"anton" wrote in message
...

"rda" wrote in message
...
Hi guys, I have just moved house and have inherited an apple tree that
badly
needs cutting back.

The branch I intend to cut is the first one up the trunk; Its almost the
same diamater as the trunk itself.

I was just looking for tips on how and when (asap) best to remove the
branch
without overly damaging the tree.

Ensure that the branch when it falls won't damage you or anybody else- you
may wish to support it with a rope tied higher up the tree.

Make a cut from underneath part way through say six inches from the trunk.
Using a rope or a person to flex the branch slightly upwards will make
this
process easier. Then cut from above say twelve inches from the trunk.
[When the branch breaks then the undercut will stop it form splitting back
down to the trunk.]

You're then left with a stub that you can cut off at the end of the
collar-
the collar is the bit with a bigger diameter where the branch joins the
trunk.

You can do it anytime with the leaves off.

Thanks for the tips.

Do I need to paint the stub as a friend suggested or should it be ok to
leave it bare?

--
rda