ashleydanielle89
Full Member
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 7:33 pm
Location: Spring Hope, NC

How to Prune a Two Year Old Apple Tree?

Any ideas on how to prune this odd shaped apple tree. I got it in the mail as a "bare root tree" it just looked like a twig. I planted it about 2 years ago.
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AnnaIkona
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Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:20 pm
Location: Canada zone 8b

I would prune just the tips a bit (maybe 5 inches?) so that branches can start growing from the sides and make the tree grow "fatter" instead of "taller".

However, I never prune my trees when they are still that young and short.

JONA
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Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:11 am
Location: Sussex. England

Hi AshleyD,
I'm afraid that it looks to me as if that main shoot with the pink ribbon is growing from below the graft where the rootstock was grafted to the variety tree.
If this is the case it will have to be cut off as it's taking all the trees strength and will not give you any of the fruit you want.
The one main shoot growing up with just one weaker shoot is the main trunk of your tree, this will then grow away much stronger once those other shoots go.
Rootstocks control the strength and often are used to give resistance to some viruses and deseases that could affect a tree on its own roots.
They are usually of specially bred crab or similar stocks and are not sweet apple varieties.j
If you look at the base of your tree you should be able to see where the join is where the rootstock is grafted to your tree.
I may be wrong....but please have a close look to check.
If the shoots ok and above the union the I would leave all alone for a couple more years to let the frame develope more.
Last edited by JONA on Tue May 03, 2016 2:12 am, edited 1 time in total.

tomc
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Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 2:52 am
Location: SE-OH USA Zone 6-A

Jona has hit the core of the problem. Get down on your hands and knees and find where the graft union is. Prune out the branches below the union. Those branches won't make as good apples. Reduce what is growing above the union to a single stick.

Keep on with mulch.

Your tree is young. it will get up to speed as its feet develop. (this all goes back to mulch)



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