By Jensen
Oxfordshire,
United Kingdom 
A branch on our Barton Russett apple tree is touching a post. Should I remove the branch? It is firmly against the post, and I think that expert advice in books would probably say to remove it, but it leads on to four smaller branches which all have fruit buds on. It has been touching the post for years and it looks healthy. So maybe it is simply a matter of opinion?
Sometimes it is very windy here, and I think that the branch does rub against the post.
I have taken some photos of it:
In Photo 1 the branch is just underneath the top of the post.
Photos 2 and 3 are from the other side of the fence. In Photo 2 I am pushing the branch away with my hand to try to show the marks from the post.
Photo 3 shows marking/damage to bark lower down the branch, though I am not why there is damage here, because this part of the branch is not in contact with the post.
Any advice is welcome.
17 Mar, 2014
Answers
I'd go with Snoopdog's suggestion and cut the post down - don't forget to replace the capping piece. And ask the neighbour first if it's their fence - before you take a saw to it.
18 Mar, 2014
Cutting the top off the post is an excellent idea and probably the most sensible one.
18 Mar, 2014
But there's another branch below it going the same way, probably too low to cut the post past? But possibly still flexible enough to lift over to the other side once the top of the post has gone?
18 Mar, 2014
The post is not going to hurt the apple tree limb. It could bruise the bark but that could be coverd by wrapping that section of the tree in felt or something similar. As the tree gets even larger it could start to push the fence post over, mind.
17 Mar, 2014