Apple Tree Pruning

There's something very picturesque and pleasant about an orchard full of mature apple trees.

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I'm particularly fond of full-size, nondwarf trees that grow large with unusual shapes and lots of low, sweeping branches.

Of course, an orchard is most picturesque when the grass around and between the trees is carefully mowed and manicured; it's a lot more pleasant to pick apples in a yard-like environment than to pick them while tromping through grass that's three feet tall.

APPLES IN THE WAY

Unfortunately, the way apple trees like to grow — with low-hanging branches that can come quite close to the ground when bearing full loads of fruit — means that mowing your orchard can be a challenging task. Aboard a riding mower, you'll find yourself constantly ducking underneath branches. These can be so low that a riding mower isn't an option.