Jan 29, 2017
Top photo shows apple fruit buds (short, stubby branches). When pruning, leave as many as possible on the tree. You can also sometimes induce their formation by pruning water spouts (or other long branches) to 2-3 leaf buds. This tree had some fungus growth from poor air circulation last summer, so it got a massive pruning to open up the canopy and remove crossing branches. Some apples produce fruit on branch tips instead of fruit buds, they need more pruning. This tree produces fruit on both, so it needs heavy but careful pruning every few years. I broke up the branches by hand in the pile shown and used them to mulch the ground. They should break down within a few years, maybe faster as now I am finding earthworms everywhere.
