How to prune these trees next spring

[Charman03]

got some trees growing well here at the house I just planted this spring. At the very top they split. How would you go about pruning them next year. I'll add some pictures

 

[chickenlittle]

I'd choose a leader and remove the other.

The one with the wide Y, I'd stake now and tie the chosen leader to the stake to make it more vertical. Remove the other later.

The one with the narrow Y I might prune off one side now but the leaves don't look that healthy. So I'd wait until winter to pick the leader.

 

[Charman03]

thanks for the advice

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Do you have any bears in your area? The reason I ask is that my hunting property in northern WI has tons of bears that love to tear up apple trees. I initially tried to prune to the ideal central leader framework, but found that doesn't work out so well when a bear comes along the next year and tears 1/2 the tree down. Now my best looking trees are the random bush like trees with no central leader and general goofy framework. They seem to bounce back faster from damage than the well pruned trees. And for whatever reason they seem to be bothered less by the bears than the trees I pruned.

So it took me a whole paragraph to answer your question, but if you have lots of bears I would just leave the trees alone so you have extra branches ready to take over when the bears tear down parts of your trees.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

As I look at your first pic with the narrow Y, I'd keep the left shoot because it seems to be straighter with the lower trunk and it appears to be taller & more aggressive than the right shoot. That to me would make a good leader, but as Chickenlittle said, I'd wait until March to prune the right one off. Let it take in sunlight now to help feed the tree.

I agree with Chickenlittle again on the one with the wide Y. I'd do the same thing he suggested. Get your main leader growing vertically now.

 

[Charman03]

Guys what's the best method for staking the tree and how close to the trunk should I pound the stake into the ground

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I'd use 1/2" thinwall electrical conduit for staking. ( Also known as E.M.T. - electrical metallic tubing ). It comes in 10 ft. lengths. I would keep the whole length and drive in about 2 ft. of it and let the rest to give upward support. Soft, sandy ground may require more distance driven onto the ground. While the tree is still young, I'd drive the stake about 6" away from the trunk and use Ag-Lock to fasten the tree to the stake.

 

[Charman03]

At what point do I fasten the branch to the support? Halfway up the leader I plan to keep?

 

[Charman03]

I'd use 1/2" thinwall electrical conduit for staking. ( Also known as E.M.T. - electrical metallic tubing ). It comes in 10 ft. lengths. I would keep the whole length and drive in about 2 ft. of it and let the rest to give upward support. Soft, sandy ground may require more distance driven onto the ground. While the tree is still young, I'd drive the stake about 6" away from the trunk and use Ag-Lock to fasten the tree to the stake.

What is ag lock

 

[Barndog56]

At what point do I fasten the branch to the support? Halfway up the leader I plan to keep?

I just staked a handful of mine that were leaning, using the 1/2" conduit. It was 8.5 feet tall after driving into the ground, and I fastened mine at roughly 6 and 8 feet high.

 

[ToddG]

What is ag lock

Here is where I purchase my aglok.
https://www.orchardvalleysupply.com/products/aglok

 

[Charman03]

Thanks all

 

[Bc4abc]

what about a "limb weight"? could turn one leader into a horizontal branch..maybe?

 

[Charman03]

Here's that liberty that was leaning. Emt conduit and aglok. Would you still prune the other branch?

 

[Barndog56]

I'd leave that one as it's a pretty good crotch angle after the staking. I'd prune off the two lower branches in March. At that height they'll get eaten off as soon as they stick through the cage.

 

[Charman03]

I'd leave that one as it's a pretty good crotch angle after the staking. I'd prune off the two lower branches in March. At that height they'll get eaten off as soon as they stick through the cage.

You got that right. The deer around here are relentless. We literally can't grow any flowers in the yard bc they get eaten every night. One even tore my cage off one night and pruned my enterprise pretty good.

 

[Charman03]

Put a cam on that enterprise after the cage got removed. Only deer so far.