Pruning Apple Trees For Wildlife

[Bowsnbucks]

I thought I posted this info here before, but maybe not. Mortenson asked me to post about this - so here goes.

I e-mailed a Penn State prof and asked him how to go about pruning apple trees for wildlife - not commercial production. I asked him if it's necessary to do all the pruning that is advised for commercial purposes. I also explained that our camp's trees won't be babied & handheld. He told me in a return e-mail that once the scaffold limbs are established, trained to good angles, and the trees are 6 years old or older, pruning could be likely be done every 3 years. Crossing limbs, rubbing limbs, dead or diseased limbs and water sprouts need to be pruned out as needed. He advised having bottom scaffold limbs at 5' above ground or higher. The central leader method gives the best light distribution into the tree.

This recommendation is for our camp situation, being - not a ton of constant attention like a home apple tree or commercial orchard.

That was basically his pruning advice for how often to prune for our camp wildlife trees.

 

[Charles Clear]

Thank you for sharing! Great info

 

[Prof.Kent]

I thought I posted this info here before, but maybe not. Mortenson asked me to post about this - so here goes.

I e-mailed a Penn State prof and asked him how to go about pruning apple trees for wildlife - not commercial production. I asked him if it's necessary to do all the pruning that is advised for commercial purposes. I also explained that our camp's trees won't be babied & handheld. He told me in a return e-mail that once the scaffold limbs are established, trained to good angles, and the trees are 6 years old or older, pruning could be likely be done every 3 years. Crossing limbs, rubbing limbs, dead or diseased limbs and water sprouts need to be pruned out as needed. He advised having bottom scaffold limbs at 5' above ground or higher. The central leader method gives the best light distribution into the tree.

This recommendation is for our camp situation, being - not a ton of constant attention like a home apple tree or commercial orchard.

That was basically his pruning advice for how often to prune for our camp wildlife trees.

That's how I prune my "Deer Orchard". I made a couple videos of it.

 

[Charman03]

Thanks bows and prof for the vids

 

[Bowsnbucks]

^^^^^ Glad to post the info the PSU prof gave me.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I just trimmed my wildlife trees today, I just trim branches that point in, or straight up that will compete with the central leader, and try to eliminate branches lower then the 5 foot fence, but I wait until the tree is a couple years old before I butcher it up.

 

[Peeps]

I’m aiming at doing my pruning a week and a half from now the next time I make it up to my place. I need some snow to melt so I can get to my trees. Rt now the snow is thigh to hip deep up at my place.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I’m aiming at doing my pruning a week and a half from now the next time I make it up to my place. I need some snow to melt so I can get to my trees. Rt now the snow is thigh to hip deep up at my place.

I didnt take any pictures, but it was thigh high, it was a work out walking back to the apple trees.

 

[MRBB]

what time of yr did he say was best for pruning them, , IF he said at all?

 

[sandbur]

I’m aiming at doing my pruning a week and a half from now the next time I make it up to my place. I need some snow to melt so I can get to my trees. Rt now the snow is thigh to hip deep up at my place.

I didnt take any pictures, but it was thigh high, it was a work out walking back to the apple trees.

I have been collecting scion and doing a bit of pruning off of snowshoes. I reach higher than I ever had.

I have some wildlife crabs that were planted in three or four foot diameter wire cages.
I did no pruning for years as I knew nothing about it and they have done ok.

I would be careful about winter sunscauld when exposing five foot of the trunk in northern climates. I even wonder about exposing the trunk between scaffolds on the south side if exposed.

I found the three foot cage and browsing allowed a bunch of small deformed branches to grow and shade that part of the trunk.

Further up, create your scaffolds, but always consider shade of the center leader on the south or southwest side. Especially if you are not going to paint that central leader white.


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[sandbur]

I’m aiming at doing my pruning a week and a half from now the next time I make it up to my place. I need some snow to melt so I can get to my trees. Rt now the snow is thigh to hip deep up at my place.

I didnt take any pictures, but it was thigh high, it was a work out walking back to the apple trees.

I have been collecting scion and doing a bit of pruning off of snowshoes. I reach higher than I ever had.

I have some wildlife crabs that were planted in three or four foot diameter wire cages.
I did no pruning for years as I knew nothing about it and they have done ok.

I would be careful about winter sunscauld when exposing five foot of the trunk in northern climates. I even wonder about exposing the trunk between scaffolds on the south side if exposed.

I found the three foot cage and browsing allowed a bunch of small deformed branches to grow and shade that part of the trunk.

Further up, create your scaffolds, but always consider shade of the center leader on the south or southwest side. Especially if you are not going to paint that central leader white.


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And if maya or appleman speaks up, listen to them instead of me!


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[4wanderingeyes]

Sandbur, that is very good advice! I have painted all of my trees already, although I am sure some will need a fresh coat this year. I also have my apple trees some what shaded from the south when the sun is low in the southern sky. My apple trees are in a smaller area, so the trees will shade them in the late winter, early spring when the sun is still low in the southern sky, but come April/May, they get pretty much full sun.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

MRBB, post #9 - Dormant season pruning is best overall. The PSU prof did say that sometimes it's necessary to prune in summer if wind damage occurs, or a bunch of suckers or water sprouts pop up, or branches grow in a way that they rub, etc. Those kinds of things need to be addressed right away.

 

[silver_yummies]

Good thread. I’ll be trudging through the snow this weekend to get mine all pruned up.

 

[cavey]

I have been collecting scion and doing a bit of pruning off of snowshoes. I reach higher than I ever had.

I was on my snowshoes as well the other day starting to get scion, 2-3' deep everywhere with 4' plus in the ditches and drifts even deeper. Its crazy... this rain should make moving easier - maybe, you must have gotten pounded today by rain?

 

[sandbur]

I have been collecting scion and doing a bit of pruning off of snowshoes. I reach higher than I ever had.

I was on my snowshoes as well the other day starting to get scion, 2-3' deep everywhere with 4' plus in the ditches and drifts even deeper. Its crazy... this rain should make moving easier - maybe, you must have gotten pounded today by rain?

The snow did go down a lot. Come daybreak, I will see more.


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[Barndog56]

My snow level was down about 8 inches by yesterday afternoon. Today's supposed to be 10 degrees warmer with a chance of rain so it will go even faster. I'm waiting till probably next week or the week after to do my pruning.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Flirting with 50's towards next weekend, that should make a mess of things really quick with all of this rain as well. Oh well, snow, or a messy slop, I will take the warmth.