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Really old cooking apple tree advice?
Innewhambo
Posts: 35
in Talkback
I need some advice about pruning my very old cooking apple tree. It's about 35ft high and very unloved and I want to sort her out. The main trunk is covered in ivy which I've now cut at the bottom, there is also an old clematis growing though it. I'll post some photos, but I can't get the scale on my iPad camera. Any help appreciated as I really love the tree, but just haven't had time until now...
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Better pic
I think it looks wonderful as it is - I'd be happy just to leave it as a home for wildlife - it must be teeming with birds and insects
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yup, do as little as is needed to renovate it and keep it healthy.
Get up into it with a ladder. First of all, take out any interior branches that are rubbing against each other. This should open up the centre of the tree and allow more air through, which is good. Do this in winter after the leaves have fallen. If a lot of branches need removing, as mentioned above, split it over a few winters.
Next winter, if you want to slim it down a bit, you will need to trim the spurs back. Remove the ones from the underside of the branches first. As these would receive less light they will produce weaker fruit anyway.