Critique my pruning.

[Mahindra3016]

Yellow delicious, the first apple tree I ever planted, going into i believe year 4, started out as one of those small bare root tree's from tractor supply. I know some say not to prune until it starts to fruit, but I have been pruning it since year 2 and started training branches last fall. How's it look?

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[KDdid]

I’d rather praise your scenery!



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[greyphase]

Hey Ben

It's hard to tell looking at a tree from only one angle, but I might take those two lowest limbs off. Or not. Is your fence 4 or 5 foot? Is that flock of guineas in the background?

 

[Someday isle]

Don’t want to hijiack but You said something interesting that I’d like to ask about. You mention some don’t recommend pruning until they bear fruit. I’ve never heard that. I thought you started pruning after the first year. I’m interested to hear the response to that from experienced fruit tree growers. Your tree looks great to me by the way.

 

[Mahindra3016]

Hey Ben

It's hard to tell looking at a tree from only one angle, but I might take those two lowest limbs off. Or not. Is your fence 4 or 5 foot? Is that flock of guineas in the background?

Yes, a flock of guineas we have 10 right now, I really wasn't happy about my wife getting them for a while, but i have gotten used to the noise, and the more i read the more i learned that they will eat a lot of problem bugs and ticks, also have 3 Nigerian dwarf weed-eater goats. We let the guineas out every day, and days i'm not at work i let the goats out for a few hours a day. The fence is 4 ft high I have been starting the scaffolds on my other trees about the fence, I have no idea what the rootstock is, so i have no idea how tall it will get.

 

[Mahindra3016]

View from other side.

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[David M. Taylor]

Looks very good. Keep up the good work. One small comment, just in case: Make sure you don't remove fruit spurs. It's very hard from these pictures to see if you have any spurs developing on there. These will be short stubby "branches" only about 1 inch long, where the flowers and fruit will eventually happen. If these are removed, you might never get fruit. I just want to make sure you're aware of that.

FYI... My dwarf trees had fruit after just 1-3 years. My semidwarf on the other hand didn't fruit for 7 or 8 years! Hopefully you have better luck than I have.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I think your pruning looks great. Seems you don’t have any cross branches and in many cases less is better. I do. Lot less in many years and this year I was a hacker lol. Cut a lot of branches that should have been pruned years before I think you did. Great job

 

[chickenlittle]

Also, fruit spurs can be removed if desired while you are pruning. Just strip them off. Good way to balance fruit load or limit fruiting on young trees that would break under a heavy load. You can avoid having to thin apples later on

 

[Prof.Kent]

Don’t want to hijiack but You said something interesting that I’d like to ask about. You mention some don’t recommend pruning until they bear fruit. I’ve never heard that. I thought you started pruning after the first year. I’m interested to hear the response to that from experienced fruit tree growers. Your tree looks great to me by the way.

Start pruning year one to create the correct shape and balance.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Also, fruit spurs can be removed if desired while you are pruning. Just strip them off. Good way to balance fruit load or limit fruiting on young trees that would break under a heavy load. You can avoid having to thin apples later on

I am glad you said this, as I just pruned mine for the first time, I thinned a quite a few of them. I was worried! But all of the trees are under 4 years old.

 

[CrazyEd]

I would throw a piece of 10' conduit on that thing and keep the leader going straight up.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I would throw a piece of 10' conduit on that thing and keep the leader going straight up.

Depending on the rootstock

 

[Mahindra3016]

I would throw a piece of 10' conduit on that thing and keep the leader going straight up.[/QUO

That should be easy, but how do I attach the tree to the conduit.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Not knowing the rootstock, I'd use a piece of conduit as well. Can't hurt to have a support to keep growth of the leader straight. I have to pound some conduit in on 3 of our trees, even knowing the rootstock. Sometimes trees don't follow the playbook !!

I think your pruning looks good. I'd score the leader above the highest branches to push new limbs, and then use clothes pins to set good crotch angles on those. I score my leaders so there are limbs coming off the leader in different directions and varying heights to keep the tree balanced. I scored some of our trees this past weekend while pruning on trees much like yours in the pics. Credit Maya's advice !!

Surrounding countryside looks pretty good for a view, Mahindra !! Ridge and Valley region is awesome.

Ag-lock is a good support linkage to use. ( Your above question ).

 

[CrazyEd]

That should be easy, but how do I attach the tree to the conduit.

I use aglok.

 

[chickenlittle]

I saw a trellis stake supply company that sold rolls of surgical tubing for tying up trees. I've used PVC tape that I initially used for grafting. It will stretch and can break. I replaced every year or 2.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I use aglock but use the larger size or as a tree blows in wind the smaller ones can break
https://www.amazon.com/Dimex-EasyFl...rd_wg=81ijb&psc=1&refRID=432AGPZAQJK8586PNZXG

 

[Haus]

Do you have to pound the conduit into the ground? I'm just wondering about harming roots.

 

[Charman03]

Do you have to pound the conduit into the ground? I'm just wondering about harming roots.

I just pushed mine in a bit, just use rebar to start a pilot hole.

Aglock is awesome stuff. I ordered mine from Home Depot.