Prune critique please

[CrazyEd]

Unfortunately Ed - I don't think there is many options for #2 - I think I'll cut it, graft it and hope for the best.

Thanks for the advice.

If this whole thing has taught me anything - it's look before you leap. I learned several things about apple trees the hard way already with just these few.

It's not very fun learning the hard way. Trust me I have been there, I had an incident a few years back where i had a spraying mix up that was almost fatal to much of my orchard. I was terrified for a while but In the end it wasnt fatal. I learned my lesson, had a slight set back for a year of so and now you never know it happened. And I know I wont be making that mistake again. Thats how it goes, thats how you learn.

Look at it on the positive, now you can graft up tree # 2 and get sucked into that whole spectrum of orcharding. I will be the first to admit I was very intimidated by the whole grafting process. But once I got my feet wet there was no turning back and it's really a lot of fun. You are in the right place there are plenty of people here that can help you along the way! You graft that tree over to the same or another variety and it will grow like a weed in 2 years you'll never know that it happened.

Cheers!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Ed - I have a ? on tree #2. It looks as though the sun is on the right side in the pic. If the branch on the right side was cut off, and the left side was tied to a conduit stake to get it started upward, would the tied-up branch tend to grow toward the sun and help it to straighten out eventually?? I'm also a newb, so I'm just asking for info purposes in case I or anyone else run into a similar situation. Any chance it might work??

 

[Maya]

I PMed you JBird. Please don't head those branches back! Train the branches down, but don't head them.

 

[chummer]

I PMed you JBird. Please don't head those branches back! Train the branches down, but don't head them.

Maya, you think the same about heading as Foggy does about that pin on the map:)

 

[j-bird]

So I about gave Maya a heart-attack! Sorry.

OK - NEVER put a heading cut on a branch. Train it or remove it. PERIOD! Hopefully that statement will allow Maya and Ed to sleep tonight.

I think some grafting is in my future as it is, so might as well learn now!

Picture 1 - I will try to train the lower branches and I like the idea of cutting the central leader back the the more vertical branch that is there and train it to become the central leader or graft a new leader. What do I do with the additional length of the lower limbs?
Picture 2 - The picture doesn't show it real well but none of those lower branches has much chance of being trained - it's getting cut and grafted. I sort of feel like some sort of mad scientist!
Picture 3 - Branches will get trained - lowest one with steep crotch angle may get removed. Again what do I do with the additional length of the lower limbs?
Picture 4 - no more cutting, just branch training.

I intend on using the ends of my recent cuttings for grafting.

 

[Maya]

If the goal is to get light throughout a tree, why make a heading cut? It just adds more branches. Trees add branches well on their own. Kinda contradictory to why you prune! Always spend more time training young trees....and not pruning.

 

[j-bird]

If the goal is to get light throughout a tree, why make a heading cut? It just adds more branches. Trees add branches well on their own. Kinda contradictory to why you prune! Always spend more time training young trees....and not pruning.

The main reason I prune at this point is to promote the vertical growth to get beyond the reach of the deer. Obviously I screwed up with some of the long lower branches.

"Train it or remove it" is my new pruning motto.

I'm glad I was smart enough to ask for help - should have done it along time ago. Thanks for everyone's help.