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Thread: Apple Tree question

  1. #1
    VIP Member! MountainGirl's Avatar
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    Apple Tree question

    Three years ago this fall we planted a couple apple trees, knowing it would take a few years before they'd produce.
    Two years ago, deer pretty much stripped them.. but they flowered a little and we got 3 apples...
    Last winter - the deer stayed away, all looked pretty good, tons of flowers this spring, and now -

    OMG! It's loaded! And even small I can tell they're gonna pull the young branches down when they get bigger.
    Are we supposed to remove some of the apples before something happens or just let it do whatever it's gonna do?

    See how skinny the branch is? That's up in the middle of the tree; there are at least 20 little apples hanging on the end of that one and more on the same branch up towards the trunk!

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Yes, this is my first fruit tree. I don't know squat about this and Tom doesn't either.

    We probably should have removed the lowest branches, those are already hanging just 6" from the ground, and we'll do that late fall -

    ALL thoughts/ideas welcome. Thanks!

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    You needn't worry, . . . unless you have a 200 lb gorilla dog guarding the tree . . . the deer will find it . . . strip it . . . and not even say thank you.

    I'm seriously thinking of cutting all mine down for that reason.

    May God bless,
    Dwight
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    Don't get too close, I bite! Innkeeper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dwight55 View Post
    You needn't worry, . . . unless you have a 200 lb gorilla dog guarding the tree . . . the deer will find it . . . strip it . . . and not even say thank you.

    I'm seriously thinking of cutting all mine down for that reason.

    May God bless,
    Dwight
    Just sit out there and shoot the deer as they come in......bait on the branch.

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    Back-straps ?

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    6" off the ground? The rabbits, and other rodents will love you. The deer will take the higher stuff.

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  11. #6
    I know the local apple orchard cuts the tops off their trees so they get thicker and not so tall, makes apple picking much easier, just a thought...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ricekila View Post
    Back-straps ?
    If by that you mean some way to support the branches.. we might be able to support from below, with forked stakes. Hmmm...

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    Quote Originally Posted by shootbrownelk View Post
    6" off the ground? The rabbits, and other rodents will love you. The deer will take the higher stuff.
    Yeah - those branches are 18" off the ground where they attach to the trunk..the weight of what's on them now are pulling them down. I dont think we should prune the tree now - but I might clip off all the apples on those lower branches, just to keep the ground rats away. Do you think that would be a good idea?

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    VIP Member! MountainGirl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rstanek View Post
    I know the local apple orchard cuts the tops off their trees so they get thicker and not so tall, makes apple picking much easier, just a thought...
    Good idea, lots of pruning to do this fall. Thanks!

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  18. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Innkeeper View Post
    Just sit out there and shoot the deer as they come in......bait on the branch.

    Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
    Well now that's an idea too!

    I'm not as worried about deer coming up to eat as I am about the weight of the apples (if I do nothing) stripping out the limbs. And I dont think the deer will help me out with judicious thinning, lol.

    I just wanna harvest some apples...and not lose the tree.

    If you guys think I'm worried for nothing - ffs let me know!

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