How to Prune an Overgrown Fruit Tree | Neglected Apple Tree Pruning, by Lonely Pines Farm on YouTube. 8 min 39 s.
- Video length
- 8 min 39 s
- Time to do it
- 1 to 2 hours
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Prune in late winter while the tree is dormant, before the buds swell. Pick a dry day above freezing so the cuts heal cleanly and you can see the branch structure.
Start by removing dead, diseased and broken branches. Cut back to healthy wood, and wipe your blades with rubbing alcohol between cuts if you suspect disease.
Take out branches that rub or cross. Keep the strongest, best-placed shoot and remove the weaker one so the wound does not tear the bark.
Remove suckers from the base and water sprouts that grow straight up from the limbs. Cut them flush instead of leaving stubs.
Open up the middle of the tree so light and air reach the fruit. Aim for an open-centre shape with five to seven main limbs spaced around the trunk.
Cut long, drooping limbs back to a side branch that grows outward. Make each cut just outside the branch collar, the raised ring where the branch meets the trunk.
Remove no more than about a third of the live canopy in one year. An overgrown tree recovers better if you spread the work over two or three winters.
Step back every few cuts and look at the tree from all sides. Take out any remaining inward-growing or narrow-angled branches.
Rake up the cuttings and clear them from around the tree. Clean your blades and sharpen them before you put the tools away.
Tips and common mistakes
Do not paint or seal the cuts. Apple trees seal themselves better when the wound is left open to the air.
Never leave a stub. A cut made too far from the branch collar invites rot and dieback.
Wear eye protection and gloves, and keep both hands free when you move a ladder.
If the tree is very tall, hire a professional for the high cuts rather than reaching from a ladder.
Questions
When is the best time to prune an overgrown apple tree?
Late winter, while the tree is still dormant and before the buds open. Avoid pruning in freezing weather or when heavy rain is due.
Can I prune an apple tree in summer?
Light summer pruning to remove water sprouts is fine, but heavy cutting is best left for winter. Summer cuts can stress an already neglected tree.
How much can I cut off in one go?
Keep it to about a third of the live growth. Overgrown trees need two or three winters of steady work to come back into shape.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
