How to prune an old apple tree
 

On 26/08/2014 21:35, Vir Campestris wrote:
We've had the one on pruning a young one. I've got one that's perhaps
25ft tall (which is making picking ... interesting... ) and also has a
nice woodpecker hole in the trunk.

Is there any chance of me getting it back to something sensible so I can
get fruit (which are BTW quite nice) or should I just give up and stew
windfalls?


https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=279

--

Jeff

How to prune an old apple tree
 

On 2014-08-27 12:50:51 +0000, Jeff Layman said:

On 26/08/2014 21:35, Vir Campestris wrote:
We've had the one on pruning a young one. I've got one that's perhaps
25ft tall (which is making picking ... interesting... ) and also has a
nice woodpecker hole in the trunk.

Is there any chance of me getting it back to something sensible so I can
get fruit (which are BTW quite nice) or should I just give up and stew
windfalls?


https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=279

Pruning an old apple tree is a risky business. I had a very old James
Grieve pruned by an expert who took out spindly weak growth and opened
up the middle a very little. But he cautioned against doing too much at
once and said that if one was to do anything, it's better to do a small
amount each year, rather than one mass attack.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

How to prune an old apple tree
 

On 27/08/2014 13:50, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 26/08/2014 21:35, Vir Campestris wrote:
We've had the one on pruning a young one. I've got one that's perhaps
25ft tall (which is making picking ... interesting... ) and also has a
nice woodpecker hole in the trunk.

Is there any chance of me getting it back to something sensible so I can
get fruit (which are BTW quite nice) or should I just give up and stew
windfalls?


https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=279

That's not clear to me. Water shoots - if I leave them will they
eventually bear fruit?

Andy