Question:

Greetings and Such

We have a very old pie apple tree. It produces very well, but needs some care. Prunning for example; when should I prune and how much should I prune? When the leaves fall off should I spray, if so, what kind of spray do I need? We live in zone 5…. I think, northern Utah.

Answer:

Hi There Apple Pie Tree Owner
Sounds like you have a wonderful old tree that just needs a little loving care.   Now is a really good time to prune.  Take off any branches that shoot straight up-they are water shoots and don’t produce fruit.  Also thinning the interior is a good idea.  You can also summer prune to get a nice shape.  There is lots of information out there  on line, at your local library or your local farm advisor on fruit tree pruning for more  precise information.

This is a good time to begin your dormant spray regiment,  usually three times a season, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine’s Day.  Dormant spray help prevent such things as codling moth and other fungal problems.  You might want to look at

Organic JMS Sytlet Oil which one of our most popular organic dormant sprays.   To find out more about dormant sprays look at our website or in our catalogue.

Take a look at this article for more information on dormant sprays.

Take a Look at these videos about pruning fruit trees here.

Happy Holidays

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