Pruning An Apple Tree

[patchworkperson]

Is it too late for me to prune an apple tree?

My plot has a well established tree, one of several planted by the council when the site was created & apparently anyone can pick from them.

It looks to have just been left to its own devices & last year there was very little fruit - very small & fruit & leaves had brown/black spots.

I need fruit tree pruning for dummies!

Geri

[patchworkperson]

[Pescador]

Should have been done when it's dormant, I'd leave it until the winter.
That will give you plenty of time to get hold of a good book to learn how to do it, 'cause you really don't want to get it wrong!

[goodlife]

There is two different times for apple pruning...winter (when there tree is dormant=no leaves/swollen buds), done for 'restorative' purposes to reduce size and cut out dead and diseases growth.
Summer...done end of summer to shorten new growth down to encourage fruiting bud formation.

If there any obvious dead ,diseases or damaged wood , or something that  is just plainly 'on your way'...you can take those out any time of the year..there is no point leaving them hanging around but otherwise I would not prune now.

What you can concentrate in mean while is to get the tree in better health. Give it some TLC...feed it, mulched the ground underneath with 'what ever you have handy'. I just did that some of my trees by laying some newspaper/cardboard/old 100% cotton bath towels/straw to keep weeds down and piled loads of grass clippings/ annual weeds and other greenery on top. It will all rot down and contribute making soil better and feeding the trees in process  I carry on adding more of the 'good stuff' during the season.
You can buy 'garlic spray' for apple trees (will act as natural fungicide) or make some of your own by soaking some chopped up garlic in water...couple of weeks later dilute some of the stinky garlic 'tea' with more water and spray it on the trees. You can do the spray few times during the summer and it will help to reduce the amount of 'brown/black spots'. Ideally you would have started the first praying few weeks ago, but better later than never.
If you tree should reward you with new healthy growth..then your first lesson of pruning will be later on this summer...come back again and ask what to do then.
Uncared trees will take few years of TLC to turn into different 'species'..each year you improve their looks and health just that little bit more...little by little. Doing too much in one go (with pruning) will do more harm than good..so start from basics and give it a 'snap' first, then 'wash' (spray) and later on the year little 'trim'.. ...winter gales do the 'blow dry' for you...

[Digeroo]

I always prune mine now.  If it does not have a flower on it it gets cut off.

The biggest problem is when the tree is covered with flowers and there is nothing to remove the tree gets bigger and bigger.

[Ian Pearson]

It's best to know if the variety is a spur-bearer or tip-bearer before getting the secateurs out. Since you don't know the variety, you need to wait and observe where blossom forms (Digaroo's method is unconventional, but effective on this point). I would only prune out problem wood (i.e. dead, damaged, diseased, rubbing or in the way) straight away. The disease you describe sounds like scab. This overwinters on decaying leaves or fruit under the tree, and may already have spread to the new foliage opening now, but it would still be worth trying to rake them up (on a dry day) before adding feed/mulches as described by good life. Damp conditions favour the disease, as does still humid air, so try to improve ventilation (e.g. by cutting long vegetation near the tree).
Actually, opening up the tree by pruning may also reduce the scab. Does the tree look congested? If so, then maybe some immediate pruning would be in order after all.
EDIT Since the council planted the tree, they may have a record of the variety - useful to find out its disease resistance characteristics etc).