Thursday, June 13, 2002

After 'stripping' - which was described in my 6/7/02 Weblog - the use of clothespins to develop wide (90 degree) and strong branch angles is the next most important young apple tree training technique you can accomplish. NOW is the ideal time to attach clothespins, when young shoots are 3-6 inches long and flexible. Clip spring-type clothespins to the tree trunk to force acute branch angles into a more perpendicular (90 degree) angle from the trunk. (See picture.) Take care not to tear the shoots from the trunk when affixing the clothespins. Clothespin all shoots with narrow crotch angles that may form permanent scaffold branches - usually 4-8 clothespins per tree are required. This is assuming you have already stripped (removed) the top few shoots competing with the leader as we described in last weeks newsletter. After several weeks, and when the new, wide branch angle is established, the clothespins may be removed and reattached out onto the shoot tip to help hold it down and keep it growing in a more horizontal position. Take the time to train young trees with clothespins now and you will be rewarded with wide scaffold branch crotch angles that will withstand a heavy fruit load for the life of the orchard. Note: this article also appears in the June 11, 2002 editions of Healthy Fruit and the Rutgers Plant & Pest Advisory, Fruit Edition. 10:52:49 AM