On 25/7/06 09:10, in article
, "Mook"
wrote:

I have an old apple tree in my garden which was there when we arrived.
It looks as though it has been neglected for 10+ years. It does crop
but the apples tend to be small - probably because there are too many
of them. The trunk kind of V's and my question is ... if I remove one
of the V's (about half the tree) would this kill the tree?

It would actually give the tree a better shape if I did this and I'm
hoping the apples (cookers) it produces would be bigger because there
would be less of them... any advice?

I think it would be worth consulting an expert. Generally speaking, the
approach to the pruning and re-shaping of old trees is very little at a
time, year after year. I had a James Grieve that was well over 100 years
old and still producing fruit. When I bought the house it was straggly and
overgrown with many crossing and rubbing branches, so a tree surgeon
carefully took out that sort of growth and it did seem to give the fruiting
renewed vigour.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)