Pillar fruit has been growing in popularity for a number of years. Due to the low growth and the lack of a crown, such a tree fits into even the smallest garden. In addition, the narrow trees have another advantage: They have to be cut back much less and less frequently than their normal-growing cousins.

Contrary to expectations, the columnar apple rarely needs to be pruned

Pillar apple requires only a few pruning measures

A columnar apple tree typically has a strong central shoot from which short side shoots branch off. These can often flower and bear fruit in the second year - also in contrast to conventional apple trees, which usually take much longer to do so. The characteristic growth is narrow and columnar. However, if a longer side shoot forms, you should remove it directly from the central shoot without stubs. If a residue remains, the tree will sprout again at this point and often even stronger.

Shorten the side shoots and the best time

As a rule, it is not necessary to shorten the central shoot in the first six to eight years after planting. Only the side shoots, which you cut back to ten to fifteen centimeters, have to be shortened. It is best to do this work in the second half of June, as this is the time when growth is easiest to slow down and more flower buds are then created.

Shortening of the center drive

After about eight to ten years, it can happen that the columnar apple gradually grows too tall. Now you can derive its peak, i.e. H. cut them back above a side branch. This measure should be taken towards the end of August at the earliest, so that no new sprouting occurs this year. If possible, do not let columnar apples grow in multiple shoots, as this is often at the expense of fruit quantity and quality.

thinning of the fruit

All columnar apple varieties have a strong tendency towards alternation, i. H. they do not produce fruit every year. If a year was particularly productive and you were able to harvest an unusually large number of apples, there will probably be none the following year. The reason lies in the limited energy reserves of the tree: if too many fruits ripen (e.g. on several shoots), the columnar apple no longer has any energy for the development of the flowers for the coming year - these are already in place at the time the fruit develops. However, there is a way to prevent this phenomenon: Thin out the excess fruit by the beginning of June at the latest so that the remaining ones can ripen better and the tree has sufficient reserves.

tips

Columnar apples cultivated in pots are transferred to a larger container about every three to five years or, if they are fully grown, simply potted into fresh substrate and cut back immediately.

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Trees