1/22/18
SoS Food & Agriculture
Kathryn Allen
Apple Pruning
The pruning of apple trees is necessary not only for aesthetic purpose, but more importantly to maintain the productivity of the plant. Apple trees produce in cycles and often take “breaks” in productivity after exerting excessive amounts of energy in fruit production for the year before. Similarly, tree that yields an abnormally large amount will produce fruit that is of lower quality due to the amount of energy expended by the tree. In this way, pruning lowers the yield of a tree but increases the quality and frequency at which it produces. Because of this, it is important to preserve the tree’s energy in order to maintain a high fruit yield for each growing season.
When deciding whether or not to remove a certain branch, it is important to remember to remove no more than 30% of the tree’s entire mass in one year of pruning. The most important things to look out for are “watersprouts” and “suckers.” These branches make up for little of the tree’s actual mass however, they do waste the tree’s energy for agricultural purposes as they often do not produce any fruit. Watersprouts are branches that grow vertically from older branches or the trunk of the tree. Because of their position and the length of time it takes to develop, it is best to remove as many as possible. Suckers are similar, but instead of growing from the trunk or branches, they grow from the roots of the tree and appear from the ground next to the trunk.
It is also important to get rid of branches that cross over each other or that appear to weak to hold fruit. Keeping in mind an “open bowl shape”, reducing the amount of clutter on a tree maximizes the ability of the sun to make its way through the tree and allows for more air flow.
When making cuts, one should always make sure that there is no allowance for water to pool and create rot. To avoid this, cut the branch at a 45 degree angle to encourage water to slide off rather than sit. This is most important when pruning vertical branches.