Apple tree

[Manda_Rae]

We planted this Red delicious Apple tree in August 2020. This is the first year it blossomed. Is it a good sign for apples?
Yes we have other Apple trees around.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You never know for sure if any will set on or not but it's not a bad sign. With other apple trees around to pollinate you have a decent chance. Dwarf trees tend to start producing earliest, semi-dwarf next, with regular sized trees the slowest.

If you notice in that first photo one flower is swelling at the base. Sure looks hopeful. Hoping for no late frosts for you.

 

[Manda_Rae]

I'll probably need to prune this fall. Does anyone have any good resources for pruning apple trees?

 

[ducks4you]

Yes!!
Most of us are scared about pruning our trees. I wrote into Mid American Gardener some 6-7 years ago and a Professor Emeritus answered my email question about pruning on the air.
To Sum:
1) Prune off all Dead wood (6-8 inches into the new wood IF the whole limb isn't dead)
2) Open up the inside for sunlight and airflow
3) Prune NO MORE THAN 30% LIVE WOOD/year
4) Prune during dormancy, end of dead of winter
5) Remove waterspouts (growing out of the main trunk) and suckers (growing from the base of the tree)
6) Choose between two rubbing branches. Prune one off and keep the other.
I finally pruned my drawf Magnolia this year. They don't like pruning and I left two large limbs that are growing next to each other. In 2023 I will choose one of them to prune off. It won't be more than 10% of the tree and won't harm it. Seems like it didn't mind the pruning bc I got loads of flowers and it has leafed out nicely.
NOTE: If the tree hasn't been properly pruned you may NOT want to take all of the waterspouts.
I had to be careful with my pear tree. It tried to die from blight a few years ago. I pruned back the dead/dying branches and it recovered. THEN, it overcompensated and grew 10 ft waterspouts, right from the center.
I didn't take all of them this year, even though they were LOADED with blossoms.
For Me, pruning time means end of February/beginning of March, while the tree is in dormancy AND while the insects that predate are still dormant, too.
In nature, these trees are eaten upon by animals during the winter and they have grown to tolerate this.
Without pruning, the energy goes into the leaves and the tree will die prematurely.
This video is pretty good.

 

[Manda_Rae]

I am definitely very scared of pruning it LOL I didn't know I needed to prune it while it's still so small. We usually still have snow in feb/march I'll look unto when pruning is best around here. I did see 1 sucker on the base this year!

 

[Ridgerunner]

One problem with suckers from the base of an apple tree is that practically every apple tree is grafted. Apple seeds do not grow true so they graft the type of apple they want onto a rootstock. The rootstock is what makes them dwarf or semi-dwarf, and may impart disease resistance. But they are not going to be an apple you want. It may even be a crabapple. You don't want those growing in your tree so you need to take them off.

 

[Manda_Rae]

One problem with suckers from the base of an apple tree is that practically every apple tree is grafted. Apple seeds do not grow true so they graft the type of apple they want onto a rootstock. The rootstock is what makes them dwarf or semi-dwarf, and may impart disease resistance. But they are not going to be an apple you want. It may even be a crabapple. You don't want those growing in your tree so you need to take them off.

I have 2 crab apples on my property I don't need anymore

 

[Phaedra]

One problem with suckers from the base of an apple tree is that practically every apple tree is grafted. Apple seeds do not grow true so they graft the type of apple they want onto a rootstock. The rootstock is what makes them dwarf or semi-dwarf, and may impart disease resistance. But they are not going to be an apple you want. It may even be a crabapple. You don't want those growing in your tree so you need to take them off.

It seems this principle can be applied to most grafted plants. This year, I am a bit behind cleaning up the roses in my garden. One sent a few suckers from the base - similar to the grafted fruit trees, those suckers are quite different and have to be removed.

 

[baymule]

There are very few apple trees in Texas. There are a few varieties developed for the heat, I want to plant some! I would love to have a couple of apple trees!

 

[Manda_Rae]

Yes!!
Most of us are scared about pruning our trees. I wrote into Mid American Gardener some 6-7 years ago and a Professor Emeritus answered my email question about pruning on the air.
To Sum:
1) Prune off all Dead wood (6-8 inches into the new wood IF the whole limb isn't dead)
2) Open up the inside for sunlight and airflow
3) Prune NO MORE THAN 30% LIVE WOOD/year
4) Prune during dormancy, end of dead of winter
5) Remove waterspouts (growing out of the main trunk) and suckers (growing from the base of the tree)
6) Choose between two rubbing branches. Prune one off and keep the other.
I finally pruned my drawf Magnolia this year. They don't like pruning and I left two large limbs that are growing next to each other. In 2023 I will choose one of them to prune off. It won't be more than 10% of the tree and won't harm it. Seems like it didn't mind the pruning bc I got loads of flowers and it has leafed out nicely.
NOTE: If the tree hasn't been properly pruned you may NOT want to take all of the waterspouts.
I had to be careful with my pear tree. It tried to die from blight a few years ago. I pruned back the dead/dying branches and it recovered. THEN, it overcompensated and grew 10 ft waterspouts, right from the center.
I didn't take all of them this year, even though they were LOADED with blossoms.
For Me, pruning time means end of February/beginning of March, while the tree is in dormancy AND while the insects that predate are still dormant, too.
In nature, these trees are eaten upon by animals during the winter and they have grown to tolerate this.
Without pruning, the energy goes into the leaves and the tree will die prematurely.
This video is pretty good.

I'm gonna be attempting this, this fall and I'm super nervous