How to prune an apple tree
Regular pruning of an apple tree is a good precondition for a bountiful harvest. Find out what matters in this task.
05.03.2025
Overview: Pruning an apple tree
- Late winter is considered the ideal time for pruning
- A sharp, high-quality tool is perfect for pruning
- The right pruning approach is dependent on the age of the apple tree
- Young apple trees need more intensive and frequent pruning
- Pruning is important for vitality, tree health and a good harvest
To prune an apple tree, you need sharp, high-quality tools so that branches are not crushed or torn during cutting.
For smaller apple tree pruning jobs, secateurs are sufficient, while for larger pruning tasks pruning shears or STIHL GTA 26 battery-powered garden pruners are also suitable.
You should prune an apple tree by February or March, before the apple tree buds break into growth. Please note that the Federal Nature Conservation Act does not permit any major work on trees between 1 March and 30 September.
Simple maintenance pruning is permitted all year round, as long as no birds are nesting in the apple tree.
Young apple trees should be pruned once a year to support their development. For established apple trees, a rejuvenation cut at intervals of 3 to 4 years is sufficient.
You should remove all strongly growing, upright long shoots when pruning the apple tree, to prevent the crown from splitting.
On an apple tree water shoots, also known as water sprouts, should be pruned in mid-May. Spring is the perfect time to remove water shoots, as they are not yet hard and woody. You can recognise water shoots by the fact that they are thin and grow vertically.
How dramatically you should prune an apple tree depends on the age of the tree. You can prune younger trees more enthusiastically, as they will quickly regrow again.
Established trees need a bit more restraint, though regular thinning is recommended for them too.
If you do not prune your apple tree, you impair its growth and vitality. Without pruning, too little light permeates the crown, which can have a negative impact on the quality of your apple harvest. In addition, it means there is a higher risk of pests and broken branches.
Pruning your apple tree ensures that lower branches are also supplied with light and oxygen, which benefits the tree’s vitality and ensures a rich fruit harvest.
It also removes the strain from old or sick branches. Speaking of sick branches: pruning also reduces the occurrence of tree diseases and pests.
Pruning an apple tree – when is best?
Winter is a good time to prune an apple tree (malus domestica). The sap which has withdrawn into the roots will flow back into the branches in spring and allow the apple tree to put out new growth.
So if you prune your apple tree in winter, the cutting sites will heal well and you minimise the risk of tree diseases. However, make sure that it is not colder than -4°C. Special care must be taken when pruning a young apple tree in autumn or winter, as the wood is still particularly susceptible to severe frost.
Not only botanical but also legal considerations should be taken into account when pruning an apple tree. From this perspective too, winter is best. The Federal Nature Conservation Act (Section 39 BNatSchG) prohibits radical pruning of hedges and woody plants between March 1 and September 30. However, small shaping and maintenance cuts are still permitted as long as no birds are nesting in your apple tree.
A blooming orchard provides food for many insects.
If you want to prune your apple tree in spring, it is best to choose an early date in March, before buds break for the new growth season. Please note, however, that under the Federal Nature Conservation Act heavy pruning is not permitted from 1 March.
If you also want to prune your apple tree during your summer gardening, strongly growing trees will tolerate a maintenance cut at the end of June, which gives the apple tree time to heal well afterwards.
Here’s an overview of when it is best to prune your apple tree:
| Time of year | Pruning recommendation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Yes | Always before bud break, March at the latest |
| Summer | If necessary | Only for strongly growing trees |
| Autumn | Yes | Late autumn in November/December |
| Winter | Yes | Preferably not during severe frosts below -4°C |
Find out the right time for pruning other fruit tree species; don’t miss our pruning calendar for your garden year.
Pruning an apple tree: The right tool and accessories
To prune an apple tree correctly, you should first have the right tree care tools and suitable protective equipment ready. A sharp, high-quality tool is especially important, as it makes your work easier and does not cause permanent damage to the tree.
In order to avoid crushing or tearing branches when pruning an apple tree, high-quality tools are essential. As well as pruning shears, the GTA 26 battery-powered garden pruner is ideal for pruning an apple tree – it is ergonomic to use and delivers a clean cut.
Generally speaking, it is better to use hand tools and a stable ladder rather than telescopic tools, as you will have more control over the cut and can more easily achieve a precise result.
Working with high-performance power tools is fun and allows you to broaden your skills, which is great if you can rely on effective and safe protective clothing.
Always wear your personal protective equipment when working with STIHL power tools. Find out more in the owners manuals for your product. Before using your power tool for the first time, fully familiarise yourself with it and ensure that it is in flawless condition before each use.
On request, your STIHL dealer will be happy to prepare your power tool for its first job, and will also advise you on models and sizes of protective clothing that you can try on at your leisure. Please remember that personal protective equipment is no substitute for safe working.
Initial pruning: The right support for young apple trees
Initial pruning is for defining the future shape of a young apple tree. Initial pruning affects the root and crown area of your apple tree. This creates the optimal growth conditions for your apple tree and supports the tree to grow on as soon as it is planted. The following must be observed:
- In addition to the central stem (leader), select 3 to 4 strong, well-distributed side branches that protrude from the trunk of the apple tree ideally at a 45-degree angle.
- Proceed with apple tree pruning by now removing all the other branches, as the selected supporting branches are sufficient.
- This will later become a pyramid-shaped crown. The benefit: lower branches also get enough sunlight.
Development pruning: Cutting back young apple trees
You should continue development pruning of the apple tree until your apple tree has reached the desired crown height – on average, this takes about 5 to 6 years.
For a pillar apple tree – a compact, narrow, tree for a small garden – development pruning should be done for the first 3 years. And this is how to carry out development pruning:
- When pruning your apple tree, you should cut back the leader and branches by up to one third. This will encourage nice branching.
- You should cut the side shoots which emerge from the trunk in such a way that they end at the same height. This enables the fruits to develop well.
- Remember: the more mature the tree, the less intensively you need to prune it.
Maintenance pruning: Thinning an established apple tree
Maintenance pruning of apple trees is intended to maintain the vitality of a mature, fruit-bearing apple tree.
The focus here is on thinning the crown to correctly handle the fruiting wood, in other words the subordinate shoots of the apple tree crown that carry flowers and fruit. Here is an overview of the most important information:
- During maintenance pruning of established apple trees, remove all too-dense growth.
- Remove the water shoots – thin, vertical shoots, also known as water sprouts. The same applies for strongly downward-growing stems, for a neat pruning result on your apple tree.
- Pillar trees are pruned annually; for larger, established apple trees, pruning every 2-3 years is sufficient.
Rejuvenation pruning: Pruning an old apple tree
You can give revitalise old trees with a dramatic rejuvenation cut. However, it is essential to adhere to the hedge and shrub pruning ban under the Federal Nature Conservation Act, which prohibits radical pruning between the beginning of March and the end of September.
The following points are also important when pruning an old apple tree:
- Thin the crown thoroughly and remove any branches that are very bent or threatening to break off.
- In particular remove old, withered growth. Possible indications that your tree is in need of renovation are small fruits and a conspicuously dense crown.
- If it seems like renovation is necessary, it is a good idea to radically cut back your old apple tree to encourage fresh new growth.
