Ornamental apples are just as easy to cut as their big brothers, the cultivated apples. Of course, pruning has no effect on the size of the fruit or the harvest yield. In order to give the decorative flower and fruit tree a well-shaped silhouette, you should still use scissors every year.
When and how should a crabapple be pruned?
Crabapples should be pruned in winter to maintain a shapely silhouette. The wood is first thinned out by removing dead wood and shortening dense branches. Then the shape cut is carried out, in which branches that are too long are reduced by one to two thirds.
Instructions for winter pruning
A crabapple receives its central shape and maintenance cut during the leafless winter period. This choice of date reduces the stress on the tree to a minimum. Furthermore, at this time of year you have a clear view of the branches, which is an advantage for cultivation as both a large shrub and a small tree. Ideally, you proceed in 2 stages, which we explain in more detail here:
Blending
- Cut off all dead wood at the base of the crabapple bush
- Remove dead branches on Astring from the crown of a tree
- Cut away the weaker specimen from branches that are too close together or rub against each other
- Prune or completely cut off steeply upward or inward-facing shoots
Topiary
- Short branches that are too long by one to two thirds
- Place the pruning shears (€38.00 on Amazon) a few millimeters above an outward-facing eye
- In bushes, cut off 3 to 4 of the oldest shoots close to the ground every 2 years with the aim of rejuvenation
At the end of the main cut in late winter, the tree crown or bush is structured so airily that the sun's rays can reach all regions of the crabapple. Thanks to this incision, you can effectively prevent baldness from the inside out.
Cut the crabapple hedge into a trapezoid shape
The majority of crabapple varieties reach a height of 400 to 600 cm, which keeps prying eyes away from the property. This makes the ornamental trees ideal for creating a magnificent privacy hedge. To ensure that Malus hybrids create a lavish dress of flowers and leaves every year, cutting them into a trapezoid shape has proven to be ideal.
It is characterized by a wide base that tapers towards the top. In combination with sloping sides, you create a light-flooded hedge in which aging has no chance. Cords stretched between wooden pegs serve as orientation during the cutting work.
Summer pruning is used to educate the standard tree - this is how it works
By nature, a crabapple tends to grow as a large shrub. If you want to train the tree to become a standard tree, you should ideally prune your Malus hybrid in early summer from June onwards. How to do it right:
- Starting from the base, remove excess side shoots up to the height of the crown
- Apply the scissors so that the branch collar (thickening between trunk and branch) is not injured
- Dust cuts with charcoal ash or primary rock powder
Please check the wildlife substrate regularly throughout the growing season. Wild shoots sometimes sprout here, which not only disfigure a crabapple, but also require unnecessary energy expenditure. You can simply tear off such branches with a courageous tug.
Tip
In the orchard, crabapples make a valuable contribution to improving crop yields. Popular varieties such as 'Evereste' or 'Golden Hornet' act as excellent pollen donors for cultivated apple trees.
