Not One Apple!!

[FB.]

Laxton Superb is a strong grower and renowned for biennial bearing unless summer pruned. It also has a tendency to produce long, thin, straggling branches and make a fairly large tree with lots of branches.
I suggest that in July (i.e. NOW!) you prune all new shoots back to just an inch or two - read up on "summer pruning".
Otherwise, wait until winter and cut into older Laxton wood to get the Laxton part back under control. It'll re-grow the branches next year and then summer prune next year if needed.

[Florence Fennel]

I looked on this thread because I have only 2 apples on my tree this year (had about 10 or 12 last year and the year before). The tree was a present from my son about 8 years ago (I think) and I lost the label so I don't know the variety. I assumed it was my over enthusiastic pruning in November last year (I chopped everything back). The tree looks really, really, healthy with loads of new growth, but only the 2 apples. Confused.com

[BFG]

I'm going to end up with 1 apple at the rate I'm going. Started with loads, but some dropped, some got pruned and some got weird cracks in them around the top and got binned (I've been meaning to ask about that. I'll have to take a pic of the one I kept for IDing).

[FB.]

I looked on this thread because I have only 2 apples on my tree this year (had about 10 or 12 last year and the year before). The tree was a present from my son about 8 years ago (I think) and I lost the label so I don't know the variety. I assumed it was my over enthusiastic pruning in November last year (I chopped everything back). The tree looks really, really, healthy with loads of new growth, but only the 2 apples. Confused.com

Quite possibly you cut off the parts of the tree that would have produced flowers. Blossom buds form in summer (July-August) for the following spring.
Some varieties only fruit on the previous summers growth ("tip bearers"). Many varieties produce some fruit on last years growth ("partial tip bearers").
Thye most fruitful parts of a tree (whether tip, partial tip or spur bearing) are the outermost 1ft of the canopy. If you literally "hegde trim" an apple tree, you may cut off all the fruit buds for the following year.
It is better to completely cut out 25% of the branches than to cut back all the branches by 25%. In both cases the tree loses 25% of it's mass, but with the former, 75% of it's outermost structure (the fruit-bearing part) will remain.

[Florence Fennel]

Quite possibly you cut off the parts of the tree that would have produced flowers. Blossom buds form in summer (July-August) for the following spring.
Some varieties only fruit on the previous summers growth ("tip bearers"). Many varieties produce some fruit on last years growth ("partial tip bearers").
Thye most fruitful parts of a tree (whether tip, partial tip or spur bearing) are the outermost 1ft of the canopy. If you literally "hegde trim" an apple tree, you may cut off all the fruit buds for the following year.
It is better to completely cut out 25% of the branches than to cut back all the branches by 25%. In both cases the tree loses 25% of it's mass, but with the former, 75% of it's outermost structure (the fruit-bearing part) will remain.

Oh No, I'm having a senior moment. Does this mean cut out the middle bit FB? You must be an expert, I'm sorry if I sound like a numpty.

[FB.]

What I'm trying to say is that the best way to prune an apple tree is to spend a few minutes thinking "how can I do this with as few cuts as possible".

Use hand-clippers, not a hedge trimmer.

Less cuts means more branch-ends will remain after the prune. Fruit is produced on the outermost parts of the tree or even at the very ends of branches.
More unpruned branches means more fruit.

But also bear in mind that young trees need shaping to form a good structure for their mature years.
Heavy winter pruning encourages the tree to fight back with dense new growth - and not fruit. That's how young trees should be treated, to get them up to size and with a good branch structure.

[Florence Fennel]

Thank you FB. My interpretation is then that I pruned all the fruiting branches along with everything else with my secateurs last year with, albeit unwittingly, the sacrifice of this year's fruit. I therefore have produced a healthier young tree that if I carefully prune this year, will fruit more next year. I'll enjoy the two apples in anticipation!