I recently purchased 6 apple trees, Stella, Jonagold, Gravenstein,
Fuji, Priscilla and Elstar, Each about 6ft in height, but i am not to
sure on pruning them for best shape and fruit bearing, or does it
matter?

West Coast Caada gardener

Pete W

Cobble Hill
Vancouver Island

Pete

Here in the UK (which is where most people in uk.rec.gardening are
based) it is getting a bit late in the year to be pruning apples. I
suggest you find a group more local to you where the answer may be
different.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

In article ,
Steve Harris wrote:

Here in the UK (which is where most people in uk.rec.gardening are
based) it is getting a bit late in the year to be pruning apples. I
suggest you find a group more local to you where the answer may be
different.

Fine for you in the warm, wet, west, but it would still be feasible
here! My apples are only JUST breaking bud.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article , Nick Maclaren
writes
In article ,
Steve Harris wrote:

Here in the UK (which is where most people in uk.rec.gardening are
based) it is getting a bit late in the year to be pruning apples. I
suggest you find a group more local to you where the answer may be
different.

Fine for you in the warm, wet, west, but it would still be feasible
here! My apples are only JUST breaking bud.

And mine aren't even that far.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

Hi Pete. If you got them that small, it wouldn't hurt to leave them alone
and not prune them until they are dormant. I have found that even though
the weather says it is cold enough to prune, trees bought from a grower have
already put on leaves or at least buds. That being the case, After planting
them I would leave them alone till next winter.

Apple trees need to be pruned into a shape that resembles a Christmas tree.
Cut off any dead wood, water spouts (branches that grow straight up),
branches that grow toward the center, suckers coming up from the ground
around the trunk, and branches, that if left alone, will rub against another
branch.

Look at the tree before pruning and imagine what you want it to look like in
5 to 10 years, and cut to make it grow that way. Make it grow the direction
you want by making a 45 degree angle on your cuts, just above a bud that is
on the side of the branch pointed the direction you want it to grow.

Dwayne




"Pete" wrote in message
...
I recently purchased 6 apple trees, Stella, Jonagold, Gravenstein,
Fuji, Priscilla and Elstar, Each about 6ft in height, but i am not to
sure on pruning them for best shape and fruit bearing, or does it
matter?

West Coast Caada gardener

Pete W

Cobble Hill
Vancouver Island

Pete wrote in message ...
I recently purchased 6 apple trees, Stella, Jonagold, Gravenstein,
Fuji, Priscilla and Elstar, Each about 6ft in height, but i am not to
sure on pruning them for best shape and fruit bearing, or does it
matter?

Basically it depends on whether your apples are tip bearing or spur
bearing. Tip bearing means that they produce flower buds on the new
growth from last year, Spur bearing they produce flower buds on small
spurs and produce them there for year after year. Spur bearers cam be
pruned in winter to the spur, I've actually seen such trees pruned
back to the same place year after year, but tip bearers need to have the
new growth just trimmed back a few inches or you will prune out all the
flower buds.

Mike
www.british-naturism.org.uk