How to Prune Apple Trees in Spring

To improve the fruit yield and the shape of apple trees, you must prune them every spring. Not only will regular pruning improve the yield and shape of apple trees, but it will also cause the trees to produce more apples earlier in the trees' lives, help the trees to survive longer and improve the overall health of the trees. A properly pruned apple tree will have sufficient open area in its canopy to allow sunlight to reach the inner leaves, ripen the fruit and permit air circulation, which helps prevent leaf and fruit rot. Open areas in the canopy also allow pesticides to reach the fruit. While it is not difficult to clip branches, it is important to know which branches to trim and how to cut them.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning shears
• Garden gloves

Instructions

1. Plan to prune apple trees after buds start to grow. Decide which top branch should be the main one. Clip off all the other shoots that are vying for the top position and are attached at a point 4 inches below the top of the main branch. Cut the tip off the main branch ("terminal cut") to promote bud growth.

2. Ensure that four main branches grow out at north, south, east and west angles about 5 inches below the terminal cut. If any more branch out and compete with these four main branches, simply remove them with the pruning shears. If the four branches are not growing out at 60 or 70 degrees, then add a clothespin to the ends of the branches to help pull them down. Branches with less than 60 degrees have a weaker connection to the main branch and may break under the weight of fruit.

3. Cut back by one-fourth of their length any lateral branches (those that stick straight out to the side) that have no small twigs growing off them. This pruning will stimulate the branch to grow buds that will grow off this lateral branch.

4. Remove any branches that are hanging below horizontal. When laden with fruit, these will be pulled down and will weaken. Likewise, remove any branches that are growing straight up, because without the proper angle, they will be weak, unable to support fruit and simply grow leaves that will shade surrounding fruit from the sun.

5. Strive for a pyramid tree shape, with branches angling upward, shorter branches at the top and longer branches at the bottom.

Tips & Warnings

• For mature trees that have not been trained and do not have a main central top branch, and whose lateral and upright branches are more than 5 inches in diameter, pruning must be delayed until the tree is totally dormant (late winter).

• Apple trees produce their blossoms and fruit on "old wood," so cutting back new growth puts more energy back into the blossoms and fruit.

• Cut branches off flush with the limb they grew from, and don't leave a stub.

• Do not remove more than 30 percent of the top of an apple tree, lest it develop more leaves than fruit.