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Pruning my young apple and pear trees - advice for a newcomer please
January Man
Posts: 212
in Fruit & veg
Hi all
We planted some young apple and pear trees last year and we are fruit tree first timers. We are therefore unsure as to when and how to prune them, or even whether they need pruning at all... So it's over to the experts on the forum for some advice please. I've taken a photo of each one, but please let me know if you need any more photos or information.
Obelisk Pear Tree (excuse the ladder)
Rosemary Russet Apple Tree
Packham's Triumph Pear Tree (excuse the dog)
Discovery Apple Tree
Any advice would be hugely appreciated.
Many thanks
Max
0
Posts
Some useful info from the RHS - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=164
first off the posts are too big and at the wrong angle, the need putting in a 45 degrees and the trees tied to the no higher than 8 inches above the ground, this will cause better root growth and better crops later on. in a sheltered garden a thick bamboo cane will be fine. you're basically holding the tree up for a couple of years till it establishes so unless they are on really dwarfing rootstock the posts can be totally removed 4 years after planting.
pruning, reduce all growth it put on last year to four buds, there should be an obvious joint where last years growth started. You also want to remove anything with damage or anything crossing or touching other branches. prune again in mid summer (august is best) this time you remove the same - reduce growth from this year to 4 leaves. this encourages fruiting next year.
it will look brutal but it will be better in the long run
as the saying goes, prune for wood in winter and fruit in summer
Last edited: 07 February 2017 10:43:36
Sorry - forgot to come back to say thanks for the replies...
@treehugger80 - we did a fair bit of research/reading last year before planting and staking and through that reached the decisions to do them this way. My memory isn't great so I cannot exactly remember the rationale behind the decisions. What I can tell you though is the rootstocks:
- Pear Obelisk = Quince A
- Apple Rosemary Russet = M26
- Pear Packham's Triumph = Quince A
- Apple Discovery = M26
Does that change your thoughts at all on how we staked them?
Many thanks
Try the Ashridge nurseries youtube channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfZ2pMf8mIKhkzhQBpfyVrA
They have what look to be pretty good short videos of pruning young fruit trees - we used them the last two years on our new trees and they seem to be doing ok
I've been following this post and watched the Ashridge videos which were most helpful.
I've now pruned my two apples trees as they said, but do I need to do anything else now?
Feed or mulch??
Many thanks!
Hi again
Upon further reading I see that for apple and pear trees some people recommend open vase/goblet forms while others (especially in America) recommend central leader.
What do people around here think is best and why?
Cheers
I've been reading some more about this and seeking further advice. I've been told that because my trees were bought as "bush" and are now three years old, re-training as central leader would be a bad idea. Would folks here agree?
Also, so that I can get it straight in my head for the future, regarding tree forms:
1. Do "bush", "open vase", and "goblet" all refer to the same form?
2. Likewise, does "central leader" and "spindle bush" refer to the same form?
3. Does rootstock determine what forms are best for a tree? So even as a one year maiden, would something on an M26 still suit bush better than central leader on account of that rootstock?
Any advice would be most appreciated.
Cheers
With a M26 rootstock you are looking at a tree that will eventually grow to about 9 ft.
You want a reasonably open centre to allow light into the tree centre. An open vase shape will have very little branches in the centre of the tree. Spindle refers to a specific tree shape and i think more dwarfing rootstock than M26.
You'd keep a central leader if you wanted to train it along wires (espalier for example.
I used a bush shape for my Sunset and Discovery trees but used one rootstock up from yours (MM106)
After 10 years they have grown to about 12feet.
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/211035932517430582/
I think you only need to put your stake at an angle if the there is growing on a slope. Take care that the young trees don't scrape against the stake in the wind and get damaged. If you can get them, ties that create a space between tree and stake are good.
Last edited: 13 March 2017 18:28:02
Thanks for the comments and advice. I've asked on some other forums, and been reading and watching videos. There's plenty to think about! It's quite a tricky topic for a newcomer as people seem to approach it in such vastly different ways, both in terms of the finer details and the major ones such as whether to even prune or not!
Last edited: 16 March 2017 00:51:49
well if you do no other pruning
cut out crossing branches
allow light into the centre of the tree
cut out damaged branches completely.