"BC" wrote in message ...
Hi there,

I have recently moving into an old house with a mature garden. There is a
neglegted apple tree in the garden which I would like to get under
control.
Over the winter I removed all the dead and broken branches but after that
I'm not too sure what to do. I've read a few articles about fruit tree
pruning and I think I have the general gist that I need to get it into a
goblet shape - other than that does anyone else have any advice?

One other thing, the tree seems to be covered in what looks like open
"sores" that is eating the bark. I've uploaded some photos to a hosting
website as well as an overall picture of the tree at the moment. Is anyone
able to identify what is wrong and how to fix it?


http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5005Medium.jpg

The tree looks as though it has been pruned O.K. in the past.

It already has the basic open shape which lets light into the centre.

It looks as though the main thing it needs is the high thin branches cutting
back.

I would think that they should be cut back quite drastically - 1/3 to 1/2
their length - to get the tree back in proportion.

Thin high whippy branches will bear fruit but you won't be able to pick
them.

It is better to have branches which fork, the fork again to give a lot of
small shoots, instead of single straight vertical stem.

Estimate how high you can easily get (with a step ladder or standing in the
'cup' in the centre of the tree) and aim to trim back anything much higher
than that.

No point in having apples if you can't pick them.

HTH

Dave R