Normally, regular pruning is enough to give an apple tree stability as well as vitality. In particularly good harvest years, however, it may be necessary to additionally support branches that are heavily laden with fruit.

Support apple branches gently

In order not to damage the branches or the fruit on the apple tree, wooden supports are a good idea. You can easily make these yourself from the following materials:

  • Construction strips made of untreated wood
  • hammer
  • Nails of sufficient length
  • Hand or electric saw

Form T-shaped supports from the construction battens and fix them with the nails. Then insert the supports into the ground under heavy-bearing apple branches so that the heavily hung branch can rest on the support. Some raffia or foam protects the sensitive tree bark from abrasion in the wind. You can also fix the branch to the respective support with bast.

Support as a system and growth form

With a trellis of apple trees, the growth of the seedlings is deliberately controlled in such a way that the combination of pruning technique and tying results in a stable branch structure. Although the branches of a trellis tree are usually kept so short that twigs cannot break off under the weight of a rich harvest, the taut cross wires also unfold their supporting effect on the trellis.

Supporting a crooked apple tree

Sometimes wind damage or years of neglected winter and summer pruning can cause older apple trees to become crooked. In such a case you should try to rejuvenate the tree with a pruning. If this is not possible for various reasons, a T-support or a wooden stake can give the tree stability against further wind damage.

tips and tricks

A young apple tree should not initially need any supports with the appropriate topiary. However, the seedling can be attached to a stable wooden stake with bast and thus protected from the effects of wind and weather during the growth phase after planting.

Category:

Trees