In our video, we show you how to tell apart the different types of shoots on an apple tree: water sprouts, short shoots, long shoots, and those that drive the tree’s strongest growth.
👉 Basic principle: Horizontal branches bear the best fruit. So the goal of pruning is to keep the crown wide, airy, and open to light.
❌ Remove vertical water sprouts – cut them close to the main branch. If you cut them too high, several new ones will appear next year.
✅ Horizontal water sprouts can stay – they can form part of the new crown.
❌ Remove long shoots that grow from short shoots.
✅ Preserve short shoots whenever possible, unless they grow upward too strongly.
❌ Remove any branches that shade short shoots.
❌ Don’t leave stubs!
💡 Tip: Seal all pruning wounds with tree wax to prevent disease.
The more short shoots, the more blossoms – and the more apples! But you decide: do you prefer a big tree with many small fruits, or a slimmer tree with fewer but larger apples?
✂️ Regular pruning keeps your apple tree healthy, prevents overgrowth, and ensures delicious, sun-ripened fruit.
📲 In the “Crops” section of our app, you’ll find a complete care and protection plan for apple trees – explained step by step.
