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Pruning - possible rejuvenation of Tip Bearing Apple Tree (Tompkins King) #859693

Asked February 22, 2024, 11:41 PM EST

Is there a guide available for rejuvenating a tip-bearing apple tree? I have a Tompkins King Apple Tree that I'm wondering if it could be rejuvenated to keep the fruit lower, but I don't find anything specifically for tip-bearing apple trees. It is currently 16 to 18 ft tall, and is at least 40 yrs old. It has been pruned most every year that I've been here (29 years) so is in fairly good shape. However, there is quite a bit of old wood on the tree, and the North side of the tree doesn't ripen many fruit - the fruit that ripens the best is that where the height of the tree peaks above the shed and house roofs. The base of the trunk is about 8 ft from the foundation on the North side of my single-story house, and about 5.5 ft from the North-West side of a roughly 12' high shed. It does have a slight lean away from both structures. Am I dreaming that I can get and keep the fruit lower? It frequently produces close to 200 lbs of fruit, except in an off year which happens maybe every 5 to 7 yrs apart. I don't really need that many apples, and I am getting to the age where I don't really relish harvesting using ladders and climbing into the tree any more.

My other concern is that if I shortened it, I might not get any really nicely ripened fruit, since it is so close to the structures.

If you don't have a guide for rejuvenating, then a guide, or at least a bulleted list, for pruning tip-bearing apple trees would be most welcomed. I've mostly hired the pruning out, but I'd like to try to do it myself this year, especially since the person who has pruned the last two years leaves a lot of stubs, and I see a lot of newer growth growing towards the inside of the tree, so they haven't pruned to an outward facing bud.

Feel free to give me any other advise regarding tip bearers.

Thanks,

Kim

Lane County Oregon

Expert Response

To lower the height of the tree, you will want to do it in stages over a 2-3 year period. You can follow the directions for lowering the height outlined in this publication: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-1005-pruning-restore-old-neglected-apple-tree and here: https://ipm.missouri.edu/meg/2021/1/neglectedAppleRehab-MW/. For tip bearing apples, the same rules of pruning apply. Always remove the 3 D's (dead, diseased and damaged wood) and remove crossing branches. Remove any shoots growing downward or into the center of the tree, and remove the watersprouts growing straight up, they will only produce vegetagive growth and shade out everything below it. For tip-bearing varieties, the fruiting buds are at the tips of the shoots that were produced last year, so you will want to leave as many of these shoots as possible. Therefore, make thinning cuts to open up the tree and reduce some of the excess growth, but avoid heading cuts that would remove the fruiting spurs on the tips of the shoots.
Erica Chernoh Assistant Professor of Practice Community and Commercial Horticulture OSU Extension Lane County Replied February 26, 2024, 7:36 PM EST

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