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Week 23 on line part 2

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This document provides information on tree forms, pruning, training, and feeding of top fruit trees. It discusses unrestricted tree forms that are winter pruned versus restricted forms like espaliers that are summer pruned. Restricted forms have advantages like earlier fruiting and fitting in small spaces but require more skilled pruning. The document provides details on winter and summer pruning techniques for different tree forms and varieties. It also covers pruning for yield and thinning fruit as well as feeding requirements for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium.

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RHS Level 2 Certificate WEEK 23 ON LINE LESSON- TOP FRUIT PART 2 TREE FORMS, PRUNING, TRAINING AND FEEDING
Top Fruit Tree Forms Unrestricted – standard and half standard and bush forms. These are grown on semi-dwarfing or vigorous root stocks, winter pruned (except for Plums which are only pruned in Summer) Restricted – espalier, cordon, fan. Grown on dwarfing or semi- dwarfing rootstocks and summer pruned.
Advantages and disadvantages of restricted forms Advantages: Fruit earlier than unrestricted forms. More fruit/more varieties for less space. Easier to spray and harvest. Will fit into small spaces. Disadvantages: Grown on dwarfing stocks that need better soil and tolerate drought less well. Need more skill to prune. Tip bearing varieties of apple cannot be grown in this way.
Pruning - winter Winter pruning is used for unrestricted tree forms. It promotes growth and encourages fruit buds to form. Apples and pears (spur fruiting). Reduce new growth on branch leaders by 1/3. Prune laterals to 3-4 buds. Thin spurs if too congested. Remove unproductive shoots and water shoots and any dead, diseased or crossing wood. Can you throw your hat through the tree? Tip bearing apples – reduce branch leaders as before. Leave laterals that have fruit buds at the tip. Prune any others to 3-4 buds from the base of the new growth to encourage fruiting laterals to develop. Remove dead, diseased etc wood as before.
Pruning - Summer Used to prune top fruit grown in restricted forms – cordons, espaliers, fans etc. Plums grown as trees are also pruned in summer. Apples and pears in restricted forms. Shorten leaders to 2-3cm new growth. Prune laterals to 3 buds. Thin spurs. Remove any shoots that are growing the ‘wrong way’ e.g. into the wall. Plums – tree forms. Remove dead, diseased and crossing wood and prune as necessary to control size by removing branches. Plums – Fans. Prune as for restricted apples.
Pruning for yield Pruning apples and pears encourages fruit bud formation. Winter pruning of trees reduces fungal disease and prevents fruit being shaded. Spur reduction – to ensure that fruits are not overcrowded and to give larger fruit. Fruit thinning – two stages until two to three well spaced fruit left per cluster. Fewer but larger fruit produced.
Feeding Nitrogen – encourages leafy growth. Limited requirement unless on dwarf stock in restricted form. Phosphorous – promotes root development and cold hardiness. Some supplementation required. Potassium – promotes fruit formation. Likely to need feeding in winter by applying Sulphate of Potash or wood ash to the base of each tree. Do not overdose. Calcium – deficiency causes Bitter Pit in apples and pears. Applied in liquid form as a foliar feed.

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Week 23 on line part 2

  • 1. RHS Level 2 Certificate WEEK 23 ON LINE LESSON- TOP FRUIT PART 2 TREE FORMS, PRUNING, TRAINING AND FEEDING
  • 2. Top Fruit Tree Forms Unrestricted – standard and half standard and bush forms. These are grown on semi-dwarfing or vigorous root stocks, winter pruned (except for Plums which are only pruned in Summer) Restricted – espalier, cordon, fan. Grown on dwarfing or semi- dwarfing rootstocks and summer pruned.
  • 3. Advantages and disadvantages of restricted forms Advantages: Fruit earlier than unrestricted forms. More fruit/more varieties for less space. Easier to spray and harvest. Will fit into small spaces. Disadvantages: Grown on dwarfing stocks that need better soil and tolerate drought less well. Need more skill to prune. Tip bearing varieties of apple cannot be grown in this way.
  • 4. Pruning - winter Winter pruning is used for unrestricted tree forms. It promotes growth and encourages fruit buds to form. Apples and pears (spur fruiting). Reduce new growth on branch leaders by 1/3. Prune laterals to 3-4 buds. Thin spurs if too congested. Remove unproductive shoots and water shoots and any dead, diseased or crossing wood. Can you throw your hat through the tree? Tip bearing apples – reduce branch leaders as before. Leave laterals that have fruit buds at the tip. Prune any others to 3-4 buds from the base of the new growth to encourage fruiting laterals to develop. Remove dead, diseased etc wood as before.
  • 5. Pruning - Summer Used to prune top fruit grown in restricted forms – cordons, espaliers, fans etc. Plums grown as trees are also pruned in summer. Apples and pears in restricted forms. Shorten leaders to 2-3cm new growth. Prune laterals to 3 buds. Thin spurs. Remove any shoots that are growing the ‘wrong way’ e.g. into the wall. Plums – tree forms. Remove dead, diseased and crossing wood and prune as necessary to control size by removing branches. Plums – Fans. Prune as for restricted apples.
  • 6. Pruning for yield Pruning apples and pears encourages fruit bud formation. Winter pruning of trees reduces fungal disease and prevents fruit being shaded. Spur reduction – to ensure that fruits are not overcrowded and to give larger fruit. Fruit thinning – two stages until two to three well spaced fruit left per cluster. Fewer but larger fruit produced.
  • 7. Feeding Nitrogen – encourages leafy growth. Limited requirement unless on dwarf stock in restricted form. Phosphorous – promotes root development and cold hardiness. Some supplementation required. Potassium – promotes fruit formation. Likely to need feeding in winter by applying Sulphate of Potash or wood ash to the base of each tree. Do not overdose. Calcium – deficiency causes Bitter Pit in apples and pears. Applied in liquid form as a foliar feed.

Editor's Notes

  1. View Top Fruit diagrams handout for examples of restricted forms.
  2. Dwarfing root stocks are essentially apples with relatively weak root systems. The weakness means that the grafted cultivar’s size is controlled. The downside is that the smaller, weaker root system is more susceptible to drought and requires better soil conditions as the feeding roots are less extensive.
  3. Over enthusiastic winter pruning may lead to excessive growth of poor woody shoots and an unbalanced tree. ‘Growth follows the knife’.