Although frost got lots of our Mac Intosch apples, we still appear to have plenty. If so, there will be a good time had this fall making cider!
Maybe you can help me with this. I have to old and neglected apple trees in my yard. Have you ever heard or seen anyone coppice one and will it work? I cut one down that was in the way of my garden and a ton of new shoots grew from the stump until I got around to digging it out.
I have people already asking if we'll have cider this year! I tell them to keep their eye open for apples and get them!
Never done it so not able to help on this one. I know we've had trees that would not bear fruit so really trimmed them a lot and it shocked them into producing again.
Hard pruning will bring them back to productivity but its the wrong time of year for it. The uglier the apple tree the better they produce - all about opening up space with pruning
Do you make your own cider? might have missed the thead That was my dream in younger days, grow an orchard kick back and press cider for sipping on the front porch, this area I'm in isn't conducive to apples unfortunately
I was going to wait until dormant to prune. I cut them back pretty hard the first year we moved in. They haven't produced since we've been here though. The people we bought the place from said it had been a while since they had.
I had one tree that was way overgrown and didn't produce. I butchered it back to just the trunk and a few main branches about 3 years ago. This year it is loaded down with apples. Can't wait to make cider.
We have since put a motor on it for the grinder. Spinning that flywheel was doing a bad job on the shoulders. A neighbor and I went together and purchased the cast parts and the plans. We then cut out the wood, stained it and assembled. We've made many gallons of cider with it since and plan on making many more.
By all means, wait until they are dormant. Usually any time from December through March will work well, at least in our area. The problem of pruning when not dormant is that it will draw bugs to the cut off place and that is not good for the trees. In addition, pay attention to what is needed for cross pollination.
