How to Prune Single-Stem Apple Trees
Apple trees are often sold and planted while still young and lacking any branches. These "one stick" saplings are called whips and need a tip-cutting in early spring before any buds open. The tip cutting forces initial branching on the whip and allows the gardener to select a new leader and lateral branching structure that will form the mature apple tree in the years to come. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Prune the head, or tip of the sapling's stem, with a pruners at 30 to 36 inches above the ground in early spring. Or, make the cut slightly higher as desired, since this cut will determine where the first whorl of branches will be on the mature apple tree.
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Make the pruning cut with a crisp, one-motion action at a gentle angle on the stem. Do no further pruning on the apple tree sapling.
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Allow leafy growth shoots to elongate to 4 to 6 inches all along the sapling in mid-spring.
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4
Remove all new growth shoots except for those 10 to 14 inches from the tip of the sapling. Use the pruners to cut off the growth as close to their point of attachment to the central stem, leaving bubs no longer than 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Take care so no bark is torn on the main stem trunk as the new growth is cut and removed.
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5
Select one new growth stem from the very tip of the sapling that is already growing nearly upright and looks like a natural extension of the main stem. Retain this growth stem, as it will become the new leader trunk for the young apple tree.
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Choose 2 to 3 other new growth sprouts from the top of the sapling to become the main branch structure, or laterals, of the tree. These laterals should be located 5 to 8 inches below the upright leader retained in Step 5. Do not select sprouts that are growing downward or with a crotch-joint angle less than 60 degrees.
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Prune away all sprouts that are not the new leader or laterals chosen in Steps 5 and 6.
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Permit the new leader and lateral stems to grow for the summer and autumn. Prune away any suckering shoots from the base of the apple sapling's trunk or any that arise on the lower 30 to 36 inches of the trunk at any time. Keep the lower trunk of the developing apple tree free from foliage and stems.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid cutting the main stem of the sapling too low, as this will create an apple tree with an extremely low first whorl of branches. This can be troublesome for access to the tree or applying mulch or mowing around the tree's base later.
Make sure your pruner blades are sharp. Prevent gnawing or bark-tearing cuts by the pruners on the thin and delicate fruit tree sapling.
