Crab apple pruning
By Barbarak
North Yorkshire,
United Kingdom 
Hi all, back again. My question today is about crab apple pruning. The tree in the photo is 3 years old. It produced fruit last year and some growth . This year the branches are weighed down with fruit but the growth beyond the fruit is over a foot long with the tips showing some minor . damage. The overall height at the moment is about 6ft. I want to keep it reasonably compact, (it's been grafted). When would be the best time to shorten the fruit bearing branches and remove the lower branches to raise the canopy?
Thank you
21 Jul, 2016
Answers
Did you check that the rootstock it is grafted on will produce the size tree you want? For a small tree you need a dwarfng rootstock.
Usual pruning time for apples is Nov-March. Lots of info and instructions on Google.
23 Jul, 2016
with out checking I think in the past I have done this in spring. but I have shortened the leaders about now.
mine fruits well every year but it isn't grafted.
21 Jul, 2016