By Kay DiVerde
Who doesn't love to crunch into a nice, crisp apple? And the thought of being able to just pick a fresh apple in your backyard is heavenly! There are so many different varieties of apples, that you are sure to find one that will grow in your area. Let's discuss some important factors for growing apple trees and encouraging fruit production, and then we'll learn about how to prune your apple trees to encourage the best possible fruit production.
One important point to keep in mind about growing apples, is that they grow best in groups to promote pollination. If you have different varieties, make sure they will all bear pollen at the same time. Apple trees have the best fruit production between the ages of 10 and 30. Most apple trees live to about 35 years of age. When starting out with a young apple tree, you'll need to be patient until fruit production begins.
When your fruit tree is between 5 and 10 years be sure to:
If your apple tree is more than 10 years old, and meets the above-mentioned criteria and still is not bearing fruit, you may want to consider stressing your apple trees. This can be done by cutting back on nutrients and water for a short period of time. You can also stress the tree by taking a straight-edged spade and driving it into the ground in 6-8 places outside the drip-line of the tree. This will cut many of the feeder roots. This type of stressing usually results in blooming and bearing fruit the following year. Do this stressing technique after the frost is out of the ground in the spring. Be sure to keep all fertilizers away from the roots.
Another technique that is used to promote fruit production is to drive nails into trees. This can be injurious to the tree, so it is not highly recommended.
Before tackling your pruning project, give your apple trees a good once over. Check to make sure the trunk is not full of rot or large holes. Is most of the wood still alive? If it appears that over half of the branches are dead or splitting apart, the tree may not be worth saving.
If your apple tree is already established and bearing fruit, how is the quality of the fruit? Is it good for eating, cooking or making into cider? The trees may be a poor variety if the fruit is small, green, hard and/or sour.
If you decide the apple trees are worth pruning, take the time to clean the area around the trees. Clear out any weeds, brush or other non-fruit trees in the area. These plants will steal needed nutrients away from your apple trees.
The goal when pruning your apple trees is to let light into the tree from the top. This will allow more fruits to be produced and to ripen well. Prune apple trees when the tree is dormant. Prune to eliminate crossing branches and ones that grow right under other branches. Some people routinely cut off the top third of their apple tree branches to let the sunlight in. If you don’t want to take such drastic pruning measures, always ensure the center stays fairly open. Keep top branches short and the ones below them increasingly long. This allows the tips of all branches to receive light.
One important step in your maintenance pruning is to remove water sprouts as soon as they develop. These sprouts can come up from the branches and also from suckers at the base of the trunk. Water sprouts often develop when the tree is being pruned too much. Over time you will become familiar with your apple trees and know what the right amount of pruning is for growth and fruit production.
When pruning, make all your cuts back to a live branch or to the trunk. Make your cut just outside the branch collar, so you do not leave a stub. If the branch is long and/or thick, make several cuts before cutting just outside the branch collar. This helps avoid tearing due to the weight and stress on the branch. Remove any limbs that have woodpecker holes. Also cut off branches with weather damage and ones that show signs of disease.
Be sure to clean the blade of your saw after each cut, and especially before starting to prune a different tree. If your apple trees have been neglected, it’s hard to be sure where diseased wood is. Cleaning the blade will prevent the spread of disease to different branches and trees.
Caring for your apple trees may seem like a lot of work. Enjoying fresh apples from your yard to eat right off the branches or for cooking will be well worth your effort. Remember to be patient, give your trees the proper environment for growing and provide regular pruning to enhance fruit production. Not only will you enjoy the fruit, but apple trees add a lot of character and beauty to your landscape.
Kay DiVerde is a freelance writer, horticultural researcher and consultant for Orchard's Edge. DiVerde also writes for a variety of newsletters and publications in the Midwest.