Uploaded January 2015 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
This Kidd's Orange Red tree was badly shaped and stunted as well as being covered with nasty algae due to 2 very wet years in a row. Last year I made 3 or 4 very harsh pruning cuts, basically sawed off 90% of the tree. This has led to a large amount of very strong and healthy new growth. Sometimes this 'kill or cure' treatment can be very helpful, although it does mean you will have no fruit for probably 2 years if you do it to the whole tree.Maybe do it to just half or two thirds of the tree for a compromise. Tough treatment can sometimes be the lest thing. It is also a good way to prepare the tree for being grafted over to another variety as it is easy to saddle graft pencil sized scions on to these new shoots. That is what we have planned here since we have plenty of this variety and as part of our plan for downsizing the business side of the orchard we are grafting more apples over to cider apples, for which we have a ready market that doesn't involve us getting up at 6 am on Sundays!
This Kidd's Orange Red tree was badly shaped and stunted as well as being covered with nasty algae due to 2 very wet years in a row. Last year I made 3 or 4 very harsh pruning cuts, basically sawed off 90% of the tree. This has led to a large amount of very strong and healthy new growth. Sometimes this 'kill or cure' treatment can be very helpful, although it does mean you will have no fruit for probably 2 years if you do it to the whole tree.Maybe do it to just half or two thirds of the tree for a compromise. Tough treatment can sometimes be the lest thing. It is also a good way to prepare the tree for being grafted over to another variety as it is easy to saddle graft pencil sized scions on to these new shoots. That is what we have planned here since we have plenty of this variety and as part of our plan for downsizing the business side of the orchard we are grafting more apples over to cider apples, for which we have a ready market that doesn't involve us getting up at 6 am on Sundays!
