Mature apple tree need pruning

[daz3770]

Hi there,

Hopefully there is some one out there with the knowledge that i need.

I have a large cooking apple(not sure of type) tree in the garden. it has been neglected for many years and has spread out of control.

What i need is some advice on pruning it back. Where should i cut it back to. When is best time to do it. The fruit has all but fall off now. Will i damage it if i get it wrong. It is not some thing i want to get some one in for. I just don't want to make a pigs ear of it.

Regards

Darran

 

[JohnD]

you will find other posts on how to get it to a nice goblet shape, cut out all damaged, diseased or crossing branches, take out most vertical waterspouts, cut it to a size and shape where you can reach the fruit to pick it, let light and air into the centre.

My opinion is that if you're going to prune it, you may as well do a thorough job rather than a bit of tinkering (women are prone to cutting back too little, as if they were cutting toenails).

but a couple of other points if you haven't pruned much before:

this is not a bad time of year to do it

have all cuts vertical or at least steeply sloping, so that there is not an upward-facing cut edge which rainwater will collect on, this encourages rot

use a sharp saw, sharp loppers and sharp secateurs so that you leave clean, not ragged cuts. If you find your tools are blunt, stop, and sharpen or buy a new one. Have the range of tools for the range of sizes that you need to cut.

cut close to the main branch or trunk leaving just a slight stump so you don't damage the bark on the trunk and it will heal over.

as soon as growth restarts in spring you can rub off with your hand any green buds that start trying to grow where you pruned it, that are not where you want a new branch to form. Otherwise, immediately after pruning, the tree will start trying to grow a tangle of new shoots and twigs to regain its former size.

There are "paints" that you can put on pruned-off surfaces to protect them, but the last research I heard was that the trees heal better without it.

You can probably find pruning diagrams on the RHS website.
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/index.asp

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/problem_solver/pruning.asp

 

[Durgo]

Cookers eh? Why not look into grafting if your up for the challenge you could have some nice eating apples and maybe some pears on it next year...or maybe a chimeara (a hybrid, not a a TVR ) and at a height that suits you for easy pickings

 

[Thermo]

as john says, and definetly no paints etc on any exposed wounds. let nature take its course, otherwise you can seal diseases etc in