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Care & maintenance of elderly Bramley apple trees.

My daughter has inherited 2 very elderly, neglected but still productive, Bramley apple trees. I have got John Cushnie's 'How to Prune', but feel rather daunted by the task.

There is also a smaller, younger pear tree, of unknown variety which looks as if it's been pruned recently.

All tips/advice on their care gratefully received. J.

Posts

  • Pruning of very old apple trees is usually limited to removing dead and diseased wood.  If you find any dead branches, cut them back to healthy wood, and also remove any cankerous growth.  Here's the RHS advice on renovative pruning:

    http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=279

    If there isn't any dead wood, I'd be extremely tempted to do nothing.  One other idea might be to plant a new tree of another variety and graft some scions or buds from the old Bramley trees onto it.  RHS fruit tree grafting advice:

    http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=443

     

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • jo4eyesjo4eyes Posts: 2,058

    Thx for the links Bob.

    Have printed off the advice & shall have a good look at them next time I'm up there. Luckily I already use a good tree surgeon, so if I nec will contact him. J.

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