HELP! I have several apple trees which apparently had rarely been pruned until I bought the place. When I pruned, apple trees went crazy. It was like they were on steroids!

Soooooo many apples were causing branches to break and limbs to strain. I didn't realize I was supposed to be "thinning" the apples earlier. I do now!

Have been shaking off a bunch of the apples, and propping up limbs with wood poles.

Last night I heard this terrible cracking sound, and this AM found that one of the big, 6" diameter limbs, with a bunch of branches snapped off. It's about 15%-20% of the tree. There's a big gouge in the main trunk.

What am I supposed to be doing with that gouge? Is there something I'm supposed to be putting on it?

I'd hate to lose this tree. It's next to my house. It's pretty, besides being "edible".

Does anyone have any good recipes for apples???? Besides apple sauce, dehydrated apples and apple pies?

-- Cheryl (Ckufta@internetcds.com), September 02, 1999

Answers

Cheryl:

Commercial producers spray [with, what is it, Sevin?] early in the year to cause fruit drop. I don't do this because it is toxic to fish and my orchards drain into my ponds. I hand thin. Gives better quality fruit. Talk to the fruit extension agent at your AES [agricultural experiment station] facility and find how it is done in your area.

Best wishes

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), September 02, 1999.

Cheryl:

About the gouge. There are two schools of thought. For generations, we have been told to cover such things with a thick covering of a petrol. or pitch based substance. Research over the last decade [from New England] has indicated that using such coverings increases the chance of systemic fungal infection [and eventual tree death]. I just leave it alone. What to do in your area? Contact your AES and find what they recommend....

Best wishes

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), September 02, 1999.

Um,who use to be manager of commercial apple orchards suggests that you cut back limb to good wood.If it has ripped out a piece of the trunk,tidy up the rip with a sharp knife & paint wound with a plant fungicide such as Captan(UK name ?).Fungicide to be bought ideally in dry powder form & mixed to a thick paste with water before painting on gash.

He also suggests further pruning later of some of the branches that are supported by wooden poles. Hope this helps.

Apple Butter...A preserve.

Ingredients: 2.75kg apples,1 litre of water,1 litre of dry cider,Sugar,1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon,1 teaspoon of ground cloves,1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice,finely grated rind 1/2 lemon.

Wash apples,remove any damaged bits & cut into pieces.Place fruit into preserving pan with water & cide.Bring to the boil & simmer until very soft.

Push fruit through a sieve.measure the pulp & allow 3/4lb of sugar to each 450 gm of pulp.Return pulp to pan & simmer until thick.Add sugar ,spices & lemon rind.Boil until no liquid remains,stirring frequently. Sppon into clean,warm jars.Cover & label.

Yield about 2.75 kgs.

Apple Pickle.

Ingredients:1kg cooking apples quartered & cored,600 ml spiced vinegar,1kg sugar.

Place sugar & vinegar in preserving pan,heat & stir until sugar has dissolved.Reduce heat & add apples,cook until tender & not broken.With a slotted spoon carefully remove the apples & pack into jars.Boil the remaining liquid until it reduces to about 300 ml & pour over the fruit.Cover & label.Yield will be about 1kg.

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), September 02, 1999.

Chris:

What Um said is old technology. He could be right for you. The old "chestnut" was to prune back to the main trunk [good wood]. The new "chestnut" is that opens the vascular system to systemic invasion, while leaving bad wood allows the plant defense responses time to prevent invasion. These are all theories. I know what works on my place from experience. For your place: best to find someone without an agenda....

Best wish

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), September 02, 1999.

I have hundreds of them. but after what you mentioned, what is important. It depends on the kind of apples. If they are tart, try this:

6 pds of apples 4 tbsp fresh fruit 2 lemons 1 1/2 cups water 2 1/2 cups sugar 3 in piece of frsh gingerroot (3 in) peeled and thinly sliced. 1 1/2 cups of brandy

Peel, core and cut the apples and place in a protective solution to prevent browning [your choice}.

Remove the outer lemon skin [yellow part]. Squeeze juice from lemons and strain into a cup. Add sufficient water to make 2 cups.

In a large pan combine rind, juice, water sugar and gingerroot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 10 min. Drain apples from protective solution and add to hot liquid, heat to boil.

Pack hot fruit snugly in layers in hot jar. Pour 1.4 cup brandy over fruit. Add hot syrup to cover and can....

B

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), September 02, 1999.

note: fresh fruit in previous recipe is part of protective solution. Others use vinegar and salt.

Best wishes,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), September 02, 1999.

Cheryl, for what it's worth here's my experience. A huge gouge was left on the trunk of one of our large hickory trees after a storm. The man who came out to look at it declined putting anything on it; he said that now they felt nature's way of healing the wound was more effective. My cousin in Charleston had a huge limb removed from a 200-year-old live oak tree thanks to Hugo, and folks from Clemson Univ. Agricultural Center came out to look at it. They also declined putting anything on the tree. Ten years later it's still alive and doing well.

Lucky you - wish I had a surplus of apples. Once my next door neighbor removed a bunch of limbs from his apple tree and cut them into chunks. I asked for one small chunk to throw on my smoker. He said no! What a nice guy. He guarded his quarter acre with great zeal. Also mowed it EVERY SINGLE TIME we cooked outside on his riding lawn mower, up and down the fenceline (30 feet away), up and down, up and down...but I digress. Sigh...

-- Jill D. (jdance@mindspring.com), September 02, 1999.

P.S. We moved. Can't even see our nearest neighbors now.

Jill D.

-- Jill D. (jdance@mindspring.com), September 02, 1999.