PART 2: PRUNING APPLE TREES

This job can drive you crazy with indecision, not being sure you’ll be pruning the right branches. So just follow some basic principles and don’t worry about it, because you HAVE to prune. In addition, the deer won’t care what you do.

Plants form new tissue in areas near the tips of roots and shoots. This ensures that leaves quickly grow into sunlight, and that roots penetrate deeper into the soil. Once adequate height and length is achieved by the stems and roots, they begin to thicken to support the plant. Careful pruning balances shoot growth and fruit