Always cut just above a healthy outward-facing bud.

How to make heading back cuts on an apple tree. Heading back cuts are made on the new growth of the apple tree. It involves cutting back roughly 20 to 30% of the previous years new growth. If you do not stop this new growth the tree will keep growing larger and will not produce much fruit. The cutting back cuts should be made part way long the branch- the cut should be made after an outward facing bushcutting.barted Reading Time: 5 mins. Nov 27, As soon as nighttime temperatures drop significantly and frosts await you most mornings, and the tree is visibly dormant, you can safely assume that your apple or pear tree is ready for trimming.

Plum trees, on the other hand, will have to wait again until next year for their chance for branches to be bushcutting.barted Reading Time: 7 mins. Nov 30, Winter pruning commences, unsurprisingly, during the colder months. Don’t be tempted to prune too soon in the belief that doing so in warmer weather will be better for the tree. Pruning apple trees in the autumn can encourage them to send out fresh new shoots that aren’t tough enough to withstand cold weather. Dec 22, Step by step how to prune apple trees in winter 1.

Clean up. Start by pruning away branches that are diseased, damaged or dead. If there are any sprouts coming from the base of the trunk, prune those out too. These are known as suckers and they originate from the rootstock rather than the fruiting tree grafted onto it.

Jul 24, Other apple tree maintenance includes protecting the trunk from rodents. Wrap the trunk from the ground level up 3 feet (1 m.) with wire netting or plastic. Should you prune apples in winter?

Don’t consider pruning in early winter since this increases the risk of winter injury. Instead, wait to prune apples in winter until at least February or bushcutting.barted Reading Time: 3 mins.