Zootal wrote:
I have a very large very old apple tree in my back yard. It has not been
maintained much the last few years. It consists of a few main branches and
hundreds of suckers growing straight up from the branches. Should I remove
all of the upright growing suckers? I hate to butcher the tree, but it is in
serious need of some TLC.

I do not remember exactly where I originally obtained the information
that I used to guide me in pruning my old apple tree. But it's a
common enough problem that there was once a web page devoted
specifically to the subject. Google for it. The guide recommended
taking a full three years to get the tree to its final shape. Winter
was recommended as the best time for extensive pruning, when the tree
is out of leaf. You don't say where you are located. But if you are
in the Northern Hemisphere, then your apple tree should be going
dormant for the winter soon.

The guide suggested pretty standard pruning cuts -- eliminating the
long vertical suckers, interior crossing branches, and branches growing
downward; selecting well-spaced side branches with good angles between
them; and, modest heading-back of the branches you do keep. As for the
shape, an "open center" configuration was recommended. This means that
after the main trunk branches, there is no central leader. Supposedly
this lets light/air/pollen/pollinators into the center of the tree,
resulting in more fruit.

I still get suckers every year, but they're a lot shorter and less
numerous than before. This season, I tried pruning a few of those
suckers while the tree was still in leaf. No harm appears to have
befallen the tree. I'll be pruning much more next month.

Good luck!


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