By Kristi Roddey Updated November 28,

a standard or semi-dwarf rootstock planted in a fertile soil will become a large, unmanageable tree that can-not be pruned into submission. Pruning vs. training Many people rely on pruning only to shape apple trees.

While pruning offers many bene-fits, it limits the grower’s options to removing branches only. Often, the remaining branches aren’t in an ideal position for maximum fruitFile Size: KB.

Apple Tree Pruning.

For trees that bear stone fruits, such as plums and peaches, leave two or three side branches and remove the rest of the tree above the top branch.

Early pruning is the key to developing a tree that is structurally able to carry the weight of many apples and that has the openness to allow sunlight to reach as many leaves as possible.

The trick is to achieve these goals with as little tree pruning as possible. The best growth pattern for an apple tree is the central shrubremover.barted Reading Time: 4 mins. Pruning Apple Trees 3 When to Prune If you have a small orchard, delay pruning until it’s nearly spring.

Allow for rain and bad weather, but plan to be finished pruning by May 1 or in time to begin spraying.

Also, cut off any branches that are more than half the diameter of the trunk.

In many larger orchards, the pruning begins soon after harvest and continues through to. Sep 05, Step 1, Do the first cut as soon as the tree has been planted. Pruning the tree while it is still young and growing will ensure it takes to dwarfing.

Try to do the first cut on the tree soon after it is planted at the end of winter.[2] X Research source Most apple tree varieties will take to dwarfing 83%(12). Apr 04, Standard-sized apple tree cannot be pruned to dwarf size Nurseries sell fruit trees with a tag that calls the tree “semi-dwarf." In our area, an apple that is labeled as semi-dwarf is most likely Estimated Reading Time: 9 mins.

How to Prune Dwarf Fruit Trees 1. At the initial planting time, your tree should be topped between 2 and 4 feet above the ground using a heading cut. 2. After its first spring flush, new, leafy branches should be cut back by half. 3. In late summer, your young tree should get its first summer Estimated Reading Time: 2 mins. You must prune your semi-dwarf apple tree annually in order to keep it healthy and strong enough to support the weight of the fruit.

The main goal of pruning is to develop a stable and open. Nov 28, Prune dwarf fruit trees when you plant them, before growth starts, and again each year in late winter or early spring. Wait until the coldest part of the winter has passed and before the tree.