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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Advice re spindly apple cultivar

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  • From: <dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Advice re spindly apple cultivar
  • Date: Mon, 3 Sep 2007 00:44:12 -0500

David,

Without knowing exactly what the trees look like, you should be able to salvage them. To salvage the trees, if you want to replace the branches that snapped off, prune off the broken branch but leave a stub of about 1/4' to 1/2' inch. The tree should start a new branch at that location. You can also start a new leader from the topmost branch that is pointing southwest. If you would like to send me photos of the trees, I might be able to make better suggestions for you.

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
http://www.revivalhymn.com
----- Original Message ----- From: <David.Maxwell@dal.ca>
To: <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 02, 2007 6:47 PM
Subject: [NAFEX] Advice re spindly apple cultivar


I have a couple of trees, grafted 4 years ago on Ottawa-3 rootstock, variety "Linda".
(This is actually a Canadian introduction, developed at the research station in
Ottawa. I got scions quite simply because my wife's name is Linda, and I liked the
idea of having a tree named after her.) They have grown well, and fruited heavily
this year. I thinned them, but I guess the fruit is still fairly heavy. Several branches
have snapped off under the weight of the fruit, and in a moderate wind the other day
the leaders of both trees also snapped off. I have supports under those branches
which have survived, but now I need to know 1) what did I do wrong? (Should I
have heavily pruned back all the branches - and the leaders - each year?) 2) To
salvage what I have left should I now cut everything back?

I have some 50 varieties of apple, and this is the only one which has done this.
Would be most grateful for the advice of the "graybeards" with more experience
than I.







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