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Gardeners’ Forum: “an imitation crab apple tree - blooms dark pink blassoms”

• an imitation crab apple tree - blooms dark pink blassoms

  Posted by Tina on Thursday, October 4, 2007 10:34 pm ADT

  My tree is about three years old now and it is growing like it is leaning over on one side with heart of the tree growing in that direction also. Now I know I have to prune it very soon. I'm waiting for the first frost, we are now in the first week of October, and the weather is still warm outside. I'm just afaid that I may damage my tree, I'm seeking advice from someone that may have had the same delema that I'm having right now. I know I have to cut that whole one side until I think it will lighten up and start growing towards the sky and grow evenly on all sides like it's suppose to be. Any advise from anyone?

  • re: an imitation crab apple tree - blooms dark pink blassoms

    Posted by Ferne on Wednesday, November 7, 2007 10:56 am AST

    Sounds like you are severely short of light on one side. That will be difficult to correct with pruning. Trees are actually quite difficult to "ruin". But really faulty pruning can make them look pretty ugly sometimes. I would suggest that you look up some information on pruning fruit trees on the net (easy to do) or buy a basic gardening book with a section on pruning. Doesn't have to be expensive. Sunset and Ortho put out some good ones. And you don't need to do all your pruning in one year. A little more each year will soon have your tree looking better. Correcting a tree trunk that is leaning heavily to one side is another story. I'm not sure if that can be corrected at this point or not. If the tree is not too substantial yet, maybe you can still drive a heavy long stake or two (preferably rebar) well into the ground and tie the trunk to it with something that gives, so it won't cut into the tree trunk. I'm not sure what an "imitation" crab tree would be though. Do you mean something that looks like it MIGHT be a crab tree?