How to Prune an Apple Tree

Growing fruit trees in the home garden is an interesting and rewarding job right in the process of caring for the tree as well as when harvesting. If you have apple trees in your garden and you want them to produce maximum yield, consider pruning them. Pruning will make the tree healthier, stimulate the tree to sprout and gradually produce more fruit with higher quality. Don’t let the tree grow messy, follow these few easy steps and give your apple tree a makeover.

Table of Contents

Understand the basics

Know when to prune trees. You’ll probably want to start pruning as soon as you realize your apple tree needs pruning. However, pruning the tree at the right time is an important factor in avoiding damage to the tree. You should prune the tree during the first or second month of spring, at least two weeks after the last frost has passed.

Depending on your conditions, pruning can be done in late spring and early summer.
Avoid pruning in the fall, as new shoots are stimulated to grow but will die in the cold of winter.

Determine the number of branches to prune. Properly pruned healthy apple trees will not create dense shadows; you need to maintain a considerable distance between the branches.

Select the appropriate tool. Tree pruning requires the right tools to avoid damaging the tree. The blade of the scissors should be commensurate with the size of the branches to be cut. With small branches, you can use hand-held pruning shears. Larger branches about 2.5 inches in diameter can be cut with a pruning shears. Use a saw (a folding saw is very suitable) to cut branches larger than 7.5 cm in diameter. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Know which trees need pruning. The overgrown apple trees are the object of this work. However, not all trees need pruning. You need to limit pruning until the tree is at least 3 years old. If you have a large number of branches that need pruning, do it gradually over several seasons.

Seedlings or young trees are pruned with the aim of stimulating the main branches to grow strong and give the original shape to the tree.
Pruning large trees and mature trees will stimulate the tree to produce more fruit, healthier and maintain the shape of the tree. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Tree pruning

Determine the appropriate shape. The apple tree should have a gentle cone shape, the part near the base growing thicker than the tip. This shape allows sunlight to reach more branches. Before you start pruning, you need to remember that the apple tree should be shaped like a pyramid.

Select the branches on the tree. The apple tree develops with a trunk connected to the main branch and then the canopy branches (the largest branches after the main branch). Looking down from the top of the tree, the apple tree should only have a few branches that do not cross each other, the distance between the branches should be even. Depending on the size of the tree, you should only leave 2-6 main branches. The remaining branches need to be pruned. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

The growth angle of the branches plays a very important role. Suitable canopies should grow at a 45-50 degree angle to the trunk. Branches that grow at a smaller angle may break under the weight of the fruit. If grown at a larger angle, the branch will not produce much fruit.
Seen from above, the branches of the tree look like stars or spokes on wheels. ^{[4] X Trusted Source Virginia Cooperation Extension Go to Source}

Remove the “buds”. Buds are unnecessary shoots that grow near the base of a tree. Remove all shoots growing from under the main branches to maintain good shape. The shoot is the only part of the plant that can be pruned near the end of summer and early fall.

Cut off dead branches. Remove dead, diseased or damaged branches due to peeling or discolouration. You can prune these branches at any time of the year, and should be cut as soon as they are discovered. Remove the entire branch if there are no flower buds on the branch. If there are flower buds on the lower part of the stem, cut just above the flower bud that is facing outwards. Cut diagonally so that rainwater can drain away instead of settling on top of the tree, causing it to rot.

Prune down branches that grow downwards. Branches that grow toward the ground should be removed. These branches cannot produce large and strong fruit, and moreover take up valuable space and sunlight from other branches that can produce more productive fruit.

Cut off branches that grow in spirals. Especially often occurs in fully grown trees, the branches grow in rings with 3 or more small branches growing from the same place. Because there are so many branches coming from one point, the branches will be weaker and unable to support the other new branches. Identify the largest and healthiest clusters of small branches, then prune the remaining branches.

Prune the remaining branches. Trim the remaining 1/3 of the length of the branches to stimulate the branches to grow larger and flower next season. Cut each branch just above the growing bud to give the plant a nice shape.

Advice

Do not prune more than 1/3 of the branches on the tree in the same year.
Remove cut branches and compost if possible, or use as mulch.

Things you need

Tree shears or saws
Long handle scissors to cut tall branches
Garden gloves if needed
Goggles if needed

Steps

Understand the basics

Tree pruning

Advice

Things you need

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