Apple Trees – Polishing The Perfect Apple Tree
by: Liz Roberts

Now that you’ve taken great care in planting your new apple tree, it's now time to care for it. Good maintenance is important for any tree, but especially for fruit trees. Keep your apple tree thriving and well fed. It will repay you with a harvest of beautiful blossoms and delicious fruit.

Proper training and pruning is essential for your apple tree. These ensure a strong tree framework. Future harvests need a sturdy arrangement of branches. Properly shaped trees will yield high quality fruits much sooner and will live significantly longer than unshaped ones. Regular pruning and training will also maximize light penetration to developing flower buds and fruit. Also a well shaped apple tree canopy permits adequate air movement through its’ branches. This promotes rapid drying after rain, snow or sleet to minimize pest problems.

Trees that have been planted in the early winter should be pruned just before buds start to grow in the spring. “Head’ or cut the trunk (the central leader) to 36 inches above the soil’s surface. This is done to encourage new lateral branching. When the new growth is 3 to 4 inches long, identify the most upward shoot. This will be the one chosen to be the continuation of the trunk. Now leave it and remove all other new shoots growing 3 to 4 inches immediately below. This will prevent any competition later on or a split trunk. Eliminating them also encourages lateral growth in the area 6 to 14 inches below the tree’s cut tip. Branches that form 6 to 14 inches before this tip are less vigorous, less upright and easier to train as productive scaffolding (supporting) limbs. When these branches reach 3 to 6 inches long, they should be spread to a wider crotch angle. Doing this will provide a stronger framework for later fruit production. You can use toothpicks, clothespins or even twigs to prop up the young branches out to a 50 to 60 degree angle. These angles are vital. They will slow vegetative growth, promote lateral branches, allow the tree to initiate blossoms and promote quicker fruit growth.

As your tree ages , its’ branches should grow 24 to 36 inches above the soil. This allows you to work under the tree, making for easy watering and mulching. During the apple tree’s first year, 3 to 4 branches, collectively called a “scaffold whorl” are selected. These branches will not be cut. Instead they will be uniformly spaced around the trunk – not directly across from each other, like compass points. They should also not be directly situated above or below other branches as well. Remember that all major lateral branching is referred to as scaffolding. These support the topmost part of the trunk. Above the first scaffold whorl should be an area of 18 to 24 inches known as a “light spot”. This space should be branchless to allow light to reach all lower leaves and fruit. This light spot is then followed by another scaffold whorl. Maintain alternative scaffold whorls and light spots up the leader to the desired maximum tree shape. Base your tree’s shape on a Christmas or fir tree’s conical one, except yours will have spacing between the branches. Your scaffolds should be trained to bear heavy harvests. Larger branches are spread out using short , wooden boards that are notched at each end. These cuts allow the branches to be comfortably supported. You can also weigh the limbs down with weighted strings. All upright growths from these scaffold branches should either be pulled down to a horizontal position or removed when they reach 3 to 4 inches long.

Pruning and fruit thinning are other important steps. You should prune your tree during the winter months when it’s growth cycle is dormant. This ensures growth and more branches come spring. To promote scaffold branch development , cut the central leader 20 to 28 inches above the highest usable scaffold whorl during this season. Dormant pruning should be done in either late winter or early spring after the risk of severe frost is over. Remember to remove any dead or diseased wood and leftover dried apples during this time as well. After your tree resumes its’ growth in the spring, continue to train the scaffold branches as you did during the previous growing season. Choose a new upright shoot to continue on with the trunk. Now remove all new shoots that are 4 inches below it. Also select branches to form another whorl. These again should consist of four to five branches. As you did during the tree’s first season, prop all lateral branches out to 50 to 60 degree angles.

Summer pruning is also necessary, although you don’t have to go crazy with it. Excessive cutting and thinning out will retard the tree’s growth. Just simply remove all undesirable branches that are directly across from each other on the central leader. These should be 3 to 4 inches in length. Also select lateral branches that are uniformly spaced around the leader to prevent any crowding as the limbs start to grow in diameter. Once the tree has filled its’ allotted space, its’ lateral branches will need to be cut back to their desired length. Doing this during the summer months. This type of pruning devigorates the tree along with preventing any further growth especially during the dormant season. (Note:If you’re still confused about this then consult your County extension Center or local nursery for more advice).

Fruit thinning, like pruning is also important in having a healthy apple tree. Apple trees tend to produce an overabundance of fruit. These heavy loads can break or bend limbs. Thin your out fruit.. This ensures good fruit size, returning blooms for next year, and also prevents tree breakage. Thinning involves pinching out four dime sized baby apples from bloom clusters (4 to 5 blossoms together) and leaving the last. Cut off enough fruit so that they have a good 4 to 6 inches across. It may look like you’re stripping the tree of it’s harvest but you’re actually doing it a favor. Fewer fruit mean higher quality apples along with reducing insect and disease problems. Thinning also increases the chances for a full crop next season.

What do to with that first glorious harvest? Eat them! They make wonderful desserts when they’re laden with caramel and nuts. (see sidebar recipe). You’ll be satisfied knowing you grew them and then turning them into heavenly treats!

4 apples (any kind)

4 pats butter

8 caramels, cut up.

Ground nuts - walnuts, pecans or peanuts will work

Wash and core apples. Prick skins all over to allow for steam to escape Place in a lightly greased microwave pan ( butter bottom only).. Put a pat of butter in each core, followed by caramel pieces and nuts. Microwave 2 minutes or until apples are soft (but not mushy). Serve with either more melted caramels or dessert topping. Enjoy!