MY CHILDREN bought me an espaliered apple tree this year and I’m not sure whether I need to prune it as there’s loads of new leafy growth? asks Tina Smith, of Kendal

Summer pruning is something you mainly associate with shaped and tightly controlled examples of both apples and pears, writes TOM ATTWOOD. This includes those types you may well have seen while traversing the gardens of the north west, or indeed you may have in your own garden; techniques such as cordon, espalier, fan or pyramid (conventionally grown apple and pear trees which form the vast majority of garden fruit trees are managed by what is termed winter pruning).

The main reason for summer pruning apples and pears is that it allows sunlight to ripen the fruit and ensures good cropping for the following year.

When to prune?

Summer prune when the bottom third of the new shoots are stiff and woody. Generally, this will be from late July for pears and the end of August for apples. To reduce the possibility of secondary growth it can be left until late August.

Try and judge the timing according to the vigour of your particular plant, the weather and locality.

How to prune: remember, summer pruning involves cutting back new shoots to allow light to reach the fruit.

New shoots are stiff and woody along their bottom third, with dark green leaves and a cluster of leaves at the base.

1 Cut back new shoots more than 20cm (8in) long growing from the main stem to three leaves above the bottom cluster of leaves. Do not prune new shoots that are less than 20cm (8in) long as they usually are forming fruit buds at their tips for next years crop.

2 Cut back new shoots growing from existing sideshoots to one leaf above the bottom cluster of leaves

3 Remove any upright, vigorous growth completely

4 If more rapid growth occurs after summer pruning, remove this in September. If this is something that carries on endlessly you can leave some longer shoots unpruned as these will draw up the sap and put the brakes on any additional growth elsewhere. Cut these back to one bud in spring, as well as any vigorous growth projecting above the level of the supporting wire.