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daniel

daniel.donnellydaniel.donnelly Posts: 5
in Fruit & veg
Hi this is my first post and not sure if it is the right place for this or not. Anyway if its not, my apologies. So I have a mature James Grieve apple tree and as I was not sure or to be honest feart to do it my self, (so for want of a better word) I got a so called professional tree surgeon to prune and take it back as it was meant to be on a dwarf stock root sorry I digress to cut a long story short he came and done it when I was out and he certainly cut the tree back I was shocked and upset at the state of the tree. I asked him to take it back in height by one quarter he took it back by three quarter's or more with a chainsaw totally butchered it. When it started to grow back the new growth was as strait as a rule, and not strong, and now I think my tree has brown rot as the fruit all of it has dark ugly cracks and splits all over, it also now has canker. Should I just cut the tree down and burn it or is it saveable he did the same thing to my pear tree as well, also with similar results. I Cant publish photos at the moment. So can anyone help with this before I cut the tree down oh I did get wonderful fruit before this was done. 
Thank you
Daniel  

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 9,875
    I can't give any specific advice Daniel, but I had a similar experience 3 years ago.
    I have a Katy on dwarf rootstock about 8ft high and 8-10ft wide she's been there for 20yrs+. I had some landscaping done and they butchered it in a similar manner to yours.
    It sulked for 2 seasons but is laden with apples again this year.
    The long straight shoots are known as water shoots and can be pruned back hard at this time of year, but if your tree has already had a major shock, it may be safer to prune next year.
    I'm no expert on pruning apples, so see what others think
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • daniel.donnellydaniel.donnelly Posts: 5
    Thank you for your answer much appreciated
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Derbyshire but with a Nottinghamshire postcode. Posts: 16,473
    It should recover as long as it has not been cut below the main graft.  If it has you get the rootstock  fruiting instead of the top graft.
  • daniel.donnellydaniel.donnelly Posts: 5
    hi thanks for your advice no its above the graft but it has gone way beyond dwarf stage again so when would I be able to start the hard pruning I mean not to hard but there is a number of dieback branches
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 82,286
    I think we need to see photos in order to offer useful advice. 
    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • chickychicky SurreyPosts: 10,300
    You can take any branches that have died back off immediately- that will stop any disease spreading, and is good housekeeping rather than pruning.

    Other than that, i agree with Pete that you should leave it alone for this year, given the shock it has had.  Then in midsummer next year you can start pruning the watershoots, choosing some to become the new framework of the tree and taking the others back quite hard.
  • daniel.donnellydaniel.donnelly Posts: 5
    Again I am grateful for all the advice I am receiving and I will take photos as soon as the weather permits I am on the west coast of Scotland and it has been chucking it down for ever well that's what it seems like but today is meant to be a bit drier so I will try to do it between showers   
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 9,875
    With apples, prune in the summer to control growth and prune in the winter to encourage growth.

    I found these instructions which I what I follow for my dwarf apple Katy -
    (I can't remember where I copied this from)-

    Every Summer the branch leaders should be pruned to approximately 5 inches and all side laterals to 3 or 4 leaves. Any sub laterals (those growing from the side laterals) should be pruned to 2 leaves.
    From now the intention should be to retain the pyramid shape by close pruning and removal of any over vigorous shoots. Dwarf pyramids are easy to manage and all pruning is at a convenient height. The best form for the smaller modern gardens.

    Winter pruning - 
    THE THIRD WINTER AND SUBSEQUENT PRUNING. Once again cut back the central leader to about 9 inches ensuring you prune to a bud on the opposite side to the previous Winter. Once the tree has reached the required height of about 7 feet, the leader should not be pruned in Winter but cut back to its origin in Summer. If the growth is vigorous, this can be done in May and further shortened in August.
    This is also the time to completely remove any unwanted branches.
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • daniel.donnellydaniel.donnelly Posts: 5
    WOW Pete.8 thanks for all those instructions, I haven't a clue what they all meant but I will figure it out so again thanks
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