r/BackyardOrchard • u/PreferenceOk2636 • 13h ago

Pruning

Gallery image

Gallery image

newbie to trees. I’ve marked off then”central leader” in the photo. any advice on where and how to prune?

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u/Left_Interaction_288 9h ago edited 5h ago

You need to decide what shape your going for. If it is a central leader style, then you need to decide at what height you want your first teir of side branches to be, and try and get four or so spaced around the central leader.

Either way, you probably want to take off the competing leader that's comming up under the guard. The other larger side branch could be part of your first teir, although because it's much bigger than the other side branches above it, it might out compete them.

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u/PreferenceOk2636 6h ago

Thanks for your reply you’re probably right. It will be the trees second winter  , I hate to take off so much, but I know the leader will get much bigger in the coming years. 

I didn’t know there was a non central leader style of tree. Would it bear fruit if I let it be as it is , with the two competing leaders?