Bramley pruning?

[bussinspain]

I have 2 x 4 year old "Bramley 20" apple trees. One fruited this year and gave me 16 apples of a nice size but the other tree did not fruit at all. One branch was so full of fruit that it has now stayed in the downward angle caused by the weight of the fruit (it's nearly touching the ground). When and how can I prune my trees or do I leave them for another year? When I bought the trees as 2 year old maidens the instructions said do not prune for 2 years. Any advice appreciated thank you

[bearded bloke]

Bramley can be a biennial fruit bearer, so possibly not too much concern on that score

Pruning is probably best to follow supplier instructions, maybe as the branches are low train it as an esplier ?

[Alison]

Pruning is probably best to follow supplier instructions, maybe as the branches are low train it as an esplier ?

Arent Bramleys at least partially tip bearing? Assuming they are they won't suit espalier type training.

[bearded bloke]

Arent Bramleys at least partially tip bearing? Assuming they are they won't suit espalier type training.

Yep, just had a read & they are partial tip bearing Alison So no espalier then

Pruning guidance here .... Pruning a newly-planted fruit tree

[fishpond]

As has been said, a partial tip bearer.
Personally take out dead, dying, diseased, crossing branches, March time.
If you want to shape them, no more than 10% else you may lose too much blossom.
As the Bramley is a triploid, I assume you have pollinators in the area.

[dilettante]

I just learned how to prune apple trees at college. I'm not sure about anything specific to bramleys, but maybe I can be a bit helpful. It's handy to know the difference between a vegetative and fruiting bud. Vegetative buds are smaller, not so hairy and lie flat against the shoot, whereas fruiting buds are big, hairy and stand up from the stem. The difference will be obvious when you have the two in front of you to look at. On branches with no fruiting buds, and that you don't want to be leaders (forming main trunks and branches), cut back to a vegetative bud about a thumb's length from the previous year's growth (which will appear thicker and woodier than this season's growth). If a branch has a fruiting bud, cut back to that. When you cut back to a vegetative bud, this encourages the bud you cut to to become dominant and take over the growth, while the buds behind it will become/produce shoots bearing fruiting growth.

There are probably videos out there that explain between than I can, but tbh that was a helpful bit of revision for me Best of luck with your trees.

[Aberdeenplotter]

To anyone who has no idea what a triploid is, there's a decent expanation here Triploid apple varieties

[bussinspain]

As has been said, a partial tip bearer.
Personally take out dead, dying, diseased, crossing branches, March time.
If you want to shape them, no more than 10% else you may lose too much blossom.
As the Bramley is a triploid, I assume you have pollinators in the area.

Regarding pollinators - close to it is a crab apple - that's it, But I still had 15 apples

[bussinspain]

very helpful - thank you.

[bussinspain]

very well described - many thanks

[lookbettertomorow]

Hi, I'd have a stab at Espaliering it, I know it's a partial tip bearer but you've just had the proof it's capable of yieldiing. Festooned or horizontal branches will fruit better than vertical and you will encourage the development of the all important fruiting spurs along the arms of the Espalier. Prune in the summer to contain growth. Winter pruning will encourage growth, though I would do the necessary formative pruning immediately. Loads of tips on you tube.

[Alison]

Hi, I'd have a stab at Espaliering it, I know it's a partial tip bearer but you've just had the proof it's capable of yieldiing. Festooned or horizontal branches will fruit better than vertical and you will encourage the development of the all important fruiting spurs along the arms of the Espalier. Prune in the summer to contain growth. Winter pruning will encourage growth, though I would do the necessary formative pruning immediately. Loads of tips on you tube.

The fact it's produced fruit is nothing to do with whether it's tip bearing as at the moment it's not trained and therefore all tips in place. If you espalier or cordon you'll be cutting off the tips and therefore reducing the potential yield.

[lookbettertomorow]

They said one branch was so full it was bending down. They don't just bare fruit at the tips. The tree will hopefully last many years that's why I suggested formative pruning immediately, one year's reduced yield is worth the greater sum. I think so anyway

[Alison]

They said one branch was so full it was bending down. They don't just bare fruit at the tips. The tree will hopefully last many years that's why I suggested formative pruning immediately, one year's reduced yield is worth the greater sum. I think so anyway

Agree that you sometimes need to loose fruiting for a year or two for the greater long term and some pruning is certainly a good idea. It was your suggestion to espalier it that I was disagreeing with. If you're going to train a Bramley then a bush shape is much more successful than a more linear form.

[lookbettertomorow]

Perhaps we will just have to agree to disagree! I believe for someone unsure of where to go it's easier to keep an Espalier in shape over many years than a bush. Folk often prune a bush by giving it similar to a trim at the barbers, snipping all the ends off, the tips! Keeps it shapely but horribly congested, no light, more prone to pests and disease, looks tidy though, like a pom pom , not many apples though. Probably better with a rose