Drastic pruning of Bramley apple trees

[d000hg]

We have 5 quite mature Bramley's that have been looked after but neglected the last couple of years... They came with the house we just bought.

This summer, they have all grown up to 2 feet in a mess of vertical shoots taking them to maybe 15 feet high.

I looked online and saw they are tip fruiters. The advice I saw was that Bramley's want to grow pretty big (I don't know the root stock) and that they should be kept small so all fruit can be reached without ladders.

So I had a go... Now I worry there's hardly anything left!

Edit - added photos, click for full size


Before...


After...

[Zelenina]

Too late to worry now. You'll just have to wait and see how they do.

[DannyK]

Sounds like they've been over-pruned previously.

Have a look at https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=858

[Thelma Sanders]

You'll probably get a lot of 'water shoots' which are thin and grow straight up, next year! These will need cutting off or pruning back, if you need to keep them for the shape of the tree.
There's a series of helpful youtube vids here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQa3GIZllzs

[nickdub]

Your basic information is more or less right, tip bearers and strong growers.

Unless you have a use for the apples, 5 Bramleys is probably 3 too many for most families - one way forward would be to plan to get some scions early next year and cleft graft some of the branches over to different varieties - best to regard this as a plan for 3 or 4 years, and leave some branches unpruned each year too.


As for the ones you keep as Bramleys I'd always recommend taking a large branch from the center right out first to let in light and air, ie one you need a saw to cut, not just secateurs - do this in the winter.

If you want to post some photos I'd be happy to try to detail what to plan.

Don't forget to feed the trees - compost or manure for preference - in order to produce good fruit they need to be healthy and growing well - its a mistake to try to stunt them by starvation. If they are really going to get too big to manage for you - best to decide that asap, and replace them with trees on a more dwarfing root-stocks.

[d000hg]

Thanks all. I've only done one of the 5 so far - my phone won't let me post photos or I'd show a before and after.

A lot of the growth this year appears to be "water shoots" - a load of vertical, very vigorous shoots forming almost a thicket on top of the tree. My understanding is this is possibly due to bad pruning previously? Should these simply be cut off the moment they appear in future?

I'm aware main pruning would normally be done in the winter but I've heard summer pruning is OK too? I've got virtually no fruit though apparently they fruited prolifically last year.

I absolutely agree that even cut down to sensible size, 5 bramleys is just crazy especially since they take the place of eating apples, cherries, etc.
Did someone mention grafting? I don't know anything about that other than what it is, I had been assuming I'd have to rip 2-3 trees out entirely.

[veggiechicken]

Thanks all. I've only done one of the 5 so far - my phone won't let me post photos or I'd show a before and after.

Have you tried http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...one_94345.html

[d000hg]

Cheers - I'd already resized but hadn't noticed they were too large. Changed from PNG->JPEG.

Photos added to first post.

[Jungle Jane]

A lot of the growth this year appears to be "water shoots" - a load of vertical, very vigorous shoots forming almost a thicket on top of the tree. My understanding is this is possibly due to bad pruning previously? Should these simply be cut off the moment they appear in future?

There's some good pruning advice written by FB #7 regarding the watershoots & overall care for the tree in this link to the thread -
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...pic_83288.html

[nickdub]

"Did someone mention grafting? I don't know anything about that other than what it is, I had been assuming I'd have to rip 2-3 trees out entirely."

That would be me I think - basically in the winter for "cleft grafting" you cut a few of the branches off with a saw, they can be 4 or 5 inches in diameter though smaller is easier. Then in the spring when the buds are starting to swell (say March'ish) you split the chopped-off ends on a diameter, with a heavy duty knife (old chef's one is good) and a hammer (as though you were splitting kindling wood) - leave the knife in the branch. With another small knife you sharpen some scion wood (which you got a month or so earlier from another tree of a friend, and kept in the fridge in a poly bag) to a sharp wedge point ie cut down both sides to a point.

The main idea is to get the green cambium layer under the external bark to match, ie the outside of the scion lines up lengthwise with the branch you are sticking it in to - use the knife you cunningly left in previously to lever open the cleft, then as you withdraw the knife the cleft will close up and grip the scion - take your time and get it lined up as accurately as you can. If it is a thick branch you may need scions on both sides of the cleft as the scions should be about the thickness of a pencil or a little less. Finally you bind it up with something eg wet raffia, coat it in warm liquid wax ( I use bees wax) and wrap it in clingfilm.

Should start growing in a couple of months and with luck you'll have new fruit in 3 years or so. Could save 10 years or more growing a full size fruit tree and you can graft several different varieties of apples on to different branches - probably loads of how-to's on U-tube.