Basically, apple trees are reliable suppliers of fruit in private gardens and, if the population is not too dense, they are not overly susceptible to diseases and fungal infections. However, you can give an old apple tree a new lease of life with just one cut.
How to properly prune an old apple tree?
To prune an old apple tree, you should first remove thicker branches and inconvenient parts of the crown. Then use wound closure products for larger wounds. The aim of the cut is to rejuvenate the tree crown, create new fruit-bearing shoots and curb fungal infestation and diseases.
Bringing neglected apple trees back into shape
Apple trees in gardens are often neglected and not pruned properly for years. Certain old varieties sometimes survive this better than newer varieties. However, it can still happen that a neglected apple tree only bears a few fruits or becomes susceptible to wind damage and disease. With a targeted cut, the growth of new shoots can be stimulated even on old apple trees.
Courage to make drastic changes
Even with older apple trees, you shouldn't be too hesitant when pruning. So don't be afraid to completely remove thicker branches and inconvenient parts of the tree crown. However, older trees need suitable wound care for tree wounds with a larger cross-section (€17.00 on Amazon). There are suitable wound closure products available from specialist retailers that protect tree wounds from the penetration of pathogens and fungi. At the same time, it should also be noted that any changes to the crown of an old apple tree also change the areas exposed to wind and weather. That's why you should secure or, if necessary, remove branches that are at risk of breaking, especially near buildings.
Don’t overwhelm tree he alth
In principle, winter pruning is also an effective means of rejuvenating older apple trees. However, you should make sure, especially for trees that are no longer completely vital, that the temperatures are not too frosty on the day of winter pruning. Old trees whose vitality has been compromised often react particularly sensitively to winter cold, drought and fungal attack. Basically, any cut from old apple trees can serve the following purposes:
- the rejuvenation of the tree crown
- the new formation of fruit-bearing shoots
- the containment of fungal infestation and diseases
Tips & Tricks
If you want to severely prune an old apple tree due to poor yield, you can also use the cut to copulate new scions on an old apple rootstock.
