How much can I prune my apple tree to save.

Prune off any suckers that grow from the base of the tree or in the branch crotch of the main scaffold branches. Also remove any water sprouts from the branches; these typically grow quite. Careful pruning over a periodof years will be required to:Reduce the tree's heightIncrease the vigor of fruitingwoodOpen the tree to light and makeit accessible for spraying andpickingIf you tried to do it all at oncethe heavy cutting to reduceFile Size: KB.

Feb 09, Pruning Neglected Apple Trees Prune out all dead, diseased, and broken branches.

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Lower the height of the tree by heading back large, upright growing scaffold branches to outward growing laterals. Up to Remove undesirable interior branches. Prune out. The best time to prune apple trees is either late in the winter or early in the spring because that’s the time when the tree is entering a dormant state after shedding its leaves and before new buds appear. It’s best to complete the pruning just before the growth starts in.