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Home » Homesteading

Published: Feb 25, 2021 · Modified: Mar 21, 2023 by Kathy

How to Prune Apple Trees

A pruned apple tree in an orchard.

Prune your own apple trees. With a few tip to follow, it's not as hard as you think!

Pruning your apple trees in the spring helps yield a larger harvest of apples in the fall.

A large set of pruners clipping a branch.

Apple trees

Do you have apple trees? Then they need to be pruned annually. Hiring someone to do this task just doesn't make sense, when you can do it yourself.

My husband, Rod does all our pruning and prunes several apple trees every spring. It's time to learn how to prune apple trees.

Full Disclosure: Rod is not an arborist and does not have any formal training when it comes to pruning. He just has years of experience and results that work - that means, the apple trees survive and thrive!

The apple trees are loaded year after year! These are his tips and what works for him! Rod's famous words of wisdom -

"Don't worry too much about how it turns out... If you don't do it perfectly, it's okay. It's like a bad haircut. It will grow back!"

 Just take it slow and step back to see how it's coming along! My advice, as a total novice - just don't take off too much! (I don't like bad haircuts!)

A man standing in an apple tree with a pair of pruners.

These trees are very mature apple trees. The "bones" of the tree are already there.

New trees still require pruning, but the process is just a bit different because you are forming the shape each year. Pruning on new trees is minimal. These tips are focusing on the mature tree.

Types of pruners to use

Rod uses two types of pruners - one long handled lopper and one small handheld bypass pruner. If you need to remove larger branches, you will need a handsaw.

Four things to keep in mind while pruning

  1. Keep branches growing out, not up. Cut off all vertical shoots.
  2. Cut off any damaged branches.
  3. Try not to let tree get too wide. Stand back and look at the branches. If they are extending out too far, give them a trim.
  4. Anticipate spacing for fruit and branches. Take a look at each cluster. If the cluster is too tight, remove one of the small branches.
Upright shoots growing on an apple tree.

Remove all shoots that are growing straight up.

Pruners cutting new growth off an apple tree.

Trim branches near the base of the branch.

Pruners cutting a broken branch.

Remove any damaged branches. The branch above was snapped off during the winter time.

Trimming an old apple tree from the top of a ladder.

Remove any branches that will become too crowded or too wide. The picture below shows a branch where the apples will be growing. It can have up to 3 or 4 apples. This branch has enough space for the apples - no need to prune here.

New leaves starting to sprout off a branch of an apple tree.

Clipping branches off an old tree.

Safety first! A ladder is the safest way to prune the trees. Rod likes to get up into the trees to prune, but always be safe.

A newly pruned apple tree in an orchard.

The finished trees are flatter on the top with the branches extending out to the side.

What to do with apples

We get a huge harvest of apples every year. Some recipes we make are Apple Pie Filling, Apple Butter, Cocoa Apple Cake, Apple Fritters and we also press the apples into Cider.

More homesteading info

  • How to Prune Raspberries
  • Raising Baby Chicks
  • Honey Bees
A girl on a horse talking to a man on a yellow ladder by an apple tree.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Barb says

    August 14, 2023 at 1:45 pm

    My apples have black worm holes. Best thing to use on and when so we can have apples we can eat

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      August 14, 2023 at 6:01 pm

      Hi Barb,
      I'm afraid I don't know about what to do for worms.
      Good luck,
      Kathy

      Reply
  2. David @ Spiced says

    February 26, 2021 at 4:23 am

    I always get jealous when I see your apple trees, Kathy! We planted a couple apple trees in our old house, and we diligently pruned them each year and watched them grow...then we moved. (I think the new owner might have actually chopped 'em down...the horror!) We didn't plant any new ones at this house purely because of how long they take to mature. I'll just have to live vicariously through you instead! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      February 26, 2021 at 4:37 am

      Apple trees do take a long time to mature and really start to produce. Some of these trees are over 100 years old! You might not have trees right now, I do seem to recall you have a local orchard you usually visit during harvest time - almost as good as having your own!

      Reply
  3. Jen says

    April 03, 2017 at 4:33 am

    I love this. We just purchased a house that has about a dozen apple trees n about 6 pear trees and I had no idea what to do with them. This definitely will help me trim them back. Thanks

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      April 03, 2017 at 5:42 am

      Lucky you to get that many trees! It's work pruning them now, but will be so great in the all when you get a great harvest of apples and pears!

      Reply
  4. Sarah Anderson says

    June 10, 2016 at 9:51 am

    What is the issue with vertical branches? I don't think I have seen a tree with them before unless you count the trunk. I have read before that a tree can get multiple trunks if your not careful, and that you should prevent that because it can kill the tree. Is that the issue you are trying to prevent?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      June 10, 2016 at 7:38 pm

      The only problem with vertical branches is the tree becomes too large and difficult to pick the fruit. Pruning helps control the shape of the tree.

      Reply
  5. mira says

    April 09, 2016 at 8:04 pm

    This is so helpful! Love it! Saving for when I need it!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      April 10, 2016 at 9:12 am

      Thanks, Mira!

      Reply
  6. karrie @ Tasty Ever After says

    April 07, 2016 at 8:04 pm

    I don't have apple trees but this was a fascinating post Kathy! I didn't know what when into or how to prune apple trees but I do now 🙂 You guys are so self-sufficient it makes me wish I was that way too.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      April 09, 2016 at 7:01 am

      You never know when you might need to know how to prune an apple tree!

      Reply
  7. Amanda says

    April 07, 2016 at 11:31 am

    This is such a great post. My favorite part of the fall is going to the orchard and I think it would be great to have an apple tree someday. So I definitely have to remember this!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      April 09, 2016 at 7:00 am

      I love fresh picked apples and all the things you can do with apples!

      Reply
  8. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

    April 07, 2016 at 10:51 am

    I do not have any apple trees, but we have been talking about planting a few new trees in our back yard. And this post is making me want to plant an apple tree, stat!! Thanks for all the tips, because now I will know what to do to maintain the tree should we ever plant it!! Cheers, dear!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      April 09, 2016 at 7:00 am

      It's the perfect time of year to plant a tree!

      Reply
  9. annie@ciaochowbambina says

    April 07, 2016 at 8:23 am

    Yes, our backyard is lined with apple trees and we have never pruned them! Oh my! It looks like we'll have our work cut out for us but I am excited to get back there and get cutting! I love this post! Thank you! And BTW, it was very brave of you to get up there for pictures!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      April 07, 2016 at 9:47 am

      Time to start pruning those trees! Just take one at a time. Yours trees will be much happier! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Dawn at Girl Heart Food says

    April 07, 2016 at 5:05 am

    Love the tips, Kathy! We have an apple tree, though it's only small yet. We haven't yielded a lot of apples from it yet, but looking forward to when we get enough to make a pie right from our very own apples 🙂

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      April 07, 2016 at 5:59 am

      There's nothing better than getting fruit right off your own tree!

      Reply
  11. David @ Spiced says

    April 07, 2016 at 4:53 am

    Great tips, Kathy! We planted a couple apple trees in our yard when we first moved in. We've been picking the buds for a few years now in order to encourage the trees to grow bigger...but now it's time to let those buds go. And did I read that right? A moose in your orchard? I need to come spend a day in your yard! Seeing a moose is most def on my bucket list! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      April 07, 2016 at 6:00 am

      Yep...a moose! They are majestic and amazing to watch, but they can create havoc in your orchard in a really short time. Luckily they don't come onto our property too often.

      Reply
  12. Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says

    April 07, 2016 at 4:33 am

    What an interesting post, Kathy. We sure need to prune apple trees. Love the brautiful photos too!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      April 07, 2016 at 6:01 am

      The trees just require attention a few times a year...otherwise, they are pretty easy to grow!

      Reply
  13. geraldine | Green Valley Kitchen says

    April 06, 2016 at 5:24 pm

    I love these kinds of posts, Kathy. I'm currently working on reviving a lemon tree on my property. It produces but needs some love. Gave it a good pruning this year and fertilizing at the correct time of year and it's looking better already.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      April 06, 2016 at 6:20 pm

      I wish I had a lemon tree! It would never survive here though. Fruit trees always seem like they don't need much care, but they do need a little TLC a few times a year. Hope your lemon tree has a bumper crop this year!

      Reply
  14. Laura ~ Raise Your Garden says

    April 06, 2016 at 7:48 am

    Hi Kathy! What an informative post and yes, we need to prune our apple trees. We have 2 gorgeous trees, sadly, I made a HUGE mistake by cutting one down a couple of years ago to make way for a clothsline and still regret it! Fun pics!!!

    Reply
  15. Kathleen Rupff says

    April 06, 2016 at 5:01 am

    Great, interesting post, Kathy, and great pics... Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      April 06, 2016 at 5:15 am

      Thanks! It's one of those tasks that has to get done every spring.

      Reply

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I'm Kathy, and I love to create delicious recipes from scratch utilizing many ingredients that we grow and raise. I'm a recipe creator, food photographer, and cookbook author!

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