Apple Tree Pruning Tips

*This information is available in full-sized, PDF form at this link: https://underthetreefarm.com/products/applepruningguide

It's March 22, and in our region, it's still not too late to finish dormant pruning your fruit trees and berry bushes! Many people have asked us for more information about how we prune, so we have put together a brief guide about how we think about pruning our high density, single-leader apple orchard. It is by no means a comprehensive pruning guide -there is so much more we could include- but it's a start! It doesn't discuss remedial pruning, or pruning open-center trees, but it does discuss how we establish properly-shaped trees to make pruning a breeze in future years. Enjoy! 

Theory behind establishing and pruning our high density, dwarf apple orchard 

• Scaffolds and secondary branches make up the basic structure of an apple tree. Scaffolds are the main branches that form the permanent structure of a tree. Secondary branches are smaller branches that grow off the scaffold. Secondary branches are renewed to promote new growth and balance vegetative growth of the tree with fruit production
• On a vertical axis tree, the scaffold is the tall, vertical trunk.
• On an open-center tree, the scaffolds are main branches coming off the trunk. It takes a few extra years to establish scaffolds on an open center tree, and on a standard tree, it can take up to 10 years to establish the scaffold of a tree. 
• We use summer and dormant pruning to establish and maintain the secondary branches
  
  
• We grow fully dwarf trees, on B9 rootstock, secured to a trellis for support. Trees are spaced 5 feet between trees and 15 feet between rows
• Our goal is to achieve single-leader trees that are no more than 10 feet tall at maturity, with 20-30 horizontal secondary branches that are renewed when their diameter reaches ½ the diameter of the main trunk of the tree

• The first priority when establishing newly-planted trees is to form the scaffold. As soon as that is accomplished, the next priority is to establish a large number of relatively weak secondary branches to bear the fruit. 
• In general, vertical/upright secondary branches tend to produce vigorous vegetative growth.
• In general, horizontal/lateral secondary branches tend to produce flower buds and bear fruit.
• At first, a young tree naturally will want to grow a few vigorous vertical branches, so the principle goal of pruning for the first few years is to encourage branch formation and reduce the vigor of the branches that do form. 

The way to encourage branch formation is to cut back new branches 12”-18” from the scaffold, and the way to reduce vigor is to tie the branches down and perform heading cuts to a weak lateral.