Knowing how and when to prune apple trees will help you harvest more fruit. Plus, regular pruning produces sweeter, more flavorful apples. When pruning an apple tree, a little effort goes a long way.

Most apple tree owners know our fruit trees should be pruned. But when we’re standing in front of the tree with pruning shears in hand, knowing how to begin the surgery can feel intimidating. Apple ...

Pruning cuts should be made close to the branch collar and not flush against the trunk. These are “thinning cuts” and the entire branch is removed from the tree. “Heading cuts” will remove only one ...