Allotments 4 All

We have moved to a new home , we have aquired 2 Apple trees which have a few apples on each but they need to be pruned badly & some TLC, now i know we cannot do this untill later in the year . Can somebody tell me WHEN but more importantly HOW.  They have quite a bit of straggly growth & the middle of the tree is very bushy & overcrowded, also has Wooley Aphid, apart from that they are ok Hahahaha!!, we know we can buy the wash for W A, it is the pruning we need help with Thank you .Buddy

I can only advise on mature, large trees. What you are aiming for is the shape of a wine glass with the branches. The centre of the tree should be clear and the branches should fan out. Remove any branches that cross as they will compete with each other.

I don't know where to prune along the length of any branch and have not found that it mattered.

If they're old trees do it a bit at a time over 3-4 years; if you take off too many branches at once you gan kill them.

Thank you for your help, yes they are old trees very old i should say.
When is the best time to do this pruning please.

Have a look in here you might find something that will help; http://tinyurl.com/2zu5nq

Thank you i shall do that later tonight. Rosebud.

Prune apple trees in the dormant period - generally November to Feb.  I think the wood is useful for imparting flavours in barbeques.

It is supposed to be possible to grown new trees from prunings - I have tried and failed on two successive years.

I have an apple tree on my allotment supposed to have been planted at the end  of World War II - they are really fabulous looking trees with gnarled bark etc. Love sitting under it in the Summer.

Thank you Dave at last i know when we can prune .

Ours is a very old knarled up tree we have only been here 8 weeks  & i love it i also sit under it to get some shade . I wanted to know how to prune it & when because i would hate to damage it in anyway.  Rosebud.

If they're nice old trees, go gently, and take a couple of branches off every winter till they're as you want them. If you're desperate to reproduce them, the best way is to get some rootstocks, and graft; if it doesn't work the first time, grow the rootstock on for a year and try again. Do you have any idea of the varieties?

Be aware of this when pruning:
Generally speaking, the harder you cut back branches and stems in winter, the more growth will take place in the summer from areas close to where you made the cut. So if your tree is overcrowded with branches already, you will possibly promote more shoots. Especially on vigorous types like Bramley. If you take out some branches in early autumn, you stand less chance of unwanted whippy new growth coming.
If you do want to encourage new side branches on bare longish areas, you can to this by notching, i.e. taking a sharp knife and cutting into the bark (but not deep into the wood) just above a node on the bare area. Do this in early spring. Another way to promote smaller side shoots along a young bare branch, is to rub off the leaves along that branch around mid/end August.
You do need to have a good look at them now, while the fruit is on and see where the fruit is growing - this will give you a clue as to whether the tree is a spur bearing tree or a tip bearing tree - they need to be pruned slightly differently to get fruit.
Also have a good look now at where you want and don't want growth - I've found that it's a good idea to tie coloured tags or string on major branches to be cut away. Then to walk away and leave it alone, and go back later and see if you still think the same way. You can't stick the branches back on once you've cut 'em off !