To: NAFEX Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [NAFEX] pruning apple trees
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2008 22:35:49 -0500
I have a Jonathan apple on M111. It's grown very slowly in less-than-
full sun, but has now reached 10' and last year fruited for the first
time. (It's about 8 years old, and due to some neighbors removing
trees, gets more sun than it used to.)
Ten feet is tall enough. Much taller and I won't be able to prune or
spray it. In fact, I'm thinking of cutting it down to about 8'.
Any advice re pruning a genetically "larger" tree to keep it in
check? Should I aim for horizontal growth? Cut it lower and just
make it start new leaders form time to time?
Right now it's mostly horizontal branches off a central leader.
Thanks for any advice.
Ginda
eastern Mass., zone 6
[NAFEX] pruning apple trees,
Ginda Fisher, 03/08/2008