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How do I stop my apple tree from doing this?

Michael RogersonMichael Rogerson Posts: 27
in Fruit & veg

Pruned it in March, cut it right back and its grown 1000's of small branches. Does it every time I trim it. How do I stop it happening please?

Posts

  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    The sentence above which says "winter pruning stimulates growth but summer pruning checks it" is so important.  If you hard prune in winter/early spring, you will indeed get loads of shoots produced as a result.
    When I was learning how to prune fruit trees I'd go around with secateurs in one hand and Harry Baker's book in the other...   ;)
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • Michael RogersonMichael Rogerson Posts: 27
    Thanks. I might just have to chop the thing down then, it cuts out all the evening sun from our west facing garden  :(
  • MrsGardenMrsGarden Posts: 3,951
    When is the latest you can summer prune an apple tree please?
  • Michael RogersonMichael Rogerson Posts: 27
    So I take it I should chop the offshoots off now then? It's a mess, and there's only 3 apples on it anyway. :(  
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