The amount of growth made by the central leader determines where to make the cut on the main stem. Remove 25% of the new growth on the retained shoot. Retain the best positioned of these shoots and remove the others. The following spring, there are usually 2 or 3 new shoots at the ends of each scaffold branch. If trees have only 1 or 2 desirable lateral shoots, remove the lateral shoots and treat the trees as whips.

Cut back the selected shoots and central leader by half their length. The lowest shoot should be approximately 2 feet from the soil surface. Retained shoots should have good (wide) crotch angles and be well distributed both around and vertically on the trunk. Remove all other shoots back to the main stem. When planting a well-branched tree, select and retain 3 to 4 lateral shoots plus the central leader. Cut back the lateral shoots by 1/4 and the central leader up to 1/2. These lateral shoots will be developed into scaffold branches. The following spring (March or early April), retain the central leader and select 3 to 4 well-distributed lateral shoots with wide crotch angles. A central leader and several lateral (side) shoots will develop on the upper 8 to 10 inches of the trunk by summer. Whips or branchless apple trees should be cut to a height of 30 inches. Prune newly planted trees immediately after planting. The best time to prune apple and other fruit trees is late winter or early spring. This system of training results in a 'Christmas tree' shape or pyramidal-shaped tree. These scaffold branches grow about 30 to 45 above horizontal.

The central leader system produces a vertical central leader or main stem with tiers of strong, properly spaced limbs or scaffold branches. Best Training Systemįor home gardeners, the easiest training system for apple trees is the central leader system. Proper pruning and training of young apple trees should produce strong, well-structured trees that yield a large crop of high-quality fruit. The most important period for pruning and training fruit trees is the first 4 to 5 years after planting. Apple trees need to be pruned throughout their lives.

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