Regular pruning of the apple tree not only ensures a visually appealing crown shape and the sprouting of young branches. Thinning the tree crown also ensures greater vitality of the apple tree for other reasons.
Why is thinning apple trees important?
Thinning the apple tree is important to ensure vitality and protection against disease, to preserve juicy and sweet apples, to allow better accessibility when harvesting and to maintain a visually appealing tree crown and a he althy mix of old wood and new growth to reach.
Protect from dangers with light and air
If the tree crown is cut out regularly in winter and summer, the leaves can be better ventilated by the wind. The faster the leaves are dried by the wind after each period of wet weather, the better the apple tree is protected against fungal attack and mildew. Additionally, thinning also helps produce a sweeter and juicier harvest. On the one hand, when the crown is thinned out, the energy of the apple tree is concentrated more on the remaining branches and leaves, but on the other hand, more sunlight reaches them, which improves energy absorption.
The right time to cut
If you want to thin out the crown of your apple tree, there are different ways to do it. As a rule, tree pruning should be carried out during winter dormancy between December and March. During summer pruning, undesirable developments can be corrected and the long water shoots at the top of the tree crown can be removed. If a training pruning is carried out in autumn, it can be conveniently combined with the apple harvest. With the right amount, the following goals can be achieved by pruning an apple tree:
- Vitality and protection against disease
- juicier and sweeter apples
- better accessibility when harvesting
- a visually appealing treetop
- a he althy mix of old wood and new shoots
The right cutting technique
Basically, planting scissors (€14.00 on Amazon) with a sharp blade should be used for the planting cut and all other cuts in order to ensure clean cut edges and thus good wound healing. When cutting, you should primarily leave three to four leading branches in a harmonious arrangement around the trunk. If possible, the branches should protrude from the leading branches at an angle of at least 45 degrees to ensure a high level of stability when fruit is set.
Tips & Tricks
If you shorten branches, make the cut just above a leaf bud. This creates beautiful branches without “dead ends” on the branches.
