How to prune an apple tree

1. Winter pruning

Winter is the dormant period for apple trees. After flowering and fruiting, it has consumed a lot of nutrients, so pruning is particularly important at this time. For trees with larger crowns, timely thinning is required to ensure internal ventilation and light transmission. Young trees should be pruned slowly to promote the formation of flower buds. Older trees need to be pruned to promote branching. Branches with more flower buds should be removed to ensure the supply of nutrients.

2. Bud Pruning

Since the buds in the middle and back of apple tree branches are not easy to germinate, it is necessary to promote branching by bud pruning. Make a mark 0.5 cm in front of the sprout, with a depth of about one quarter. At the same time, the buds on the competing branches and the buds on the back of the auxiliary branches should be removed to prevent them from consuming nutrients.

3. Re-cut

Repeat pruning is a supplement to winter pruning and is usually carried out after germination. For trees that have slow growth and have not been winter pruned, repeated pruning is required at this time. For trees with vigorous growth, only the main branches should be pruned in winter, and the others should be left for repeated pruning.

4. Thinning buds

The purpose of thinning the buds is to ensure that the fruits have more nutrients and are fuller. Before flowering, that is, in mid-to-late April. Only keep the central flower and one side flower, remove all the others, but keep the cluster leaves.