RE: Apple Tree: Illustrations for Pruning Advice
Yes, does look like I have my work cut out for me @sukhasanasister, but now with so many loving suggestions of how to care for my tree, I'll go to it with more joy!
I especially love the idea of burying a branch (ground layering) and beginning a new tree. Something I hadn't thought of.
Thank you so much for all of your careful consideration and reworking to figure the best scenarios.
Yes, in the weeping position and as a person who pays particular attention to my dreams (waking included) this gives me much more to ponder...
Reminds me of a childhood song, If you chance to meet a frown, do not let it stay, quickly turn it upside down and smile the day away.
Though I'm not a huge fan of pulling up grass, not because I want to save the old lawn, but because it's not easy work, I like this suggestion and can pull it up and add the wood chip mulch. In fact, I'd like to pull all of the lawn up in that part of the yard and plant more. In the past I had more of a garden there, but haven't had one the past couple of years and the grass just takes over. You can see where the owl sits in a raised bed of grass :( I did get a tiller and re-worked an area of my yard that also got away from me and have a nice patch of dahlia's growing this year which have brought much delight to me and my neighbors who are kept in constant supply of bouquet's and the deer that do sneak in don't eat them because they have no smell.
Speaking of deer, that is one reason the far side is smaller and no apples--there is a particularly intelligent doe in our neighborhood that gets on her belly and climbs through a hedge and she ate leaves and branches off from one side. I know, strange, but it did happen. Will I have to count that as part of my thirty percent? I'm imagining I might.
You're correct that my staking didn't work and crazy to think that the tree might actually start pulling away from them. I'll definitely have to get longer, stronger ones. And, it does sound like fun to angle new sprouts with force and prune to shape.
We've been eating the apples, my son came over the other day and picked a big bag to eat while driving around in his plumbing truck. But there are still apples on the tree. Do you suggest I start pruning right away, or should I wait a few weeks more for the apples to be done? I don't imagine we'll get any kind of a major storm in the next couple of weeks.
I do like growing things, especially house plants and it's also time to re-pot and divide a very large aloe vera. Wish I could share one with you in thanks for all of your help :)
Here is a picture of one of my dahlia's for you :)
Nice flower photo. The flower pops the electric colors in the blue vase.
For info on companion plants for your apple tree, check out a past article I wrote to ideas.
https://steemit.com/gardening/@creativetruth/companion-plants-illustration-the-apple-and-fruit-trees-bundle
Maybe you are happy to share pieces of your tree with the wandering deer. Most people would probably seek to deter them from the tree in some way. When animals like deer, rabbits, and goats chew the bark away on the trunk, it could kill the entire tree in a matter of days. I've used foam rolls (normally used on pipes, also works on branches and thin trunks). and plastic screens in the past to protect my trees. Many people also wipe scented oils on their wood. I've heard of people using furniture polish. We used to use that on table legs to keep the dog from chewing on it.
Prune the tree when it becomes fully dormant, right before it starts budding. Usually this is in January and February for the Northern Hemisphere. It is too early to prune. When you harvest, the tree branches will respond by bouncing back upwards into the light now that the weight is gone. It might be a good time to train the branches with spacers and wires while the new wood is still slightly green. Monitor through the winter if wires or string appears to be strangling the bark, and retire it if necessary.
Only prune woody areas out of season when the tree is broken, such as after a storm or when an animal eats it. If there is risk of a storm with high winds, it is sometimes better to prune the tree into a stronger shape, so it doesn't whip around so much. New green wood can be pruned off sparingly in the Spring and end of Summer if you want the tree to focus on filling in new growth in areas that are lacking foliage. I also coat my wood in the spring with vaseline, a tip I learned to promote the wood to stay softer and hydrated, and produce many more thick buds.
Thanks :)
Yes, of course, not a smart question after you mentioned several times waiting until Jan/feb to prune and I even wrote it on my calendar! I guess I was just eager to get started after all of your valuable feedback. Suppose that means the first step of this project is tearing up the lawn.
No, I am not happy to share the tree with deer and all of the back yard is fenced off with a very tall fence none of the other deer have been able to get around--just this particularly smart one that comes through the hedge on her belly (not an easy task and none of the others have done it). My neighbor told me she got on top of a crate in his back yard, stood on hind legs and ate the limbs off from his tree too!
I've used weird smelling sprays to deter deer before and that's a good idea. One year I got several of those Victoria Secret body sprays for Christmas (all very powerful smells that were too sickening to use) so they worked great! I've got Vaseline so that's another great idea.
Thank you again!