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Post by nhmountains on Feb 13, 2017 5:16:44 GMT -6
I saw this on one tree. Maybe hard to see from the pic but it's just above the bottom 2 branches. Looks like some sort of injury. Any idea what would have happened. It looks like an old branch broke off and it's healed. Like Stu said I'd cut out those two other branches. When your branches start growing above the 5' level you'll want to pull down the limbs early on to grow better crotch angles. They'll support more fruit load and weight from snow and ice. And they'll be more likely to produce fruit spurs if more horizontal than upright.
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Post by Tooln on Feb 14, 2017 11:43:42 GMT -6
Thanks for the advise guys. I'm an apple virgin. Hoping to turn slut.
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Post by smsmith on Feb 14, 2017 11:46:44 GMT -6
Be careful, or before you know it you'll have 75 fruit trees and start thinking about clearing spots in the woods to plant more.
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Post by daydreamer on Feb 14, 2017 12:24:27 GMT -6
Thanks for the pics Tooln and the suggestions Stu and NH. I have a bunch of pruning this weekend and this validated my approach.
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Post by biglakebass on Feb 14, 2017 12:29:20 GMT -6
The apple tree pruning, I truly go cross eyed when I look at my trees. I have tried to follow advice then I go look at my trees and start questioning.... Well cut this one? Dang, it looks nice, maybe not. How about this one? Hmmmm.
I am afraid I will cut the true good ones and end up with a Charlie Brown apple tree...
LOLLL
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Post by Tooln on Feb 14, 2017 12:42:30 GMT -6
The apple tree pruning, I truly go cross eyed when I look at my trees. I have tried to follow advice then I go look at my trees and start questioning.... Well cut this one? Dang, it looks nice, maybe not. How about this one? Hmmmm. I am afraid I will cut the true good ones and end up with a Charlie Brown apple tree... LOLLL I know what you mean. But that's why I also leave the wife at home when I do it. She'd shit seeing all those nice branch's getting cut off.
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Post by smsmith on Feb 14, 2017 12:49:03 GMT -6
If a guy has some wild trees to learn on, that can be helpful.
Worst comes to worst...you can always cut a "Charlie Brown" tree down to a 4-5' stump and graft it over, then train it the way you want it from the get go.
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Post by buckvelvet on Feb 14, 2017 12:52:36 GMT -6
Be careful, or before you know it you'll have 75 fruit trees and start thinking about clearing spots in the woods to plant more. HAHAHA..... That'd be funny but he just described me.
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Post by nhmountains on Feb 24, 2017 9:27:18 GMT -6
I plan on pruning this one soon if I can drag my apple ladder back in 3/4 of a mile. When I make the cut should it be straight 90 degrees or at an angle? I'm not certain where I'll cut off the curved part of the trunk. I think it will be one of these places.
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Post by smsmith on Feb 24, 2017 12:19:06 GMT -6
I'd try to make an angled cut to help with shedding rain
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Post by nhmountains on Feb 24, 2017 12:46:40 GMT -6
I'd try to make an angled cut to help with shedding rain So on either of those two cuts would you start your cut at the top and angle it to the right or left?
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Post by smsmith on Feb 24, 2017 13:11:43 GMT -6
Well, if it was my tree I'd make the left cut you have marked...since I'm right handed I'd probably try to angle the cut from the right to the left. You'd probably want to make a slice with a handsaw on the bottom first to keep it from peeling the bark back
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Post by nhmountains on Feb 24, 2017 13:38:59 GMT -6
Here's a leaner. A water spout formed and I've let it grow straight up. I'm thinking about cutting off the main trunk but, I'm not sure where? I was thinking about where I marked it and then maybe bark grafting another type on to get better form on that part of the trunk. Or if I cut it off near the water spout would that cause too big a wound?
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Post by smsmith on Feb 24, 2017 13:41:47 GMT -6
^^^that's a tough one, not sure what I'd do with it
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Post by nhmountains on Feb 24, 2017 13:59:52 GMT -6
^^^that's a tough one, not sure what I'd do with it I will try to take more photos from a different angle. I believe this is the old tree that had a grapefruit sized apple at the top when we found it a few years ago and it was buried in birch and firs. I'd like to see what it produces before going too drastic.
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