Training tree branches

Jerry-B-WI

5 year old buck +
What do you fellas use for training the branches on your trees?
I'm looking to train the branch angles on my apple and pear trees and I've seen cement weights, water bottles, clothes pins etc. What seems to work best for you?

I've been using shortened pieces of branches that I pruned off as sort of a spreader bar but I don't know how well or how long they last.

How big of a branch can be trained?
 
I do exactly as you do and use pruned branches from around the yard. Obviously the larger the branch the less effective spreading or weight will have on the angle nearest the trunk. Overall it's really not that much different than a heavy fruit load would put on a branch when the tree is on production.
 
I do the same thing as Mort, except I went with some old scrap copper wire and a piece of old soaker hose. The soaker hose is not working out, it is starting to split at the top of the limb. I will have to replace with a small piece of garden hose.20230416_094938.jpg20230416_094753_HDR.jpg
 
Tooth picks, skewer sticks, small pruned branches with y crotches, clothes pins, string, rope, garden hose, homemade weights, concrete weights with I bolts, bricks with rope wrapped around it tied back to the branches, rope pulled down to T- posts or the cage, - my new favorite, I bought a bunch of spiral dog dog anchors at an auction and will be trying them out, screwing them into the ground around the trees.

Almost anything you can think of .......

 
I usually use rope and stones.
 
Nice orchard Mozark! Keep a close eye on that cattle fence and don't let them bust on in.
 
Coated clothes line from branch to cage works well and doesn't damage branches.
 
I just cut and notch lath for spreaders. Usually within a year or two at the most the branch will be growing at the proper angle on its own and the lath can be removed and reused. Many times, when the branch is set, the lath will fall off on its own. I've been using these for years and have never had any type of damage.

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Interesting that this topic came back right now...last night I was clearing some brush below my house and found a pear tree that was growing sideways under some brush. It is probably ~8-10' tall when standing up and has good leaves and limb growth. Any suggestions for how I should train it to stand upright and not horizontally. Right now it is propped up with about a 4' log. I will get some pictures later. It may also be a callery pear, in which case I will be grafting to it either this year or next.
 
Interesting that this topic came back right now...last night I was clearing some brush below my house and found a pear tree that was growing sideways under some brush. It is probably ~8-10' tall when standing up and has good leaves and limb growth. Any suggestions for how I should train it to stand upright and not horizontally. Right now it is propped up with about a 4' log. I will get some pictures later. It may also be a callery pear, in which case I will be grafting to it either this year or next.
You could do what you can with it until the fall, then dig it up and get it upright.


We got guys on here with alot more experience than me, but young trees are very trainable. If the angle is bad and it has that split scar line, the branch is on borrowed time. If it's a noticeable chunk of the tree, make a plan of removing it over the winter. I'm on vacation, but I have some decent examples at home.
 
I just cut and notch lath for spreaders. Usually within a year or two at the most the branch will be growing at the proper angle on its own and the lath can be removed and reused. Many times, when the branch is set, the lath will fall off on its own. I've been using these for years and have never had any type of damage.
I've done the same thing, using notched lath, with good results. For VERY young NEW shoots off the central leader, place clothes pins right next to the new shoots, on the upper side of the shoots. That'll train them to grow more outward, rather than upward. You get better, stronger crotch angles this way - and it's simple.

I learned this method on here from other more experienced guys. It's not MY smart idea - but just passing it on.
 
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