TREE PORTFOLIO
You're probably wondering, "What does it look like when this guy works on my fruit trees?"
Obviously, functionality is the primary objective. We want your tree to do its job, but having one that is nice to look at year round is also important to some home-orchardists. In many cases, pruning can be as much of an art as a science. For that reason, we will pretend this page is an art gallery as you explore these examples of my craft.
Don't forget to try the wine. It's a lovely year.
Obviously, functionality is the primary objective. We want your tree to do its job, but having one that is nice to look at year round is also important to some home-orchardists. In many cases, pruning can be as much of an art as a science. For that reason, we will pretend this page is an art gallery as you explore these examples of my craft.
Don't forget to try the wine. It's a lovely year.
This is one of my early works. I call it, "Let Me Breathe."
This tree was one of a dozen I rescued that day. They were left untended for years. Undergrowth and vines had taken over, inhibiting the tree's ability to access sunlight in it's lower canopy. There were a lot of dead branches down low and, as a result, the tree started producing fruit exclusively in it's upper portions.
After the surrounding foliage was cleared, the interior growth of the tree was removed to provide airflow and sunlight to access the entire tree. When fruit trees are left neglected for years, they become somewhat "feral" and fail to produce consistently and tend to have a much shorter lifespan.
While this rescue almost certainly "shocked" the tree, meaning it could lose fruit production for the next season, it definitely was better for the overall health and longevity of the tree.
This tree was one of a dozen I rescued that day. They were left untended for years. Undergrowth and vines had taken over, inhibiting the tree's ability to access sunlight in it's lower canopy. There were a lot of dead branches down low and, as a result, the tree started producing fruit exclusively in it's upper portions.
After the surrounding foliage was cleared, the interior growth of the tree was removed to provide airflow and sunlight to access the entire tree. When fruit trees are left neglected for years, they become somewhat "feral" and fail to produce consistently and tend to have a much shorter lifespan.
While this rescue almost certainly "shocked" the tree, meaning it could lose fruit production for the next season, it definitely was better for the overall health and longevity of the tree.
This is an example of a tree that had been run over by a lawnmower in its early life. Fortunately, apple trees are very resilient creatures and can occasionally survive harsh conditions. I call this one, "Decapitation."
The trunk, when mowed over, still had the life in its root system to push back and grow. Where the blade split the trunk, the tree grew several new branches and became more of an "apple bush." While this was a pretty amazing consequence of an accident, our observational research has yet to support that a zero turn mower is a suitable tool for pruning fruit trees.
As you can see, the interior of the "apple bush" had to be cleared to create an open center, allowing sunlight and airflow. The lower branches were trimmed up to avoid fruit touching the ground and to prevent further destruction via lawnmower. Here, we combine the fundamentals of pruning for production, as well as offer improvements in functionality (ability to cut grass beneath the canopy.
The trunk, when mowed over, still had the life in its root system to push back and grow. Where the blade split the trunk, the tree grew several new branches and became more of an "apple bush." While this was a pretty amazing consequence of an accident, our observational research has yet to support that a zero turn mower is a suitable tool for pruning fruit trees.
As you can see, the interior of the "apple bush" had to be cleared to create an open center, allowing sunlight and airflow. The lower branches were trimmed up to avoid fruit touching the ground and to prevent further destruction via lawnmower. Here, we combine the fundamentals of pruning for production, as well as offer improvements in functionality (ability to cut grass beneath the canopy.
This tree had been pruned throughout its life, but changed ownership when its caretake passed away and was left unattended for 3-5 years. The basic canopy structure was competently crafted, but those "sucker" branches growing straight upward were beginning to take valuable energy from the tree. Once removed, it appeared that this tree had wings, so we can call this piece, "The Angel."
If left alone, this tree would continue skyward and produce fruit that was almost always out of reach. Eventually, the upper canopy would block the sunlight from reaching the lower branches and it would naturally start to shed those branches, perpetuating the growth of "out-of-reach" apples.
The ideal tier structure for a fruit tree is to have canopy growing in every direction. For a home-orchardist, it is often ideal for this canopy to begin four feet above the base and stay below ten feet high. This way, you can cut the grass without harming yourself (or the tree) and once you've trimmed, you can still easily reach the apples that it is producing for you.
If left alone, this tree would continue skyward and produce fruit that was almost always out of reach. Eventually, the upper canopy would block the sunlight from reaching the lower branches and it would naturally start to shed those branches, perpetuating the growth of "out-of-reach" apples.
The ideal tier structure for a fruit tree is to have canopy growing in every direction. For a home-orchardist, it is often ideal for this canopy to begin four feet above the base and stay below ten feet high. This way, you can cut the grass without harming yourself (or the tree) and once you've trimmed, you can still easily reach the apples that it is producing for you.
