How to Prune Established Apple Trees

Guidance and advice on pruning established apple trees

[@thegeordiefellwalker8878]

a prime example of proper horticultural skills coming into play.great video for anyone wanting to learn.

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

thegeordiefellwalker Thanks man. Hope you are well

[@jackw9920]

Nice job you have done there. I enjoy the fruit tree pruning season. Especially on a nice sunny day.

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

Paul Whitehorn I agree Paul. I always look forward to it. Thanks for taking the time to comment

[@tonyrand580]

Wow, learnt so much in fifteen minutes. Thanks very much.

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

Tony Rand Good, I'm glad! Thank you for taking the time to comment Tony

[@micknmix]

Your videos are great. Thanks for all the useful info :-)

[@brettshorticulture2698]

A fantastic video and tutorial mate 👍 Very interesting to watch. I've been pruning a few established apple trees myself this month. I enjoy this type of work. Superb methods mate 👍 Look forward to watching part 2.

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

Brett's Horticulture Cheers Brett. hope you are well

[@brettshorticulture2698]

A horticultural masterpiece mate 👍😃 Yes, all good thank you Simon and work is really busy to which is excellent for this time of year. Hope you're keeping well and busy to mate. Look forward to the next video.

[@thelondongardenerlawncare7946]

Great video mate proper gardener. Breath of fresh air.

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

Thelondongardener Lawn care Thank you Sir

[@craighammond255]

thanks have learnt loads thanks

[@davidhamilton8068]

Great educational vid again nice one😁

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

David Hamilton cheers David

[@gardenmaintenanceuk7636]

looks like you have the best of the weather there.we have snow on the ground.very educational video.very best wishes.

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

caroline camp Thanks Caroline. not of drop of snow down here for the last 5 winters...we could do with it!

[@wayneessar7489]

Your skirt lifting is called crown raising on this side of the pond. I liked your advice to see how the tree has responded to cuts in the past and be guided then by how vigorous it is. Wise words! Do you ever shorten extension growth in summer?

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

Wayne Essar Hi Wayne. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Yes I have heard it called that before to. In theory yes I shorten growth in the summer...especially if I have done a harder prune in the winter...reality is that in the height of the summer sometimes other things take priority and I forget!

[@GaryChapmanUKGardening]

Hi Mate, Superb video, great info and good skills. nice to see your videos improving over the years also, will be putting up some pruning videos soon myself when i get 5.. keep them coming bud

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

Cheers Gary

[@MrGardener18]

nice job mate looks much better it can be very tempting to just carry on cutting but it definitely better to do it in stages over a few years rather than just goo mad.

[@barrykerr2346]

Hey mate the proper name is crown lifting. Great video keep up the good work.

[@gin9991]

Nice job , me personally I would have probably reduced the height a bit where it would be difficult to reach to pick the Fruit ,and to let the light into the middle more,but as you say you have probably cut enough off for this year,so that can wait till next year.

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

I totally hear what you are saying. I think it depends what you want from your tree....if you are big time into picking and using all the fruit then it would be worth keeping the tree lower by reducing the height. What I find in reality a lot of the time is that most of the fruit just drops and rots on the ground, or becomes something else in the garden to clear up....and in this particular garden that is exactly what happens....so often I would rather let the tree grow to the height and shape that it wants and enjoy it for that. You make a very good point and thank you for taking the time to comment

[@gin9991]

West Country Garden Pro Thanks, I suppose that’s the difference between punning commercially where you are thinking more about the fruit and pruning in a garden where you are thinking more about the appearance. I have done both,though considerably more of the commercial type pruning! and it’s hard to get out of that way of thinking.

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

gin9991 you are quite right. Different techniques for different desired outcomes. I have never done it commercially so could learn a lot from you no doubt

[@simonparkinson354]

Hi, been watching your videos which are very educational. Just a quick question on this one. When you cut fruit trees, do you ever use heal and seal to protect them? Many thanks, Simon.

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

From one Simon to another. Personally in my 12 years of gardening I have never used those products and have no intention of doing so. The cynical and sceptical side of me feels they are just a bit of clever marketing with not a lot of actual benefits! That, however, is just an opinion. Most trees/shrubs respond fine to pruning with a good clean cut. Sure rot can get in in time (and some like birch or cherry are more susceptible than others), but generally just time the pruning right and you will be fine. Thanks for taking the time to comment Simon and I am glad you are liking the videos. All the best sir.

[@simonparkinson354]

West Country Garden Pro Thanks for your comments and taking the time to reply, and the sound advice. Yes, my cuts are always clean and then nature can take care of itself! Keep up the brilliant work you are doing. It helps everyone else come up to... near yours level of skill. Cheers.

[@kaimole91]

Hi. Always enjoy the videos mate. Wondering what you do with your waste? Would you consider getting a small chipper for jobs like this? If so do you (or anyone else) have any recommendations?

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

Hey man. This waste stayed on site and was burnt...I couldn't have done this one taking waste away as no access. Sometime I hire in a chipper if job/multiple jobs require it but a lot of the time I load into dumpy bags and take away

[@kaimole91]

West Country Garden Pro cool. I've just bought a small chipper (6hp) this week. Hoping it's going to help ease the waste situation, and take on bigger hedge/tree work. All the best dude!

[@jenRWfan]

Wondering what root stock these would be. Any ideas ?

[@westcountrygardenpro7535]

Sorry Jen...no idea