How to prune old apple trees

Pruning your apple trees will lead to better tree health and more apples. Although this can seem like a daunting task it doesn’t have to be. In this post I am going to show you how to prune old apple trees.

Why do I need to prune my apple trees

You may have apple trees that you had pruned into shape when they were younger and thought that once they got to a certain point you wouldn’t have to prune them anymore. Nope. You should prune apple trees annually until they are cut down or die.

Here are some of the reasons that even old apple trees need to be pruned.

• Disease retardant: Pruning apple trees will help open up the canopy and allow sunlight and better airflow. This can help keep the tree drier and makes it less susceptible to diseases and rotting.
• Promotes fruit production: If apple trees are left to grow as they please they will grow just like all the other trees: Tall and full of foliage. By pruning them you can keep all the energy from making leaves and put it into making bigger juicier apples.
• Promotes budding: Pruning the tree at the right time of year can signal the tree that spring is coming soon which will promote budding.
• Consistent production: When apple trees grow old they get rather large and sometimes do not have enough energy to produce fruit every year. To make sure your tree does not become a biennial producer annual pruning is a must.

What time of year should I prune apple trees

Apple trees should be pruned in the late winter and early spring. This article from Oregon State University says it is best to prune in late winter just before spring. This is when the days are slightly above freezing and the nights are still cold.

For me in zone 5 I prune around the first few weeks of March. You can technically prune any time of the year, but this time of year is when pruning will do the least damage.

Another thing you should look for is dry weather. I usually like to prune my apple trees when I know that there will be at least three dry days ahead.

While this is not a necessity it does help lower the chances of disease spread through the fresh cuts on the trees.

Tools for pruning old apple trees

You will need three things to prune your apple trees. A pair of hand pruners (these are my favorite), a pair of loppers, and a ladder to reach the taller limbs.

If you have some exceptionally large branches you may want to get a handheld saw. I use the hand pruners to trim the small branches and the loppers for the larger branches. Using the right tools and making sure they are sharp will help you to get clean cuts.

Assessing your apple tree

Before we start hacking away at the tree you should first stand back and take a good look at your tree. Think how you are going to prune the branches.

You want to note branches that are growing straight up and ones that are closing the canopy. Another thing you want to look for are rubbing branches.

Once you have a good look at your tree it is time to start cutting. Throughout the pruning process I will occasionally take a step back to see how the tree is looking.

Pruning your apple trees

The first branches you will want to cut are the ones growing straight up into the sky. These branches will not bear fruit and will take energy from the tree.

Branches growing straight up are very easy to spot. You may be asking if you should cut all the ones growing straight up or just some. I cut every single one off my trees, but I do this every year to keep it maintained. Keep in mind pruning more than 20% of your tree’s branches can harm the tree.

I will start cutting the branches that are closest to the ground before moving farther up the tree. Usually the very large branches will take the loppers to cut through.

The next branches you want to look for are rubbing ones. Branches rubbing can cause the tree to catch diseases and can damage fruit.

Again stand back and take inventory. I will just cut the major rubbing branches as taking them all off would be too much for my tree to withstand.

Once you feel that your tree looks well pruned clean up the sticks and wait for budding.

How to correctly cut the branches

There is a certain way you should be making the cut on your apple trees. Here are a few examples.

Make all your cuts as close to the other branch as possible. Here is what your cut should NOT look like.

And here is what a correct cut should look like.

Another thing you should look for is strong joints. When you make a cut on a branch make sure to cut close to the branching area and not farther away. Here is what it should NOT look like.

And here is what it should look like.

Finally, make a clean cut with your tools. By making sure they are sharp and using loppers on large branches you can avoid cuts like this one that expose the tree by pulling up the bark.

What can I do with all the prunings

If you are any thing like me you don’t like to see things being wasted around the garden/orchard. The good news about this is that there are so many uses for apple tree prunings, so don’t throw them away. Read on to learn how to use them.

• Fire starters: You can let the prunings dry and them break them up to use as fire starters.
• Smoker wood: If you have a smoker you can cut or mulch the prunings for your very own apple wood.
• Fencing and trellises: Here is a great article telling you how you can create a trellis from twigs
• Weave a basket: If you have some extra time you would weave your own apple basket.
• Propagate more apple trees: Here is an article on how you can grow new trees from prunings.
• Make biochar: Biochar is a natural fertilizer. Here is how you can make biochar.

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