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| Pruning established fruit trees |
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Trees that have been left unpruned can become congested often resulting in fewer flowers and the fruit crop if any is small and of poor quality.
To overcome this situation the aim is to create a good goblet shaped framework of formed around five or six main branches.
This shape allows light and air to reach most of the leaves and ultimately the fruit.
Renovating large trees;
Start when the tree is dormant i.e. after leaves have fallen.
Firstly remove dead, diseased, damaged and dying branches.
Check for and remove if necessary any branches that are crossing and possibly rubbing against each other.
If you find that several large branches require removing to obtain the desired shape, then spread the work over two or three winters.
To remove these all at once could weaken the tree, plus the fact, hard pruning will encourage even more vigorous growth in spring and this is something you want to avoid.
If the tree has become too large for its allotted space then reduce its height and spread by cutting back to a lower branch that is growing in the required direction.
This branch should be at least one-third of the diameter of the piece being removed.
Renovating congested trees;
Again, commence renovations when the tree/s become dormant.
Spur bearers and tip bearers require different pruning techniques to ensure there are plenty of fruiting shoots the following year.
Spur bearing trees;
Note; Most apples and pear cultivars are spur-bearers.
Where older trees have become overcrowded thin some of the spur system out to establish the desired framework.
Once the surplus wood has been removed this will encourage a supply of new fruit bearing shoots.
Further pruning will depend upon previous years growth.
Aim to cut back branch leader (the main shoots growing upwards and outwards) by about one third of previous year's growth to a bud facing the required direction.
This will encourage branching and new spurs to develop.
Cut back any young laterals (sideshoots) growing from the permanent branches to five or six buds.
Tip-bearers;
Treat the congested growth as described in 'spur bearers'
To further prune; remove the tips from the leaders of each main branch and the most vigorous laterals back to the first strong bud, this will encourage more tip bearing shoots the following year.
Leave laterals less than about 300mm (12") long unpruned.
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