Saving a leaning apple tree

Hi folks, I've an apple tree in a pot.  For several years it's been leaning over more and more.  I've moved it to a lamp-post and strapped the trunk to it to keep the tree from falling, but most of the fruit is on the leaning-over part, and every year the weight of the fruit makes it worse.  

I can see that this year we're going to have a large crop of apples.  Can anything be done to fix the leaning?  If I chop off those branches, that's most of the fruit-bearing capacity, but on the course it's going, at some point it'll break under its own weight.

Any ideas?

I can remember seeing trees in Japan where the gardeners had put wooden supports under branches.

Trees/branches tend to grow towards the light. I suspect that after the harvest, you consider what the long term plan could be?

For example, I have an espalier pear tree - all the branches are either straight east of the trunk, or straight west. Each row of branches, has clothesline wire supports running along that they can rest on.

The Japanese branch propping idea is worth trying. A forked stick or a length of timber wedged under the heavy side can take the weight off while the tree slowly adjusts. After harvest is the right time to reassess the structure, maybe take out the worst offending branches over a couple of seasons rather than all at once.

I want to work on fixing the branches that bear fruit.

Without a picture I cannot offer advice.

Here is a Wiki that might give you some ideas:

https://www.wikihow.com/Straighten-a-Tree

I have successfully pulled the tree over to upright using straps that I bought at Harbor Freight for really cheap.  I think it's important to ratchet the strap up a little bit at a time.  Also better to ratchet it up when the soil is moist below.  That's what I would do.
John S
PDX OR

Can you not re-pot the tree?  Or put the tree in to the ground? Probably best to do while the tree is dormant.

As for putting props under the branches, I tried that once and the propped branch snapped right there at the prop.  I don’t know what the best propping strategy or placement is, but be very careful where you place the props.  

Is the fruit exceptional?  Would you want to graft onto another rootstock, or root a cutting?

Good luck!

I've had multiple trees do this. The lesson I have learned is that it is generally better to prune a tree to get a strong wood scaffold, over trying to maximise fruit harvest - especially in the early years. Also, I found that a careful summer prune before the weight of the apples became a problem was also an opportunity to thin the fruits that set to get larger individual fruit rather than huge numbers of small fruit.

Around here commercially grown apple trees which are commonly sold to homeowners are on dwarfing or very dwarfing root stocks. They seem particularly prone to this.

I've bought myself a M25 rootstock for future grafting projects. I'll be propagating new root stocks from it and then grafting different varieties. On our chalk soil less vigorous rootstocks struggle to grow strength just as you describe.

I'd go with Jay's suggestion. I have a "wealthy" apple tree to which I did that. I leaned only a little, but there was such an apple crop that I feared the branches would break. I sunk 3 posts on the heavy side, which I then connected to a couple of 2X4 so as to take most of the weight off.
The trick is to place them far enough apart that you could still run the mower under if it needed, although you can also use a weed eater...
It doesn't lean quite as much, but I left the supports just in case.
Depending what branches are growing on the 'light' side, you might want to start doing some light trimming on the heavy side to encourage the light side to pick up the pace?
Is it still potted? When you place it in the ground, you might be able to correct the imbalance if that's the case.
I hope you can save that tree since it's giving you good apples.
Supports will also save your tree in case of high winds, heavy snow fall and other foul weather events.

Antony Brush wrote:Hi folks, I've an apple tree in a pot.  For several years it's been leaning over more and more.  I've moved it to a lamp-post and strapped the trunk to it to keep the tree from falling, but most of the fruit is on the leaning-over part, and every year the weight of the fruit makes it worse.  

I can see that this year we're going to have a large crop of apples.  Can anything be done to fix the leaning?  If I chop off those branches, that's most of the fruit-bearing capacity, but on the course it's going, at some point it'll break under its own weight.

Any ideas?

if the Tree is in a pot, "leaning"  Why not prop the pot, until the tree is going UP?   Must be in a really big pot, if it bears fruit, but you did say you have moved it?

The wooden stake support thing works well and the large apple tree orchards have done that for years, so it is certainly a proved system.  often after the fruit has been picked the supports removed.

Apple trees can take a huge amount of pruning, so over time you could "direct" it the direction you want ( 2-3 years) but that goes back to the POT thing, tipping the pot can get you there right off.

cheers

Salut Folks,

An out of the box idea
A wild apple tree sprouted in one of the wild veg patches, oh ok, I ll  let you get on with it.
Then it decided to lie down, like in hedge laying and a new upright trunk is also growing.
There was blossom on the upright, don t know what it going on under the alpine strawberries and melissa, the hail storms have done some damage here and there.
Another apple tree that I dearly loved was eventually seen to by sheep friends who appreciated the jaunty angle of the tree bringing fruit and leaves   down close to their appreciation

On the peach trees recumbent due to the weight of fruit in spite of thinning out, a bit, I have placed forked branches as suggested above.
Thought the tree was going to meet our maker, but no, new growth has appeared growing upwards.
Photographs remain beyond my abilities.

Blessings and thanks