We consulted the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) November 2013 magazine for advice on pruning our largest apple tree. We have not done any substantial pruning of this tree, (although once in my novice days I cut off too many fruit bud branches) so I reckoned that we should count this as Year 1.
The first sentence read The initial priority is to restore the tree's health. So we went down to the plot armed with loppers and a saw as well as the customary secateurs.
The tree, which produces lovely eating apples, is on the boundary of one plot and overshadows a woodland bed I am creating with primulas, daffodils, hellebores and miniature irises. It was pruned in the past, but looking at it with fresh eyes I could see all manner of crossing branches that had been allowed to grow. We removed some of these. It took two of us, I held the branch and my husband used the saw.
Then I made a circuit of the perimeter of the tree shortening branches where possible and stood back. The advice is to open up the centre of the tree's crown to improve air circulation - hence the taking out of crossing branches - and also to remove one branch in four that is misplaced, unproductive or old.
Looking on the positive side, the tree is now certainly more open to the sunlight and air and I have left lots of fruit bearing branches on it. But it is above the recommended height and there are some branches that I might not have spared for the moment. As in horticulture so in life, this is a 'work in progress'.
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