Shaping Fruit Trees With Training

I have learned over the years that bending young branches into a more horizontal position plays a very important role in shaping a healthy and productive fruit tree. During the formative years of a tree, the way its branches grow decides not just its future shape, but also its strength. It also influences the amount of fruit it will carry.

There are two main reasons why I train branches to grow more horizontally.

The first is strength. When a branch grows at a narrow angle and stays close to the trunk, the joint remains weak. Such branches may look fine in calm weather, but they are the first to split or snap during heavy snowfall or strong winds. I have seen promising young trees damaged simply because a few branches were allowed to grow too upright. By opening up the crotch angle and spreading the branches away from the trunk, the joint becomes stronger and more secure. If a branch has a very narrow crotch angle and is badly placed, I find it better to remove it early with a thinning cut, rather than letting it become a future point of breakage.

The second reason is fruiting. Fruit trees naturally bear more fruit on branches that are closer to horizontal. Upright branches prefer to grow wood, while sloping branches prefer to grow flowers and fruits. When I spread the branches, I am working with the tree’s own design to improve the chances of more fruits. However, it is still the tree that finally decides how much fruit it can carry, and the angle of its branches is one of the ways it makes that decision.

There are many simple ways to train branches.

One method I often use is tying a wide ribbon, at least a centimetre in width, around the branch and gently pulling it downwards. The ribbon can be tied to a peg in the ground, a stone, or even a small weight. I prefer ribbons because they spread the pressure over a wider area. Thin strings or ropes can cut into the bark and injure the branch. Even with a ribbon, I always leave a few millimetres of space in the knot so the branch can grow without being choked. I also check these branches every once in a while to see if any damage is occurring.

Another useful tool is a branch spreader. It is a long piece with forked ends that fits between two branches and pushes them apart. I use old thick branches for this purpose that I had lopped earlier, and cut a fork on both the ends using secateurs. This simple wedge slowly opens up the angles and trains both branches at the same time. In some cases, even a small wooden wedge placed at the point where the branch emerges from the trunk can force the angle to open.

For thin and flexible branches, I sometimes use simple metal braces to curve them outward. Galvanised iron or aluminium works well and lasts for years in the orchard. These are especially helpful when there is no convenient place to tie a ribbon. Earlier I used to cut thick wires to do so, but now these metal braces are available in gardening accessories shops.

Not all training needs ropes or tools. Sometimes, careful pruning does half the work. When I make heading cuts, I choose buds that face outwards. The new shoot that grows from such a bud naturally moves away from the trunk. These outward-facing shoots become strong scaffold branches and good fruit-bearing arms of the tree in the next few years.

Over time, I have also learned from a few clumsy and costly mistakes that I now take care to avoid. In my early days, I once tied a knot too tightly and ended up strangling a young branch. On another occasion, in my enthusiasm, I bent a branch too far and heard the soft but heartbreaking sound of it snapping in my hands. This is usually a risk in dormancy period. I have also tried wooden spreaders that were too rough and poorly shaped, and they slowly dug into the bark and spoiled an otherwise healthy branch. And then there was the day I managed to catch my foot in a ribbon tied between a branch and a rock on the ground, sending me down to the orchard floor. Since then, I have grown wiser with my methods, and I now use white ribbons so they remain clearly visible as I walk around, a small change that has saved both my branches and my dignity more than once.

Timing also matters. I find the best time to train branches is just after the tree comes out of dormancy. The branches are still soft and pliable then, and they respond kindly to gentle bending. Usually, a couple of months of training is enough. After that, the branch remembers its new position and continues to grow in a more open and balanced way.

Training branches is not about controlling the tree. To me, it feels more like guiding a young being in the right direction. When done with patience and care, the tree grows stronger, safer, and more generous with its fruit. It helps me feel my young trees and assess their overall health. And when I do so, I also feel more connected to my orchard.

Click here for all related posts – Browse my blog on slow and sustainable living !