Restore a Forgotten Fruit Tree

[Adapted from The Woodland Homestead by Brett McLeod]

If you have a woodland orchard or just a couple of trees you’d like to restore, begin by clearing the area around your trees. Since the trees have likely been under shade for many years, it’s best to slowly introduce them to increasing levels of sunlight. Once a tree has been given a growing season to adjust to increased light conditions, you can take the following steps to restore it.

Note that on this tree the terminal fork was removed to encourage a lower crown, giving greater accessibility during the harvest.

  1. 1. Study the shape of the tree. Before you pull out your loppers and saw, take some time to study the shape of the tree or, more specifically, the shape that the tree could be, given the benefit of time and judicious pruning. Strive for creating a central leader and a shape that resembles a pyramid.
  2. 2. Remove water sprouts. Begin by removing any vertical branches or water sprouts. Water sprouts are vigorous vertical shoots that redirect nutrients from the rest of the tree, thereby discouraging fruit formation. Water sprouts can be pruned in summer to encourage the tree to focus its energy on fruit buds. Old vertical wood should also be removed to encourage a single central leader.
  3. 3. Remove branches that cross. Abrasions caused by rubbing are entry points for pests and disease. Additionally, remove any branches that double back into the center of the tree.
  4. 4. Remove lateral branches. If you’re intending to graze pigs or sheep in your woodland orchard to glean fallen fruit, consider pruning all lateral branches below 3 feet. This will help discourage climbing, which can break branches and damage the bark.
  5. 5. Repeat these steps over 2 to 3 years. To prevent shock, you must gradually prune trees that have been abandoned and forgotten.
  6. 6. Remove deadwood. After the immediate area around the tree has been cleared, you should remove any deadwood from your fruit tree. Unlike removing live wood, this doesn’t need to be done gradually; just make sure your cuts are clean and executed just outside the branch collar (the area of swollen bark where the branch meets its parent branch or the trunk), which will encourage callus tissue to develop, sealing over the wound. If you can, allow the tree a full growing season to adjust to the new light conditions and begin healing the wounds where deadwood was removed.