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

TIA.

Brent

"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

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...

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


Birds can eat them.

michael adams

....


HTH

Dave R

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...

"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.



Thanks David. Am I alright to prune at the moment as some website suggest
only pruning in Winter? Also, I've upload some other photos regarding the
bark "sores" as I forgot to post them this morning. These things are on
every branch. Any idea what it could be?

http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5007Medium.jpg
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5010Medium.jpg

BC wrote:
"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
snip
Also, I've upload some other photos regarding the
bark "sores" as I forgot to post them this morning. These things are on
every branch. Any idea what it could be?

http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5007Medium.jpg
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5010Medium.jpg

It looks rather as if the tree has been 'barked' at some time, i.e.
branches have been cut or torn off carelessly, taking some of the bark
with them. Or rabbits have nibbled at it when it was a much smaller
plant. The other thing could be canker but I don't *think* so.
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...ple_canker.asp
If it's been barked, there's nothing you can do but trees can go on for
a very long time with that comparatively small degree of damage.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon

Sacha wrote:
BC wrote:
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5007Medium.jpg
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5010Medium.jpg
It looks rather as if the tree has been 'barked' at some time, i.e.
branches have been cut or torn off carelessly, taking some of the bark
with them. Or rabbits have nibbled at it when it was a much smaller
plant.

I looked at it, and thought "I bet small boys have been
climbing it".

"Chris Bacon" wrote in message
...
Sacha wrote:
BC wrote:
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5007Medium.jpg
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5010Medium.jpg
It looks rather as if the tree has been 'barked' at some time, i.e.
branches have been cut or torn off carelessly, taking some of the bark
with them. Or rabbits have nibbled at it when it was a much smaller
plant.

I looked at it, and thought "I bet small boys have been
climbing it".

The previous owner of the house had a small boy and girl (about 8 and 7 I
think). That could explain the problems on the lower branches but these
things are also on many of the higher twigs/branches as well. When cutting
back I'm cutting to below these marks at the moment. On the branches that
aren't sprouting and look dead at the moment there is inevitably a
particulalrly bad "sore" lower down that marks the start of the dead area.

BC wrote:
"Chris Bacon" wrote
I looked at it, and thought "I bet small boys have been
climbing it".

The previous owner of the house had a small boy and girl (about 8 and 7 I
think). That could explain the problems on the lower branches but these
things are also on many of the higher twigs/branches as well. When cutting
back I'm cutting to below these marks at the moment. On the branches that
aren't sprouting and look dead at the moment there is inevitably a
particulalrly bad "sore" lower down that marks the start of the dead area.

Um. I are not up to looking properly at the mo. Lidl have a knife next
week, if I remember I'll buy a coupl to try,
http://www.lidl.co.uk/gb/home.nsf/pa...p.Garden_Knife
maybe not stainless, hopefully, else I won't. If when you've cut a branch
yoy "finish off" with a really sharp knife, cutting the bark back
*just enough* to make it smooth instead of showing saw tooth marks,
it will be better. Doesn't take a mo. Before I forget, your
100_5010Medium.jpg shows the tree on the way to healing itself
after some physical damage.

"BC" wrote in message ...
"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
snip
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.



Thanks David. Am I alright to prune at the moment as some website suggest
only pruning in Winter? Also, I've upload some other photos regarding the
bark "sores" as I forgot to post them this morning. These things are on
every branch. Any idea what it could be?


http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5007Medium.jpg

http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5010Medium.jpg

I have read/been told "Prune in the winter for shape, and in the summer for
fruit" which I take to mean do most of the major work over winter.

However the rules are there to tell you the best time to do it; if necessary
you can prune apples at any time of the year.

I would be tempted to cut back the high whippy bits now, to encourage the
tree to put more effort into the lower branches.

You lose the potential fruit high up, but the fruit lower down has a better
chance.

I have just performed major surgery on a Bramley, knowing that I should have
done it over winter and that I am a bad person for doing it now.

However it needed doing, although I did apologise to the tree afterwards.

Cheers

Dave R

"BC" wrote in message ...
"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
snip
Also, I've upload some other photos regarding the
bark "sores" as I forgot to post them this morning. These things are on
every branch. Any idea what it could be?


http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5007Medium.jpg

http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5010Medium.jpg

They don't look good - damage around 50% of the branch in some cases.

Is the main damage low down on the tree?

Looks almost like major rope burns.

If the damage is only down near the bottom then it could just be major
physical damage due to abuse.
If the damage is also high up then it is more likely to be disease, although
I couldn't say what type.

Apple trees are pretty hardy - I climb in ours to pick and prune, and the
cats use them as scratching posts without causing this kind of damage.

Beyond my limited experience; if it was just a few branches then they could
be cut out below the damage, but all major branches seem to be affected.

The main thing is the tree seems to be still growing.

If the apples are good, then soldier on.

If the apples also show signs of disease, then it may be best to rip the
poor thing out.

HTH

Dave R

Brent,
generally you want to do your formative - shaping pruning in the winter
as you have read. It is too late for that now. Looking at your
pictures there is no hurry as they are in reasonable condition - appart
from the distortion on the bark. You may want to undertake some summer
pruning to encorage fruiting come August.
To me it looks like canker that has been treated. Someone has used a
knife to cut away the diseased tissue and this is the callus that has
formed as its healed.
Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire

In article .com,
"Sacha" writes:
| BC wrote:
|
| Also, I've upload some other photos regarding the
| bark "sores" as I forgot to post them this morning. These things are on
| every branch. Any idea what it could be?
|
| http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5007Medium.jpg
| http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5010Medium.jpg
|
| It looks rather as if the tree has been 'barked' at some time, i.e.
| branches have been cut or torn off carelessly, taking some of the bark
| with them. Or rabbits have nibbled at it when it was a much smaller
| plant. The other thing could be canker but I don't *think* so.
| http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...ple_canker.asp
| If it's been barked, there's nothing you can do but trees can go on for
| a very long time with that comparatively small degree of damage.

The second picture shows a problem on the twig behind, which indicates
a disease or physiological problem. But, as other people have said,
if the apples are OK don't worry. I finally removed an old apple a
year or two back that had been in a comparable state for 20+ years,
and cropped well. It finally started breaking apart because the fungi
had destroyed the structural integrity of the branches and trunk!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I pruned my apple tree in December and quite heavily overpruned it - as a result the remaining trunks are growing away quite a lot, though there is not much sideways branch growth (or side branches!). I have heard that to stop this kind of growth you need to prune in August. I would like if possible to get it back to some kind of apple-tree like shape ...