Glad it was helpful! Here's a list of additional fruit tree videos. Scroll down to the section on trees: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Because these video are directed to the novice orchardist, we tend to be on the safe side and recommend keeping the fruit laterals short to prevent broken branches. But some apple varieties can have saggy branches that will hold the fruit weight. At some point, the fruit weight will break the branch and create a bit of a mess. With some fine tuning, you can maximize the total fruit production and probably have few broken branches. Another thing to watch for is the size and quality of the fruit. When a tree bares heavily, you usually have reduced size and quality. And if you allow all of the flowers to fruit, you can get a cycle where it fruits heavily one year and very little the next. This boom and bust is caused by the heavy fruit load taking all of the trees resources and leaving little for the next years buds that are in nascent form during the heavy fruiting. Starved of resources, the new buds won't produce fruit until the next season. Good luck with your tree(s)!
Excellent explanation for the reasons for the cuts based on the future goals and anticipated results. Very helpful to a person with little personal experience growing apples.
Question. Will the spot where the branches come out of the center stay mostly that low to the ground as the tree grows? Or will they move up as the tree grows?
It's hard to explain pruning and you boil the sap down to its essentials. Nice work. Also appreciate the extra effort to place the screen behind the tree for visual contrast.
Glad it was helpful! Here's another winter pruning video that you might enjoy: ua-cam.com/video/p_-f610rFEU/v-deo.html Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Friend, as of golden apple, Swat pakistan are the best. Sweet scent of the fruit stays in a room for a week if you keep one for day. And very tasty & juicy. But californian & Chilean & Afghan reds are wonderful too. Yeah, that red drop of juice that flows over it after a gentle shallow cut. Mouth watering🍎
Have an apple tree that was here when I moved in 7 years ago. I think it's a good 15 years old.Good producer considering I don't know much about caring for fruit trees! I THINK I've gotten better at pruning but now in late Feb. I have yet to make any cuts. Most important I think are a plethora of vertical shoots all around the top of the tree. The tree without them is 12-15 ft tall enough for us. Should I head them back to old wood and stop them or look for outward facing buds?
Cut the verticals back to their source, old wood (thinning cut). This will stop further growth. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Thanks for the kudos. We use a "green screen" type process and Final Cut Pro editing software to eliminate the background "noise" so that it's easy to see the tree.
Sure does! Fruit trees are the best. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
I had lots of trouble trying to get my golden russet to be fruitful due to its tip-bearing tendencies. When I finally let it go long and produce gangly hanging branches, it started to give me lots of blooms and fruit. I am now considering reshaping to an umbrella style with only upper branches that then bend over with hanging secondary branches. If anyone has a better idea, I am hear to listen. Ps, my tree is over 15 years old and very stout.
Won't hurt to reshape the tree and watch what happens. You may have a drop in fruit production until the tree "settles" into its new shape. A word of caution...probably best to make such a major change over a couple of seasons, doing part of the tree each year. Doing a lot of pruning in the winter can stimulate overgrowth and then you've got a lot of work to "throttle" back the growth of the tree.
@@ucscagroecology Agreed. I have resorted to a fair amount of summer-pruning on certain of my very aggressive trees in order to take a bit of energy out of them. Some of them appear to be on root-stocks that are not imparting as much dwarfing as I thought they would have. My golden russet did bear heavily this year and my average fruit size is a bit smaller of course but not tiny at all. This tree has a fairly massive trunk (pushing 10"-12").
my gala mema plants are 4 years old. Plants were doing well, but due to inappropriate pruning techniques the plant is not having any new growths, only a tall leader is there, and other branches are not growing well, how to revive the trees or prune them again, could you please tell me
Hi Hemant. If your trees are healthy but have lost their vigor, below is a link to a series of 3 videos on how to renew an apple tree. As you will see in the video, it requires severe pruning of the tree. Most of the time, the tree will respond with vigorous growth and you can re-establish the proper form of the tree. Sometimes, the tree may not respond and may die, but this happens maybe 1 out of 10 times. If you have several trees that are doing poorly, you may want to start the renewal process on just a few of them to see how it goes. The tree in the video has responded well and is now about 6-7 feet tall and thriving. Here's the link: ua-cam.com/video/ME7-JlR7qHA/v-deo.html&ab_channel=UCSantaCruzCenterforAgroecology
Yes. That's the best time, although you can train branches any time of the year. Along with spacers, you can also use small weights to pull branches downward or tie string to small stakes in the ground under the tree and pull the branches in the desired direction. Good luck with your trees.
I think my lonely apple tree in the backyard has been ignored for years & is fruitless. Sinful🙄 I am trying to work on it. Am doctor, not knowing much about agri. Your vids are handy. God bless!
If the tree has no fruit and lacks vigorous growth, you may wan to consider "renewing" the structure of the tree. Here's a series of 3 videos that should how to do it. ua-cam.com/video/ME7-JlR7qHA/v-deo.html
If you think that is a good tasting apple, I have a golden russet and it will never compare with a Karmijn de Sonnaville. Very late ripening, but we’ll worth it.
Below is a link to several more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Good question! If you are going to form the young tree into an "open center" form, then yes, you need to cut the central leader. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”. Look there and you'll find several videos on pruning trees to both the "open center" and "modified central leader" forms: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
My apple tree is 3 yrs old and half that size...maybe cuz I'm in central Canada? I dunno...pruning is so confusing...I made the mistake of cutting the central lead last year.. regret it...wonder if my tree is ruined? I'm lost..
All is not lost! When you prune an apple tree to an "open center form", you do cut the central leader. So you can shape your tree to an open center form. Here's a video that may help with the basic concepts. It has 2 parts: ua-cam.com/video/NQYGvEAElTc/v-deo.html Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
This really helps me, because it looks a lot like two of my young trees !
Glad it was helpful! Here's a list of additional fruit tree videos. Scroll down to the section on trees: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
excellent video for a newbie like me to learn how to start pruning an apple tree. Thank you.
Yer welcome! Glad it's helping you with your trees.
This guy is such a G
My golden russet has tons of "sagging" branches that do quite well. The wood is very tough and handles lots of fruit even far out from the trunk.
Because these video are directed to the novice orchardist, we tend to be on the safe side and recommend keeping the fruit laterals short to prevent broken branches. But some apple varieties can have saggy branches that will hold the fruit weight. At some point, the fruit weight will break the branch and create a bit of a mess. With some fine tuning, you can maximize the total fruit production and probably have few broken branches. Another thing to watch for is the size and quality of the fruit. When a tree bares heavily, you usually have reduced size and quality. And if you allow all of the flowers to fruit, you can get a cycle where it fruits heavily one year and very little the next. This boom and bust is caused by the heavy fruit load taking all of the trees resources and leaving little for the next years buds that are in nascent form during the heavy fruiting. Starved of resources, the new buds won't produce fruit until the next season. Good luck with your tree(s)!
Excellent explanation for the reasons for the cuts based on the future goals and anticipated results. Very helpful to a person with little personal experience growing apples.
Glad it was helpful!
Question. Will the spot where the branches come out of the center stay mostly that low to the ground as the tree grows? Or will they move up as the tree grows?
Because the tree is on dwarfing rootstock, the height of the lowest branches will not increase much at all as the tree matures.
It's hard to explain pruning and you boil the sap down to its essentials. Nice work. Also appreciate the extra effort to place the screen behind the tree for visual contrast.
Glad it was helpful! Here's another winter pruning video that you might enjoy: ua-cam.com/video/p_-f610rFEU/v-deo.html
Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Friend, as of golden apple, Swat pakistan are the best. Sweet scent of the fruit stays in a room for a week if you keep one for day. And very tasty & juicy.
But californian & Chilean & Afghan reds are wonderful too. Yeah, that red drop of juice that flows over it after a gentle shallow cut. Mouth watering🍎
There's nothing like the scent and taste of a perfect apple!
I just wish I could know enough to be so decisive!
Have an apple tree that was here when I moved in 7 years ago. I think it's a good 15 years old.Good producer considering I don't know much about caring for fruit trees! I THINK I've gotten better at pruning but now in late Feb. I have yet to make any cuts. Most important I think are a plethora of vertical shoots all around the top of the tree. The tree without them is 12-15 ft tall enough for us. Should I head them back to old wood and stop them or look for outward facing buds?
Cut the verticals back to their source, old wood (thinning cut). This will stop further growth. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Hello! Very nice explanation and presentation! I am wondering what software solution is it (the grey background)?
Thanks for the kudos. We use a "green screen" type process and Final Cut Pro editing software to eliminate the background "noise" so that it's easy to see the tree.
thank you for sharing this video.
Fruit rules! 😄
Sure does! Fruit trees are the best. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
I had lots of trouble trying to get my golden russet to be fruitful due to its tip-bearing tendencies. When I finally let it go long and produce gangly hanging branches, it started to give me lots of blooms and fruit.
I am now considering reshaping to an umbrella style with only upper branches that then bend over with hanging secondary branches. If anyone has a better idea, I am hear to listen.
Ps, my tree is over 15 years old and very stout.
Won't hurt to reshape the tree and watch what happens. You may have a drop in fruit production until the tree "settles" into its new shape. A word of caution...probably best to make such a major change over a couple of seasons, doing part of the tree each year. Doing a lot of pruning in the winter can stimulate overgrowth and then you've got a lot of work to "throttle" back the growth of the tree.
@@ucscagroecology Agreed. I have resorted to a fair amount of summer-pruning on certain of my very aggressive trees in order to take a bit of energy out of them. Some of them appear to be on root-stocks that are not imparting as much dwarfing as I thought they would have. My golden russet did bear heavily this year and my average fruit size is a bit smaller of course but not tiny at all. This tree has a fairly massive trunk (pushing 10"-12").
Was this filmed before it leafed out in spring? Uploaded in summer?
This tree was pruned in March and the video uploaded today.
my gala mema plants are 4 years old. Plants were doing well, but due to inappropriate pruning techniques the plant is not having any new growths, only a tall leader is there, and other branches are not growing well, how to revive the trees or prune them again, could you please tell me
Hi Hemant. If your trees are healthy but have lost their vigor, below is a link to a series of 3 videos on how to renew an apple tree. As you will see in the video, it requires severe pruning of the tree. Most of the time, the tree will respond with vigorous growth and you can re-establish the proper form of the tree. Sometimes, the tree may not respond and may die, but this happens maybe 1 out of 10 times. If you have several trees that are doing poorly, you may want to start the renewal process on just a few of them to see how it goes. The tree in the video has responded well and is now about 6-7 feet tall and thriving. Here's the link: ua-cam.com/video/ME7-JlR7qHA/v-deo.html&ab_channel=UCSantaCruzCenterforAgroecology
Just to confirm, you want to train the branches with spacers after the winter pruning, before spring?
Yes. That's the best time, although you can train branches any time of the year. Along with spacers, you can also use small weights to pull branches downward or tie string to small stakes in the ground under the tree and pull the branches in the desired direction. Good luck with your trees.
I think my lonely apple tree in the backyard has been ignored for years & is fruitless. Sinful🙄
I am trying to work on it. Am doctor, not knowing much about agri. Your vids are handy. God bless!
If the tree has no fruit and lacks vigorous growth, you may wan to consider "renewing" the structure of the tree. Here's a series of 3 videos that should how to do it. ua-cam.com/video/ME7-JlR7qHA/v-deo.html
You have the Mexican farmers union hat on.❤
Indeed! Great that you noticed.
How can I get one?
Man I wish I had yoru confidence! lol
Orin has some 45 yrs plus of tree care under his belt, so he sure makes it look easy. But, after a few seasons of pruning, you'll get the hang of it.
If you think that is a good tasting apple, I have a golden russet and it will never compare with a Karmijn de Sonnaville. Very late ripening, but we’ll worth it.
With 7,500 apple varieties in the world, there's something for everyone.
Nice
Below is a link to several more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
🤝❤️🤝👍
on young trees should you cut the central leader? ive seen you mention that in other pruning videos
Good question! If you are going to form the young tree into an "open center" form, then yes, you need to cut the central leader. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”. Look there and you'll find several videos on pruning trees to both the "open center" and "modified central leader" forms:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
@@ucscagroecology Thanks so much for the reply and the content. Its such a great help!
My apple tree is 3 yrs old and half that size...maybe cuz I'm in central Canada? I dunno...pruning is so confusing...I made the mistake of cutting the central lead last year.. regret it...wonder if my tree is ruined? I'm lost..
All is not lost! When you prune an apple tree to an "open center form", you do cut the central leader. So you can shape your tree to an open center form. Here's a video that may help with the basic concepts.
It has 2 parts: ua-cam.com/video/NQYGvEAElTc/v-deo.html
Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
Can you come over and do mine?