North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[oowonbs@netscape.net]

> How do you prune a tip bearing variety that does not seem to use spurs 
at
all?
I I have a number of Improved Snow apple trees on a number of 
rootstocks.
All have fruiting spurs.  The odd ball is grafted to a wild rootstock 
and on
only produce bloom at the tip. No idea how to prune it.
Thanks,
Tom

*You need to plan with these.  Planing means keeping track.
Once side branches are established where you want them,
their laterals will need to be removed eventually, a bit at
a time, so others replace them. For this you can use twist-ties,
or some use a lil 50-50 diluted white paint to add a ring.

Remove 1/4 or 1/3 (annually, "max") of what is getting
long but bearing little.You might use paint as
a main identifier, and a twisty to remind you of the
lateral bud/branch you want to leave.

Obviously, timing is if some issue. Since you planned,
you can do this in dormancy.  But you could see overbearing
and do some then also/instead. Say you prune 1/4 (3/12) in
dormancy. If 1/3 is your max, (4/12) that leaves 1/12, or ~10%
you can add to that pruning, when you see "one you missed."

If a certain tree is prone to overbear, and next year then
underbears, (and if you know this tree-type tends toward this,)
you can use that to an advantage once, in an early year.
This is mainly for one that hasn't been pruned yet, due to youth...
and not ready/needing it. IF the tree has been maintained, you don't
generally get to use that technique again. Rules are made to be broken 
though.
BilllSF9c
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