Apple Tree Pruning. Appelboom Snoei

Let me start off by saying I know know little about caring for fruit trees and even less about pruning them. Less than nothing actually... and the information I gleaned from extensive google searches were so convoluted and confusing I nearly gave up! I still had my Granny Smith apple tree crying out for attention though. It was reaching for the sky really. So what to do? Off I went to my local (and favourite) nursery and enquired there. This is what I learned*:

6 Aug 2014: Pre-pruned Granny Smith/Granny Smith alvorens dit gesnoei is

My tree was seemingly healthy and had lots of first year growth, but had to be topped quite urgently. Late winter is apparently the best time to prune apple trees, so there was no time like the present. Apple trees are normally not allowed to grow too tall, otherwise it would require either a very tall ladder or a very agile toddler to get to the highest, juiciest apples (I'm not in favour of child labour, but obviously my little tree will only support the weight of a toddler :-P ). I read somewhere to cut the tree's top off as high as one's arm can comfortably reach. Noted. Also, that one is supposed to make the cut diagonally so that water would run off the cut, thereby preventing rot. I was furthermore told that I could smear the cuts with honey to seal it, just to make double-sure no rot would occur. Noted. Another good tip is to cut off the main branch(es)/leaders a wee bit above an outside-facing bud. This is to encourage branches to grow outwards from the trunk.

Granny Smith showing two leaders/Granny Smith met twee hoofstamme

My Granny Smith tree also possessed two leaders. In apple-tree-talk the main stem of a tree is called a leader. I thought this would be a major problem, as one strong leader was always preferable, maar 'n boer maak 'n plan. The same friendly nursery owner told me to take a 30cm plank and make circular notches on both ends of the plank for the two leaders to fit in. Then push the plank down in between the two leaders to where it can comfortably go without damaging the stems or tree. Next, tie the plank to the two leaders with stockings. Noted. He also told me to top the leaders about 40cm above where this plank was tied. I topped them a bit higher. I didn't want a midget tree.

All this effort would encourage the two leaders to grow away from each other, and discourage them and their smaller branches to rub against and damage one another. Sounds like a fine idea to me!

Solving the two-leader problem/Oplossing vir 'n gesplete boomstam

I guess the proof in This pudding will lie in the kind of branch growth my tree has later this spring. Let's hope I did the right thing and that I didn't top my tree too high. Damn, who ever knew gardening could be so stressful?!

* I was given detailed advice on pruning and caring for my apple tree, but as I'm an Aries and therefore very   
   stubborn I might've improvised slightly.