How to Prune a Columnar Apple
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ม.ค. 2025
- How to Prune a Columnar Apple
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Pruning a Columnar Apple Tree: Tips and Techniques
Columnar apple trees, also known as vertical or pillar apple trees, are a popular choice for small gardens or for those who want to grow fruit in limited spaces. These trees have a tall, narrow shape that resembles a column or a pole, and can grow up to 10 feet tall. However, to keep the tree healthy and productive, it is important to prune it regularly. In this article, we will discuss the tips and techniques for pruning a columnar apple tree.
When to Prune a Columnar Apple Tree
The best time to prune a columnar apple tree is in late winter or early spring, when the tree is dormant. This is usually between January and March, depending on your location and climate. Pruning during this time will not harm the tree and will encourage healthy growth in the upcoming season.
A high quality pruner is a must for pruning trees. : www.starkbros....
Tips and Techniques for Pruning
Maintain the Shape: As you prune your columnar apple tree, be sure to maintain its shape. The tree should have a narrow, upright form. Cut back lateral branches to about 5 inches. This will help maintain the shoe of the tree without it getting too heavy which may cause damage when the fruit is set. It may be necessary to cut the top of the tree back to maintain a shorter tree for easier picking and to prevent the tree from being too top heavy.
Remove Dead and Diseased Branches: Start by removing any dead or diseased branches. These branches are easy to spot, as they will not have any leaves or fruit buds on them. Removing these branches will help prevent the spread of disease and encourage healthy growth.
Remove Crossing Branches: If you notice any branches that are crossing or rubbing against each other, remove one of them. This will help prevent damage to the bark and promote healthy growth.
Thin Out the Tree: If your columnar apple tree is getting too dense, you may need to thin it out. Remove some of the smaller, weaker branches to allow more light and air to reach the remaining branches. This will help promote healthy growth and fruit production.
Pruning a columnar apple tree is essential to maintaining its health and productivity. By removing dead and diseased branches, thinning out the tree, and maintaining its shape, you can help promote healthy growth and fruit production. With a little bit of care and attention, your columnar apple tree can provide you with delicious fruit for years to come.
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just purchased one , thank you very much
Really helpful-thank you!
Thank you so much for this informative video! Gives me much more confidence pruning my Spire apple trees. 😃
Great, you're very welcome!
This is a second year for my columnar apple trees. Last year, I had one apple from each, and they were big and sweet. Golden sentinel variety.
That's awesome 👏
My second year columnar has put on a lot of growth. It's already 7' tall. If I were to top it, like you demonstrated with the first tree, would the new central leader change the shape of the tree so that it's no longer columnar?
If you trim the central leader just above a bud, it will continue to grow upward. It may have a slight bend to it, but generally the tree will establish a new central leader to continue upward. Pruning the height of the columnar apple tree is a bit of preference depending on your growing space and desired height. Since these are kept in pots and often moved inside during extreme cold and early frost, they are kept around 6-feet tall.
We've got 7 columnar apple trees of different varieties that we've been growing for 4 years but we haven't kept up with trimming them. The trees still have an upward form to them but they are not "columns". We want to trim them properly the way you have but are worried it could shock (is that the right word?) them because of heavy pruning. Thoughts?
Pruning is best to do in late winter. You can do several shaping cuts without hurting the tree. Check out this more detailed pruning video to see how much was removed. th-cam.com/video/QY-VF64s0ks/w-d-xo.html
I’ve seen people prune these in late Summer. I thought that was strange. So is it best to prune in late winter, early spring just like we would with other plants, bushes and perennials?
The shaping pruning should happen in late winter or early spring before the buds form. Damaged or dead branches can be pruned in the summer.
I have two, a green and a red. The red has not budded or had any apples. I put it in the c=ground this year hoping it likes it better. The other one is still in a huge pot. Looks like I am going to get apples this year, but not as many as there were flowers. I need to know hoe to prune them and when. Yours are like sticks, mine branch out a ton more. I have never pruned them. What is the best fertilizer for them and when do they need it? I am in Zone 8 I think in BC Canada. Thanks
Hi Jennifer, hopefully this video helps you feel more confident pruning! Just keep those lateral branches short so the tree keeps the column desired shape. You can start fertilizing with something like Jobe's Fruit & Citrus in early spring and continue applications throughout the growing season.
What happens if you don't prune them and just let them go? Do they fruit on those extra branches?
They can fruit not he extra branches. For columnar tree it's best to prune more vertically and not as much branching out to help keep the structure of the tree and reduce breaking. The older and more mature the tree gets, the branches can be allowed to get a little longer, but the tree still needs to be balanced.
I bought stark bro apple trees and planted them in containers. Most of them are not a columnar variety. How do you prune non-columnars in containers ( 20 gallon ) ?
Check out our video on pruning an apple tree with a central leader. The same principals apply, just prune to the desired shape and size!
th-cam.com/video/QY-VF64s0ks/w-d-xo.html
How many apples can one full grow tree produce ?
It depends on the tree and it's mature size, a semi-dwarf apple tree for example produces about 5-10 bushels (1 bushel is about 48 pounds).
You can read more about the estimated yield for fruit trees here:
www.starkbros.com/growing-guide/article/estimated-yield-for-fruit-trees
Couldn't you let them grow some branches and then tie them to a trellised system?
You know, we have not had a customer try to espalier a columnar tree. The tend not to branch out like a typical apple tree, and when they do, the branches grow vertically, so it may not be the best choice. It would be interesting to see someone try that!
why are they called columnar trees if you're the one that cuts horizontal branches, couldn't you do the same with normal trees?
Unlike other fruit trees, columnar trees have fruiting spurs along the trunk. Sometimes they can branch out a bit - but if you really want to have a compact fruit tree, you can prune your trees to keep that columnar shape.