New Property
 

We are closing on a new property first week of march. There are some nice apple trees there already but I dont know if they are still producing. They are pretty big and look as if part of them are starting to rot/die. They are being choked out by the woods around them. Do I stand a chance of prunning them back to a point where they will produce apples again or should I start over with some new trees. It looks at though there was an old orchard that some pines have taken over and choked them out. The apples could be a nice food source for the area. Any help would be great.

RE: New Property
 

Could you cut down some of the apple trees to make room for the one you leave? The downed trees will also make cover for deer and what ever else is around. Just getting a couple of the apple trees to have enough room to produce would be great. Or wait and see if they do produce and then take it from there, you can also see which ones are dead and cut them down.

RE: New Property
 

I would suggest cutting down some of the other trees around them to get some sunlight to the apple trees rather than cutting down some of the apple trees. Until you watch them a few years you won't know which ones are producing and which ones aren't. I would hate to pick the wrong one to cut down.

RE: New Property
 

I agree with this. Remove the trees around them and monitor them for the next 2 years to see how they respond...mark the ones that produce with a spot of paint to keep track.

RE: New Property
 

I would prune them and see how they do. Also if you can open up the area to allow more sunlight to reach them. As suggested in link, it may be easier and more benificial to wildlife in general to girdle and let stand some of the shading trees.

http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/7126.htm

RE: New Property
 

Thanks for all the imput. There are a lot of deer on the property now and much of the land is thick pines and hemlocks with strips of hardwoods throughout. The apple trees seem to be in the center of the property near the edge of the pines and hardwoods. After reading I think that when we close I will clear the trees around the "healthy" apple trees and try to restore that area to an orchard with the new growth in it. Should make for a nice food source. Other than the apple trees, I know there is an agricultural field a couple properties over that was planted with corn this year. Last year it was hay.Hopefully everything works.

RE: New Property
 

I wouldn't cut the trees around then... If the apple trees are that thick that there touching each other they won't produce much. Trees do not do wellwhen touching each other,where they touch leave won't grow.Wait for the leaves to come back cut down the dead and see if that helps first before you go cutting down good trees that provide cover and shad, especially if there cedars they makegreat cover for wildlife.

RE: New Property
 

You'll want to read this: http://www.eap.mcgill.ca/CPTFP_7.htm