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Re-training young apple tree

FinchesgirlFinchesgirl Posts: 30
in Fruit & veg
I am doing the rhs level 2 and in the fruit module. My friend asked me about her fruit tree but I have absolutely no idea. Wondered if anyone could help?
Tree in the pictures below was given to her by son, 1 year ago. They wanted a fan shape but it is not against a wall and is attached to a poor frame and leaning back. It is in a place with full sun currently and seems to be liking that place. They don't have a suitable place in their garden, where they could train it properly. We wondered if it could be retrained from the initial fan shape into a bush tree. I don't know the rootstock and she said it was a James var, presumably James grieve. They did get dessert apples last year from it.
It's got two main branches from the  base and the right side has been cut back, poss the leader, initially, some way up.
What are their options? Or should they stake it properly and prune next winter down to the four stems and hopefully get some side growth? Thanks so much.

Posts

  • EmptyheadtimeEmptyheadtime Posts: 366
    edited April 2023
    I cannot offer too much advice but would say that in its current form it should be grown agains a wall/fence so it has support as the branches look ‘spindly’ and wouldn’t support the weight of fruit unless tied in. If it’s going to be growing where it is I would be looking to train it into a bush tree (and cutting it back to something around the frame that’s there) so it grows stockier and has its own support, if that makes sense.
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Great advice from @pansyface.   :)  What you will end up with is a genuinely bush-shaped apple tree - not the usual single-stemmed form, but one which is happy and produces fruit.  It seems a shame to cut off branches which are geared up to apple production, but those stems aren't thick enough to support fruit right to their tips.  It's important to prune it every winter especially while it's young so that the branches thicken up.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    edited April 2023
    The only thing I might do differently is the staking.  Short stakes tend to be recommended these days - the movement of the upper part of the tree contributes to the thickening of the stems - and putting it in at an angle means you can avoid the tree roots.  Up to you, of course.

    Edited to include a picture:
    https://www.ornamental-trees.co.uk/tree-stake-tree-tie-p702

    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • FinchesgirlFinchesgirl Posts: 30
    Thanks for your advice, I will leave it in the same position, stake it, prune it back and feed and water it. Hopefully next year it will thicken up a bit to support the fruit. Much appreciated.
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