Question for the apple guys

[scott44]

We have some older apple trees that have had nothing done to them, a couple of them are 25'+ tall. My question is there something we should/could be doing to these trees? Here's a couple pics from August of last year, this was a exceptional year and most years they probably have half the apples that are in these pics.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Get into a routine of thinning and pruning next winter. The trees look healthy and productive now you just want to keep them that way.

 

[Maya]

Nice trees Scott! Ditto's on what NH and TC said. Just prune a little at a time with them, taking out a big side branch and suckers here and there next spring. You can take out dead wood this summer. Let us know what they have for fruit this year. I suspect they will slow down this year after that crop load last year.

Good luck with them!

 

[scott44]

Thanks guys! I'll try to get back and get some pics, I know I'll have pruning questions

 

[scott44]

Here is a pic of the second tree above, noticed lots of dead wood I'll remove this summer.

 

[scott44]

Nice trees Scott! Ditto's on what NH and TC said. Just prune a little at a time with them, taking out a big side branch and suckers here and there next spring. You can take out dead wood this summer. Let us know what they have for fruit this year. I suspect they will slow down this year after that crop load last year.
Good luck with them!

Maya you were spot on about this tree slowing down this year, there were very few blossoms on it. Good thing is a couple of the others picked up the slack.

 

[Maya]

Oh well you may miss some of that in the future with some regular pruning. If I'm seeing what I think I am seeing, I'd take out that whole left leader next spring. Looks pretty rotted out at the bottom and will likely die out anyways. The energy and light can then go right to that right side.

 

[scott44]

Oh well you may miss some of that in the future with some regular pruning. If I'm seeing what I think I am seeing, I'd take out that whole left leader next spring. Looks pretty rotted out at the bottom and will likely die out anyways. The energy and light can then go right to that right side.

Thanks, I'll do that. Yes the left side is kinda rotten and I was wondering about that.

 

[scott44]

I had all good intentions of getting this tree pruned up this last winter/spring but just didn't have time. It's loaded this year with apples, hopefully the next pic I show you it will be pruned.



Yesterday

 

[Native Hunter]

I will leave the pruning advice to others with more experience, but I must say that is a fine looking apple tree and crop of apples!

 

[Turkey Creek]

Scott44 Nice healthy looking tree. Keep us up to date as it progesses, such as final apple size, maturity date, etcc..... you know the info all us grafters like!:)

 

[scott44]

Scott44 Nice healthy looking tree. Keep us up to date as it progesses, such as final apple size, maturity date, etcc..... you know the info all us grafters like!:)

Will do

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I have a bunch of wild crabapples that I found the last couple years and I've been slowly working on clearing out neighboring trees. Based on the massive amount of fruit they produce, I don't know if pruning would help much or not. I try not to mess up a good thing, so I'll probably remove competition and see what happens. It's always nice to find an apple tree you never knew was there, I think you have some good ones there.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Great looking trees, Scott. I'll be watching this thread to see how the apples turn out. Nice load on them again !!