, and I trimmed it back in 3 year, and this was its 3rd year. I will see in the next couple how it does.

 

[chickenlittle]

Chop off those other 2 leaders now.

 

[Skelly]

I agree With 4 wanderineyes to cut that one to the left. I would weigh down the others so that they do not compete with the central leader.

I doubt the angle will correct itself just plan on pruning them as you get more laterals further up the tree.

 

[Charman03]

I hate how big box trees always have this look. Like they were headed off then 3 leaders essentially just grow straight up. They look terrible and are whippy if you only leave one. I had a Fuji like this and I’m done with it. Could never get it right.