How to rejuvenate an old apple tree: pruning rules and schemes

Apple

Apple trees, like other fruit trees, have a lifespan. When the active fruiting period comes to an end, yield declines, fruiting shoots die, and the plant stops growing. It's not necessary to remove an old apple tree and plant a young one in its place. The life of such a tree can be extended by rejuvenating pruning. This procedure lasts 2-3 years and consists of several stages. If performed correctly, fruiting is restored.

Signs of aging

With proper care, an apple tree can live for over 300 years. However, most gardeners' fruit trees die by the age of 50-60. This is usually due to improper care of older trees. The first signs of aging appear in apple trees around 30 years old. Their skeletal branches become exposed due to the loss of fruiting shoots. These branches die from the center of the crown outward. As a result, the apple tree's yield drops sharply.

Another sign of aging is poor growth. The tree's height increases minimally or stops altogether. The top of an old apple tree dries out completely. Fruit and leaf shoots die off en masse. Fruiting continues even during this period. However, the apples grow small, and their flavor deteriorates.

Numerous branches form on the skeletal branches. These branches place increased stress on the annual growth. Nutrients are produced in these branches and then distributed throughout the entire branch. Due to the heavy load, the annual growth shortens, and the fruiting branches dry out. Lichens and parasitic fungi develop on them. Such a tree is often abandoned or simply uprooted.

Note!

On an old apple tree, the fruit is located only on the top or sides. This makes crown management and harvesting difficult.

Pruning times

Pruning is always stressful for a fruit tree. To reduce this stress, choose the most appropriate time for the procedure. In winter, branches break easily in the cold and become very brittle. In summer, damaged areas bleed sap for a long time. The best time for rejuvenating pruning of old apple trees is spring or fall.

Experienced gardeners prefer to rejuvenate their fruit trees in the spring, before the plant awakens and the sap begins to flow. When pruned correctly, the apple tree expends little energy on recovery, and the wounds heal quickly. As a result, the tree enters winter feeling renewed. In spring, the crown is most visible, and branches that have died over the winter are easy to identify.

Old apple trees can be rejuvenated in the fall. To do this, wait until the fruiting period ends and the leaves fall. Pruning needs to be done Before the first frost. By this time, the fruit tree is already dormant. Therefore, rejuvenating pruning does not cause serious damage to the plant.

Necessary tools

The following tools are used to care for old apple trees:

Hand pruning shears for cutting thin and medium-thick branches.
A long-handled pruning lopper for removing thick branches ranging from 1 to 5 cm in diameter. Its extended levers provide ample leverage and a powerful cut.
Folding saw for removing branches with thick ends and branches with a diameter over 5.5 cm.
A pruning shear with telescopic handles is essential for removing weeds located at height. It resembles a regular pruning shear, but is attached to a tall pole.

You will also need a stool or small stepladder, canvas, and garden varnish for coating the cuts. All tools are disinfected with alcohol or a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate before use. If damaged or infected shoots are being removed, the treatment is repeated during the pruning process. Sharpen the cutting edges of the tools to a sharp point. Otherwise, the edges of the wounds will be jagged and the damage will take a long time to heal. After the cut, seal the cuts with garden varnish or oil paint. Larger damaged areas are additionally bound with cloth.

Scheme of rejuvenating pruning of an old apple tree

In spring or fall, fruit trees that can tolerate this procedure are pruned. If the main trunk has hollows, wide cracks, signs of rot or drying, pruning is not recommended. Such a plant is beyond repair. Therefore, it is uprooted and a young sapling is planted as a replacement. For other trees, one of three pruning schemes is used.

Gradual

An old apple tree should be properly pruned over the course of 2-3 years in several stages. All excess branches and knots are gradually removed from the tree. No more than 30% of the total number of branches should be removed at a time. Otherwise, the risk of the apple tree dying increases. Each year, the work is spread out over the seasons.

Autumn pruning in the first season

During the first year, all dead, damaged, and dried branches are cut back to the ring. The cuts must be sealed with garden varnish or oil paint. If there is still a limit, remove shoots with spots, peeling, or wrinkled bark located near exposed branches. Make the cut as smooth as possible, down to healthy wood, leaving no stumps. Otherwise, rot will begin in this area.

Spring pruning in the second year

In late February and early March, suckers—long, vertically growing shoots—are removed from the apple tree. They are cut back to the ring. You can leave one on each branch to encourage fruiting. To do this, bend the suckers sideways at a right angle to the trunk. The suckers are secured with steel wire.

Autumn pruning in the second year

At this stage, crown pruning continues, aimed at reducing the tree's height. On short trees, skeletal branches are shortened to improve the light penetration of the underlying branches. Shoots can be shortened by a third, but no more. After completing this stage, the tree will appear two-thirds younger.

Pruning in the third year

At this stage, the remaining unnecessary branches are removed. These include large suckers that were not previously bent down. Vertically growing competitors are also cut off. Sanitary pruning is performed simultaneously. At this time, new suckers are bent down. With the onset of autumn, the remaining dried, infected, and damaged branches are removed. For more information on proper pruning, watch the video instructions for beginners.

Half

This method is used by experienced gardeners. It allows the crown to be quickly and safely cleared of unwanted branches. Crown shaping is carried out over two years in several stages. To renew the apple tree, it is pruned to a height of 3 m in the first year. On the south side, the crown is trimmed to a width of 2 m. The following year, the remaining part of the tree is shaped in the same way.

The most developed shoots are left on all branches at intervals of 70 cm. The cuts are cleaned with a knife and sealed with oil paint. If the cut width exceeds 5 cm, it is additionally covered with black plastic. The covering is removed only at the onset of autumn.

Disposable

This method is also known as maximum or shock pruning. This type of pruning significantly weakens the tree, potentially killing it. A single pruning is used only as a last resort, and it is not recommended if more than half the branches need to be removed. To achieve this, the tree must be shortened to the desired height by trimming the upper portion of the central conductor. After this, all damaged, infected, and non-fruiting shoots are removed.

Important!

A one-time pruning is only permitted in the spring. If you prune the plant this way in the fall, it will die in the winter.

Sanitary pruning

In addition to rejuvenation, fruit trees require sanitary pruning. This involves removing all shoots that pose a potential threat to the apple tree. This type of pruning is necessary if there is an outbreak of disease in the garden or if the trees have been damaged by strong winds or hail. The crown is cleared of dead, broken, and diseased branches. Even if there are many, all of them are removed. Otherwise, the risk of tree death increases. This type of pruning is performed on fruit trees of any age.

When pruning, shoots are cut back to the ring. If infected branches are to be removed, a small amount of healthy wood is removed during pruning. This prevents the development of rot. Deep sanitary pruning is necessary after a frosty winter. Frost-damaged branches are removed down to healthy tissue. The resulting plant debris is burned.

Pruning a neglected apple tree

This method, developed by European specialists, involves renewing the apple tree's root system. Root renewal is achieved by evenly distributing fruit buds and shoots along the entire length of the branch. This ensures the apples have enough space to properly gain weight and ripen. At the same time, excess side shoots are removed, and the remaining ones are trimmed back by a third. For small, weakened trees, only the top portion is pruned. A properly developed apple tree is left with a single central conductor. The presence of competitors weakens the plant.