pruning young apple tree

10 years ago

We have a young (approx. 5yr.old) apple tree that we started from seed. My 4 yr. old son had found a seed in his apple that had already started to sprout - so we planted it. It is now about 7 feet tall in a 3 gal. plastic pot. and I'm wondering how I should, if at all, try to prune it. Has about 6-8 side branches about 16 inches long. Should I be pruning the main leader or any of the tips of the lateral branches to encourage proper structure.

I know that it may never produce any fruit but we thought we would give it a chance. I'd eaten many apples as a kid and never found one that already had a seed trying to sprout! Any advice would be very helpful.

thanks,

Harry

Featured Answer

spartanapples

10 years ago

Harry:

My first concern would be to get it in the ground in a permanent place or if keeping it in a pot, you would have to go to a much larger pot soon. I am worried that if kept too long in that #3 container it will become so root bound that the tree will stunt out. Deal with the roots first then work on the shoots.

As Calistoga suggested, you need to decide what form you want the tree to grow to. Growing with a central leader on a standard apple may give you an awfully tall tree that is very hard to prune,pick,spray. Years ago many growers of standard apples would vase prune (also called center prune) where they would pick out 3-4 lower lateral branches and then cut the main leader off at 4' in height. This would help to reduce the tree height when full grown. These days vase pruning is commonly done on peaches but not so much on apples because of all the dwarfing rootstocks available.

I have apples on dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstocks. Some are pruned central leader and some are vase pruned. In your case it depends on how tall you want your apple tree to grow to.

Since standard apples are slow to bear and get so big, I would also take a tip from the modern method of tall spindle growing and tie down or put weights on any lateral branches that start growing too upright so that they are totally horizontal. I have done this on a few apple trees I grafted on a crabapple rootstock. It works! Laterals that I tied down to be totally horizontal by using a soft string and tying to a stake in the ground had fruit buds the following year. My goal on these was to get them into fruit bearing mode as soon as possible. Producing fruit will slow the growth rate down so the trees do not get so large.

Glad to hear your son is interested in fruits! He is now a modern day Johnny Appleseed. Who knows? It could turn out to be a really good fruit. I know of a family whose grandfather did some hand pollinating on apples and saved the seed. He came up with a large very juicy apple variety that they have since grafted to replicate. It is now their "family variety" since both grandpa and dad have passed away. A true family heirloom. They named their apple 'Chin Dripper'.

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Comments (8)

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
10 years ago
You should be thinking about the form you wish the tree to grow. If the usual open vase of large apple trees, you should be picking the laterals by now. Suggest you look on U TUBE for many videos on this subject.
spartanapples
10 years ago
7' tall,5 year old tree in a #3 container? I would think it is time to plant in the ground or move it to a much larger container. A #3 pot is not very big and it would be difficult to keep it wet especially in hot weather. Make sure the roots are not all circling the pot when you re-plant it.

since grown from seed it will produce a standard size apple tree. I would suggest vase pruning to keep the height down to a manageable level. Some standard apple trees can grow to 25-30' tall on vigorous varieties.
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harry757
Original Author
10 years ago
I am planning on a much bigger pot, or in the ground - once I find a good spot. Are you suggesting that I trim the main leader and the tips of all the laterals?

Harry
harry757
Original Author
10 years ago
Great story and an equally fantastic name for a good juicy apple!

Re the roots.........if they are indeed circling the inside of the pot, how should those be treated when transplanting?

Harry
spartanapples
10 years ago
Harry:

This advice goes for anything grown in a container, not just apples. When transplanting nursery stock that was container grown, always check the roots. If the rootball is very tight with circling roots following the shape of the pot, then use a knife and cut vertically down the rootball in several places. Then pry some of the roots apart with your fingers to spread them out so they do not remain in the same shape that the pot created.

If the rootball has just some circling roots but not too tightly bound, then skip cutting the rootball with a knife and just separate the edges of the rootball with your fingers. It all depends on how many and how tight any circling roots are.

I learned my lesson the hard way many years ago when I planted a plum tree that was container grown. After 2 years, it died due to mouse/vole damage one winter (trunk girdled). When I dug the plum out, I was surprised to find the roots had never left the original rootball and just kept circling around it with new growth. In this case I was ignorant of the problem and had just planted it after pulling off the plastic pot. I will not repeat that mistake.
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
10 years ago
Excellent advise from spartanapples, I would only add if you have a solid rootmass on the bottom of the container, simply cut it off, your roots will grow out horizontally mostly anyway. Al
harry757
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for he advice. when I do re-plant it I will let you know how the roots looked and how well it has responded.

The buds on that tree are just starting to show a bit of swelling - is it ok to transplant it at this time of year?