When and how do you prune apple trees?
By Service Plus Stockholm AB3 min read
Short answer
When and how should an apple tree be pruned?
Apple trees are best pruned during the JAS period, July to September, when the cuts heal quickly and the tree does not send out water shoots. Remove dead, crossing and inward-growing branches, open up the crown to light, and never remove more than a quarter of the branch mass per year. Young trees can also be pruned in March.
Why JAS pruning instead of spring pruning?
In July, August and September the tree is fully active and heals cuts quickly, while at the same time the pruning dampens growth. That means fewer water shoots, the straight vertical shoots that spring up after hard spring pruning.
Spring pruning in March instead stimulates growth and suits young trees that are being shaped, or old trees that need new vigour. For an established tree in a house garden in Stockholm, late summer is almost always the right choice.
How to prune step by step
- Start with the three Ds: remove everything that is dead, damaged or diseased.
- Remove branches that cross or rub against each other, keeping the one that grows outwards.
- Remove inward-growing branches and water shoots so that light and air reach into the crown. The aim is for a bird to be able to fly through the tree.
- Shorten long branches back to an outward-facing side branch or bud, not to a stub.
- Cut just outside the branch collar, the small swelling at the base of the branch, without damaging it.
- Stop once you have removed about 20–25%. More than that stresses the tree.
Common mistakes
- Topping the tree straight across: this produces a broom of water shoots and poorer fruit.
- Leaving stubs: they rot inwards into the trunk.
- Pruning too hard in one year to make up for neglect: spread the renovation over three years instead.
- Using wound sealant: modern advice is against it, as the tree heals best without.
- Pruning plums and cherries in winter: stone fruit is pruned only in summer because of the risk of silver leaf.
When should you hire a pruner?
Trees over four metres, trees that have not been pruned in ten years and trees with large branches over roofs or power lines should be pruned by someone with the right equipment and knowledge of how the tree will react. A bad cut in a thick branch can cause rot that shortens the tree's life by decades.
Service Plus Stockholm AB prunes fruit trees across Greater Stockholm. Our pruning specialist Saxa makes a plan for the tree, prunes in the right order and can take the cuttings to recycling as an optional extra. Pruning qualifies for a RUT deduction (the Swedish tax deduction for household services) of up to 50% of the labour cost.
Common follow-up questions
Can you prune apple trees in October?
Yes, early October still works in Stockholm as long as it is frost-free, but the cuts heal more slowly than in August. Otherwise wait until March.
How often should an apple tree be pruned?
Every year, but lightly. A light annual pruning of 10–20% gives an even harvest and a tree that is easy to pick from. Every third year is enough for slow-growing trees.
Why am I getting no fruit after pruning?
Usually because the pruning was too hard, which makes the tree put its energy into new shoots instead of flower buds. Prune more lightly in the coming years and the harvest will return within one to two seasons.
