Apple/Pear pruning question

[ToddG]

I have a couple of pear and apple trees that I planted last spring that are about 6ft tall now but don't have a single limb. Should I head the central leader back to encourage limb production or is there a better way?
Thanks,

 

[Native Hunter]

A better way is to remove a small section of bark just above a bud where you want a limb to start. I just take a pocket knife and remove a small half moon shaped piece of bark. I did this on a couple of trees last year and it worked like a charm. I'm talking about something very small - like cut an altoid in half, and the amount of bark I remove is even smaller than that. A limb will start at the bud, and the little place you cut the bark will heal over.

 

[chickenlittle]

If you head it back, it will spur growth that you won't want. You'll often get 4 or 5 buds pushing growth up and competing to be the new leader. You'll end up having to remove those and wasting all that effort the tree made. Better to try scoring above a bud as Native suggested.

 

[Turkey Creek]

I am going to vote to head it back at the height you want to start your first set of scaffolds. Heading back a whip after the first years growth is generally standard operating procedure by nursery standards on stock other than dwarfs. Yes notching will usually work, but heading that first year is faster and guaranteed to do what you are wanting. After you head it you can leave the top most bud and then rub off a couple buds below that one if you are concerned there will be competition for the central leader that you cant manage. The next series of buds down the leader will become your scafffolds.

 

[ToddG]

Thanks for all the advice. I live next to the property so it's no problem to keep up with the pruning.

 

[Northbound]

I've never done the bark scoring since I never heard of it till this year. Previous years I've headed it back and if the tree has other ideas of making multiple leaders rather than scafold I just use clothes pins to hold them down into a branch position. Only takes a min or two. And safer than tying down with string since it won't girdle the bark

This year I'll try the bark scoring too on some trees to see what works better for me

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Maya gave me advice on scoring the leader to make limbs push out. It works. All I did was take a sharp knife and push the blade through the bark and cambium. You'll feel a "pop" sensation and then you know you've done enough. I didn't saw back & forth - just put my thumb on the back of the blade (which was at 90 degrees to the leader) and pushed inward. I could feel the "pop" and then just rocked the blade slightly to lengthen the cut. It worked like a charm and now I have limbs where I want them. It helped balance the tree. Once again - thanks to Maya !!

 

[buckvelvet]

Scoring works, I did it to all the trees last year that were old enough and tall enough to put scaffolds out where i wanted them. Worked like a charm just like folks like maya say it would.

 

[trampledbyturtles]

Gunna add a pruning question to the tread.

Plan was to prune not this but next weekend. At that point the weather should have shifted enough into spring.
That that chances of dipping below zero should be about nill.

But, the weather during the week is looking really nice, mid 40s low 50s
Then they are calling for a dip back down to a low of 19 during the weekend with a chance of freezing rain an snow.

So, to get to the point, should I hold off on pruning till after the next shot of nasty weather. Or just go ahead as planned?