After this week, I'm a firm believer in pruning your apple tree! For YEARS I did not pick off those small quarter sized potential apples. They were too cute – they held so much potential – I always think I'm going to have the biggest crop of apples EVER. Then, last year happened. Remember the early Spring and late frost? The frost killed off all but three of my apples. But, they were the prettiest, cleanest, non-wormy apples I've ever grown in the 15 years I've had the apple tree. All the tree's defenses went into making those fruit the best fruit ever.
So I finally practiced what I preached and pruned my apple tree. When they were about the size of a nickel, I plucked off the apples so there was only one every six inches. Oh it was difficult. I poured a bucketful of baby apples into my compost pile. Ouch.
Now, as I looked at my apple tree this drizzly morning I'm happy that I pruned the tree. And, as I bit into my
yummy Haralson for breakfast, I wasn't worried about looking for half a worm. Are you now a believer? Will you prune your apple tree next year?
