Cutting Back Apples And Pears
Categories:
Fruit Growing
"California Fruits" says the "apple does not relish cutting back, nor is
it desirable to shorten in the branches." But when a three-year-old tree
gets above 12 feet high, as many of mine are doing, what are you going
to do? I cut these back same last year, but up they go again with more
branches than ever. The pears are getting too tall, also. Should not
both apple and pear trees be kept down to about ten feet?
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The quotation you make refers to old bearing trees, and indicates that
their pruning is not like that of the peach, which is continually
shortened in to keep plenty of new wood low down. Of course, in securing
low and satisfactory branching on young apples, pears, etc., there must
be cutting back, and this must be continued while you are forming the
tree. If you mean that these trees are to be permanently kept at ten
feet high, you should have planted trees worked on dwarfing stocks. Such
a height does not allow a standard tree freedom enough for thrift; as
they become older they will require from twice to thrice the altitude
you assign to them, probably. Pears can be more successfully kept down
than apples, but not to ten feet except as dwarfs.