Apple Tree Pruning Help

[CAS_HNTR]

Looking for some advice on an Enterprise apple I have that it 7 years old.

This is one of my better growing trees I have planted, but the dang thing just does not make apples where others nearby do.

I have pruned the crap out of it a couple times and it comes back stronger than ever but still no real blooms or apples to speak of.

It's likely about 20 ft tall now and have already trimmed some of the limbs out so it not as bushy as int the picture, but I am hoping for some thoughts from someone more knowledgeable than myself!

 

[Prof.Kent]

It has been my experience that some trees, usually more columnar trees (such as this one) will sometimes not produce until they have matured. "Mature" means they have reached their maximum height. So pruning back, especially top pruning, only encourages the tree to put out more vegetative growth instead of fruit buds. I'd say just let it grow. Prune the central leader back to a manageable height ONLY after fruit buds appear all the way up to the tips of its very top branches. If you need the tree shorter at that point to be able to spray it, remove the central leader way down at the middle height of the tree. Enterprise are very vigorous growers and become bushy if they are not pruned heavily. (Sometimes the best method is to remove a whole whirl of branches.) Always prune lateral branches back to an outward-growing Y (and vertical tips back to an outward facing bud). If a latter branch Y's, remove the more vertical half and that forces the more horizontal branch to grow outward, away from the main trunk. I showed a couple examples in the picture.

 

[Turkey Creek]

It looks like it has plenty of nitrogen in the soil, dont fertilize it anymore, if you have been, until it starts to be produce a significant amount of fruit. Pictures can be deceiving but growth looks more slender than what I would expect, seems to be 18" or more of growth of new growth or more each year and very few fruiting spurs being produced, which all indicate more than adequate Nitrogen.

 

[CAS_HNTR]

It has been my experience that some trees, usually more columnar trees (such as this one) will sometimes not produce until they have matured. "Mature" means they have reached their maximum height. So pruning back, especially top pruning, only encourages the tree to put out more vegetative growth instead of fruit buds. I'd say just let it grow. Prune the central leader back to a manageable height ONLY after fruit buds appear all the way up to the tips of its very top branches. If you need the tree shorter at that point to be able to spray it, remove the central leader way down at the middle height of the tree. Enterprise are very vigorous growers and become bushy if they are not pruned heavily. (Sometimes the best method is to remove a whole whirl of branches.) Always prune lateral branches back to an outward-growing Y (and vertical tips back to an outward facing bud). If a latter branch Y's, remove the more vertical half and that forces the more horizontal branch to grow outward, away from the main trunk. I showed a couple examples in the picture.

Thanks for the advice. You can see some of those cuts I have made in years past but I was cutting SO much off the tree I was wondering if I was hurting it more than helping it.

 

[CAS_HNTR]

It looks like it has plenty of nitrogen in the soil, dont fertilize it anymore, if you have been, until it starts to be produce a significant amount of fruit. Pictures can be deceiving but growth looks more slender than what I would expect, seems to be 18" or more of growth of new growth or more each year and very few fruiting spurs being produced, which all indicate more than adequate Nitrogen.

Hard to believe it but I haven't fertilized this tree for a 3-4 years. It was growing so much I figured the same thing - doesn't need help!

This is one of your trees actually, same as about 20 others on our property.

 

[bigboreblr]

Alot of orchards do the spring early summer applications of something like 5-8-12, then do a fall application of potash.

I'd do a fall application of potash. Pottasium is for the whole tree, but apples themselves have a good bit of it. IF you can get sme manure, they're might be a micronutrient you low on, never know.

Early summer pruning is known to help fruit production too.

Enteprise is a group 4 blossom group. I bought some because they bloom later than the average apple tree. Put a golden delicious in the apple orchard for the same reason too.

 

[Apple Junkie]

I am seeing similar traits in my enterprise as you do, although mine has only been in the ground 4 years. Like yours, it looks great, grows like a weed, but thus far I have seen only a few blossoms, none of which set. Based on you experience, I won’t expect too much for a few years. Glad you posted… useful information and pruning tips as always.

 

[Prof.Kent]

I did a little research. Enterprise is a late-maturing variety.
FYI, Northern Spy on Ant. is the latest maturing variety I know of. It is known to take up to 20 years to produce.

 

[Barndog56]

You can always try to tie some limbs down until they are horizontal, or even slightly below horizontal.

 

[BobinCt]

CAS: I got the same problem with one of mine and it is one of my best trees as well but I lost the tag to it so I don’t know the name. The tree is about 10 yrs old as well.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

From all I've read & researched from expert / pro sources over the years, the general rule for shaping apple trees that are trained to a central leader is (as Prof. Kent pointed out above) - you want your branches growing outward - not vertically upward. You don't want vigorous, vertical scaffold limb growth competing with the central leader, or vertical shoots growing up off limbs. I make cuts so I have an outward-facing bud on the bottom of the limb I'm pruning to force more outward limb growth. If you cut & leave a bud on the top of the limb at your cut, the new growth will go skyward.

There are lots of online sites with diagrams that illustrate how to shape & prune apple trees. Type the highlighted line to the left into your search bar. Look for "central leader" type shaping methods.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I have one tree that every time I trim it, it shoots out vertical branches. I can go and trim all of the vertical branches, then that summer, even more come in. I dont recall what tree it is, or if there is even a tag on the tree, but I have pretty much given up on it. I have gone in and trimmed it hard and taken all the vertical branches off, then it comes back that summer, looking like grass growing with all of the new shoots growing vertical. Then I have also tried lightly trimming them, and they all then compete with the central leader. This tree was planted in 2014-2015. Not sure if I should just let it go and see what it does, or cut it down and start over? If I could get to my orchard I would take pictures, but I dont have any snow shoes, and it isnt worth walking in 2+ feet of snow right now.

 

[homerj]

but I dont have any snow shoes

If you're in snow country, you may as well buy a pair. You'll be happy you did

 

[cavey]

You can always try to tie some limbs down until they are horizontal, or even slightly below horizontal.

I was thinking the same thing, you could stake and pull down on some of those limbs if you wanted, once pulled down a bit you can get a better look at the form of the tree to prune out. If I pull/weight limbs (which I should be doing more of) I prune afterwards just because it drastically changes my perception of how the tree is branching especially when loaded with fruit. Its not a bad looking tree, well established central leader, just a bit to much upward growth on those branches maybe to be ideal.

We are a bit confined to our cages in deer country to get perfectly shaped trees, then the more trees the less pruning it seems.

clean up the trunk a bit - take some scion if their young sprouts, spray around the base and get rid of all that prime Mouse habitat and wrap the tree with window screen... and paint the trunk white on the south side - which I always say but never seem to do.

I just found the Text coloring thing after all these years, sorry I digressed for that child in me thing I got going on....

 

[bigboreblr]

anybody have a good example of a well pruned tree of that size. It seems online examples of these trees aren't that tall.

Prof kent, is there a good online resource you like for apple varieties? Saw disease resistant and late october and was all over getting enteprise in my spots. I got a few for coworkers from turkey creek. I got one or two scions coming for trees too. Was going to grow a 2nd one at home, but may not now.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I have one tree that every time I trim it, it shoots out vertical branches. I can go and trim all of the vertical branches, then that summer, even more come in. I dont recall what tree it is, or if there is even a tag on the tree, but I have pretty much given up on it. I have gone in and trimmed it hard and taken all the vertical branches off, then it comes back that summer, looking like grass growing with all of the new shoots growing vertical. Then I have also tried lightly trimming them, and they all then compete with the central leader. This tree was planted in 2014-2015. Not sure if I should just let it go and see what it does, or cut it down and start over? If I could get to my orchard I would take pictures, but I dont have any snow shoes, and it isnt worth walking in 2+ feet of snow right now.

As soon as you see new branchlets forming, put spring-type clothes pins on top of them, tight to the soft branchlets. That forces them to grow OUT instead of up - at least at the crotches themselves. If new branches are as big around as a pencil or so, use limb spreaders to force the limbs to grow more outward, with better crotch angles. I've done both methods, and they both work pretty well. I wouldn't cut it down - you have a good root system already. Just adjust how it grows after you prune it.