How to Prune Apples Trees in the UK

Pruning apple trees can be very damaging if not done properly, discouraging healthy growth and fruit production or even causing the tree to wither and die. However, letting them grow wildly, without any pruning, can lead to crowded branches that can impact the health and production of the tree as well. The proper method and timing of pruning an apple tree depends upon the climate in which it is grown and its variety. Below are tips on how to prune established apple trees in the UK.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning saw
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Determine whether your apple tree is a spur bearing type or a tip bearing variety, as pruning procedures vary between the two. If your apple tree produces fruit only at the very end of its branches it is a tip bearing variety, while apples that are evenly spaced along the length of the branches indicate a spur variety.

2. Prune your apple tree when it is dormant, after the leaves have fallen for the season. The goal is to maximize fruit production by allowing light and air to reach the center of the tree.

3. Use a pruning saw for cutting large branches and pruning shears for the small ones. Start your pruning with the removal of and branches that are dead, diseased, or damaged.

4. Prune healthy branches next, beginning with the large ones. Generally, having only five or six main branches on the tree avoids congestion that can inhibit fruit production and crossing that can damage your tree. If there are several main branches that need removing, spreading that task over several seasons may be wise to avoid stressing your apple tree with excessively hard pruning.

5. Prune the shoots of your apple tree next to encourage abundant fruit production. When pruning shoots from a spur type tree, the goal is to encourage the growth of fruiting spurs at evenly spaced intervals. Lateral shoots along the branches should be shortened to the point that three or four buds are left, and spurs that are congested should be thinned until they are spaced widely enough for the development of large, healthy fruit. For tip bearing varieties, short lateral shoots should be left undisturbed, as they will develop into fruitful shoots in the future. Any long leading shoots that appear weak should be pruned to about 1/3 of their original length.

6. Clear away your pruning tools and warm those frozen fingers and toes. All that is left to do now is to wait patiently for the rewards of your hard work, a healthy and attractive apple tree and a generous crop of fruit.