On 31/07/2010 21:54, kay wrote:
'Christina Websell[_2_ Wrote:

Far too severe, IMO. You just cannot cut an apple tree back to the
trunk.
who told you to do this, or was this your own idea?
:-(
I would be surprised if it doesn't die.
Tina

I'd b surprised if it did. Our very old Bramley was blown over in the
1987 storm. Since its roots were half out of the ground we assumed t was
a goner, and as it completely blocked our garden, we cut off all the
branches back to the trunk. But we never got around to dealing with the
trunk, and next year it was re-shooting all over the place.

So yes,, it is possible to cut an apple tree right back to the trunk.

But it may take a few years to come back into fruiting.

I'd second Kay's view. In a friend's field there is an old apple which
also seccumbed to a gale years ago. It was left with one large root
holding it in the ground, all the others having been torn through. It
lies on its side, has never been touched since it's accident in terms of
pruning, and each year has produced a good crop of apples. This year it
has excelled itself and has more fruit on it than I've ever seen before.
And yet, I look at it and wonder how on earth it manages to survive.
Jill