Have I cocked my fruit trees?

[diggernotdreamer]

I planted some fruit trees in 2011, followed instructions ie reduce the top growth and then they slowly grew branches, but funny bendy ones, they go out and up, is this normal, I have grown fruit trees in the past and have never had this trouble, but then I am not really very knowledgeable about fruit trees. They are not all like this, just two of them, sorry the picture is not very good. The rootstock is MM106 and I wanted to have a small orchard of trees, what on earth have I done to them, help!!

[oldjerry]

Can't tell for sure DnD,but all is not lost.
There are 2 ways to prune apples.1)Applies to most apples,2)Applies to 'tip bearers'.These require far less radical pruning.I'd have to know the variety,but from here,it looks like that could be what's happened.

Solution...thin out some of those verticals,'till it looks more like a tree(!),then get hold of the little green RHS book on pruning top fruit,(simple to follow,and cheap),and with that in one hand,a pair of felco's in the other,and a pint of cider close by, get at it.Better still get the book first,just to make sure I'm not completely losing it.
If it's too late in the season,do this next Spring,mulch,greaseband,and all will be well.BWs.

[diggernotdreamer]

Thanks OJ. The trees in question are Winston (the one pictured), Topaz and it looks like the Charles Ross which to date has failed to produce branches but now is, are going the same way. I have a Scotch Bridget and Discovery that are behaving pretty normally. They all have fruit spurs which look like they are going to flower, so should I leave it now?? I did take out anything that was touching earlier on. I do have a RHS pruning book, I am not good at looking in books for instructions, but I will do my best. Thanks for your help. Lyn

[oldjerry]

Leave well alone till next spring,I'll look the Topaz up and reapply the brain and return.

[oldjerry]

Right ,forget all that crap,I've checked and you've got nothing but spur bearing varieties.So...


Leave it all now 'till late November. Then (and this is only what I'D do,I've grown a fair few apples,just planted 20 in cordons,but every one has their own road to hell....) I'd lose the lowest 3 ,4,or 5 branches,these are going to be decent size trees so you may as well give them a trunk.Then open up the middle,at 4 or 5 feet you want 3 or 4 main branches heading off at an angle of say 120 degrees from each other,if you can't open them out cos there's too many branches going straight up,then prune 3 of these at just above a bud pointing in the direction you want one of your main branches to go.I've just taken another look,and you need to lose that central branch at about the 7th or 8th lateral,you should be left with 4 or 5 decent branches facing in roughly the right direction.(bear in mind you'll have lost some of the lower ones making a trunk).Shorten these decent branches by at least a third,just above an out ward facing bud.

That's it remote apple pruning,I used to go to Ireland regularly,but not these days otherwise I'd 've done the sodding thing for you,would have been a lot easier,and quicker ,than all this diatribe! Be Mean... BWs

[diggernotdreamer]

Thank you so much for going to all the trouble, really appreciate it, I will do as you say in November, but will drink cider until that time, then maybe go onto sloe gin for the pruning season, graduating on poitin as I slide into December. If you ever decide to visit Ireland, you can come and have a lil drinky with us as thanks, good to have on the spot expert advice, Lyn

[doofaloofa]

Yet another thread title that misleads and disappoints