trees

Pruning an apple tree is a critical part of its maintenance and fruit production. The optimal time to prune an apple tree is during the dormant season, typically in late winter or early spring before new growth starts. This timing minimizes the risk of pest infestations and disease and allows for a clear view of the tree’s structure. The primary goal of pruning is to promote the tree's health, encourage the growth of strong fruit-bearing branches, and improve sunlight penetration and air circulation within the canopy. A well-pruned apple tree has a balanced shape and is not overcrowded with branches. Here are steps and tips for effective pruning: Safety First: Wear protective gear such as gloves and safety glasses. Use clean, sharp tools like pruning shears, loppers, and a pruning saw. Remove Damaged Wood: Start by removing all dead, diseased, or damaged branches. This helps prevent insect infestations and diseases from spreading. Thin Out Crowded Areas: Look for areas where branches are growing too close together, blocking light and air. Remove some of these branches to open up the canopy. Prune for Shape and Strength: Cut back branches that are growing inward or downward. Focus on maintaining a central leader (the main upward-growing branch) and several strong lateral branches that form the tree's scaffold. Encourage Fruit Spurs: Fruit spurs are short, stubby branches where apple blossoms and fruit develop. Lightly prune these areas to encourage fruit production. Control Height: If the tree is too tall, reduce its height by cutting back the central leader to a lower lateral branch. This makes harvesting easier and ensures the tree isn’t top-heavy. Mind the Bud Directions: When making cuts, consider the direction the new growth will take. Cut just above a bud facing the direction you want the branch to grow. Avoid Over-Pruning: Do not remove more than about a quarter of the tree's total volume in one season. Over-pruning can stress the tree and reduce fruit yield. Clean Up: After pruning, clean up fallen debris from around the tree to prevent the spread of pests and diseases. Fertilize and Water: Post-pruning, give the tree a boost with appropriate fertilization and ensure it gets adequate water to support new growth. Following these steps can significantly improve the health and productivity of your apple tree. Remember, annual pruning is key to maintaining a strong structure, preventing disease, and ensuring abundant fruit harvests. Keep in mind that each tree is unique, so tailor your approach based on the specific needs and growth patterns of your tree. Arundel Arboretum has a very wide selection of Apple Tree available at the nursery and for delivery, check out our stock.

Flowering Crab Apple trees (Malus) are very worthy of consideration for any garden if you are looking to plant a deciduous tree with lots of year-round interest. Here at Arundel Arboretum, one of the leading Sussex Garden Centres, we have an excellent selection to choose from. With the onset of spring, the leaves emerge and their flower buds open to reveal beautiful fragrant blossom in colours that range from white, pale pink or red. The flowers are eventually replaced with small fruits, which are very popular with wildlife! As the seasons move into autumn, you will be rewarded with some vibrant colours of reds, oranges and yellows before the leaves finally drop. Subject to weather conditions, you may find that the fruits will last well into the winter. Crab Apple trees are relatively low maintenance, so they can make an ideal choice if time is of a premium for you. Apart from regular watering – vital during first two years or so – maintenance is likely to be just occasional pruning and removing any suckers that appear at the base of the tree. There are many varieties of Crab Apple trees to choose from and in order to help make the right choice, you may like to consider the following points:- Size – how much space have you got? Always consider its final height as well as its width. Shape – the shape of a Crab Apple can be upright, round, narrow, spreading or semi-weeping. Consideration of the shape is important so that it complements your existing trees and shrubs. Fruit – if you would like the fruits to last well into the winter you would need to purchase a variety that is likely to hold its fruit for this timescale. Our Crab Apple trees are looking stunning now with an abundance of fruits. If you are considering the purchase of a Crab Apple tree, here are five varieties to consider to help make your decision:- Malus ‘White Star’ Malus ‘White Star’ is a medium sized deciduous tree, with an upright and spreading habit. It also has a fast growth rate. As spring emerges, it produces masses of white, star-shaped flowers. In autumn, medium-sized golden\russet crab apples appear which can stay on the tree until early winter.  The fruits are a good source of food for wildlife. Malus ‘Direktoer Moerland’ Malus ‘Direktoer Moerland’ is a small deciduous crab apple. It produces wine-red flowers in April and May, and these are slightly fragrant. The young foliage appears a shiny coppery-crimson. In the autumn, the dark red fruits will appear. This variety of crab apple is a very good disease resistant tree. Malus x robusta ‘Red Sentinel’ Malus x robusta ‘Red Sentinel’ is a medium-sized tree.  In the spring, it produces fragrant, single white flowers that are followed in the autumn with clusters of cherry-like deep, glossy red fruits that will last well into the winter. Malus x robusta ‘Red Sentinel’ can be planted in full sun or partial shade. It does prefer a well drained soil. Malus ‘Evereste’ Malus ‘Evereste’ is a small deciduous crab apple, which is broadly conical in shape. In springtime, large soft pink to white flowers emerge from its scarlet buds. Its dark green leaves turn yellow in the autumn. The yellow-orange fruits can be used for culinary purposes and can often last on the trees until after Christmas.  Malus ‘Evereste’ is an excellent choice for wildlife – and is a real hit with the bees! Malus ‘Van Eseltine’ Malus ‘Van Eseltine’ is an upright variety of crab apple with glossy green foliage. In spring double pink flowers emerge from its red buds. Small red fruits which are tinged yellow appear in autumn. It will grow happily in full sun or partial shade. Malus floribunda / Japanese Crab Apple Malus floribunda is a small deciduous tree with a rounded head. It has narrow leaves and arching branches. Its white or pale pink flowers emerge from crimson buds in late spring. These are followed by small yellow\red fruits. Malus ‘Golden Hornet’ / Crab apple Malus ‘Golden Hornet’ is a deciduous Crab Apple with an upright growth habit. In late spring, a mass of pink flushed white flowers appear. These are followed in the autumn by a profusion of bright yellow crab apples which can remain for many weeks. Its dark green leaves turn a rich yellow before they fall. Malus x moerlandsii ‘Profusion’ / Crab Apple Malus x moerlandsii ‘Profusion’ is a small-medium size deciduous, spreading Crab apple with coppery young foliage, which turns bronze-green in the autumn.  Malus x moerlandsii ‘Profusion’ has dark purple-pink flowers in late spring.  These are followed by reddish-purple fruits in autumn.  It tolerates pollution well, and is therefore suitable for rural and urban gardens.