Apple tree questions..........

I have an old Apple tree in need of some serious heavy duty trimming. The two major branches that need to go look rather deseased (sorry for my lousey spelling -- bear with me) , they are intertwinned with a few other 'good' looking major branches. I have started and will continue getting all the smaller branches out of the way but........since the two bad looking major branches look so bad should I (1)stop my trimming and hire a tree cutter to cut it down? (2)Or shall I try to save it?

The two major 'bad' branches look like the bark is nearly gone (one seems to be a portion of the trunk)
The apples look almost as bad in the fall (yuck!)
(3) If I save this tree how do I go about getting healthy, clean looking apples?

Thanks, Jill

Jill, most old fruit trees begin to look like that eventually, but apples and pears are more resilient than others. I it still bears fruit, and you want the fruit, and it doesn't make your yard look grotesque, just take out all the dead wood and sucker growth and see what's left. Maybe it will hang around for another couple of decades.

Since you're in Des Moines, ask the folks up at Iowa State if they have some guidelines for managing fruit trees in cental Iowa. You might look at the crabapple collection at Waterworks Park to see how they prune (crabapples are basically just apples with small fruit).

As for the fruit quality, if you want perfect apples you just about have to spray. There are too many insects and diseases that attack them to just hope for the best. But blemished apples still taste the same, and with no spray you have no collateral damage to beneficial insects and birds. Besides, apple worms add protein to your diet! ;-)

I'd also like to offer a plug for the Brenton Arboretum near Dallas Center. It's a new arboretum and I expect great things to happen there over the next few years. Take a short drive out there and look around.

Guy S.

Guy - thanks for the info , well taken, I think I would like to save it. It will need some 'major' trimming and may look a little funky with part of the trunk cut off but the other 1/2 looks fine all the way to the top. I've never sprayed apples, I think I heard (or read) that they actually need sprayed at the blossom stage and again a few times while growing as an apple. It made us some awsome Apple butter 2 years ago.

Jill, I found a website that might help with your pruning:
http://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/edmat/html/EC/EC1005/EC1005.html

This is a really old apple tree:

http://www.ci.vancouver.wa.us/parks-recreation/parks_trails/parks/west_vancouver/appletree.htm

Wow Betty, excellent web sites, especially the prunning web site, that's really a big help. I did'nt realize I could be that severe with the tree until I saw the Instructions. I think now I'll buy one of those telescoping saw pruners and get some of the branches my self and I'll have some one come in and cut 2 of the big parts of this tree out. Some of the tree branches are actually resting right on top of our garage. Thanks Betty, Jill