What's your apple tree looking like at the moment?

[Hassled]

Because mine looks like a giant twig with a few flower buds sticking out of it. It's three years old and I drastically pruned it in the late Autumn (as per something I read in a colour supplement), but I think I was a bit over-zealous.

So does yours have lots of new shoots or any leaves on it? We're in the East of England, if that's relevant. Thanks.

[ShrinkingViolet]

mine is v old and has some weird red rash over it's bark, so am assuning it's ill , but it's only just starting to bud (SE here), but my pear tree has lots of green fuzz, as had the weeping cherry. Guess everything is later this year as the winter was comparatively awful.

[pasqueflower]

Everything is later this year, I'm guessing because of the very cold winter.

Apple tree only has a few buds, and forsythia only just starting to flower - normally it's in full bloom by mid- to end- of February.

So don't give up yet!

[mustrunmore]

Ours is a big twig tooo. But other things are starting to get buds, so I'm guessing the apple tree will catch up!

[ouchitreallyhurts]

I didn't prune ours but the sheep managed to pull of many of the lower branches (bit like your dogs MrsL123!) we've a fair few buds coming through but you have to get close up to see them!

[MrsL123]

We have two youngish ones (6 years old) and they are just starting to bud. We haven't pruned them for a few years (unless you count the dogs ripping branches off ) but they always produce a good crop. We're in scotland BTW.

[Hassled]

Many thanks - so it doesn't sound like I've ruined it completely, then. My roses and raspberries are showing signs of healthy growth, my rhubarb is zooming up - everything's looking good except this one lousy tree.

[Goingspare]

Ours is also 3 - I can't quite bring myself to go outside and look properly, but from the window it looks like it has buds on, but nothing more. Same for the little plum tree. Midlands.

[cassell]

London here and I did quite a bit of pruning late autumn too (but also v novice at it!) flower buds starting to look as if they will come out within the next week but look to be fewer than last year. No new shoots/leaves yet.

[snorkie]

Suffolk here & our apple tree had a radical prune late Autumn too. It's an older tree and suffered under my secateurs before and survived. I was thinking yesterday it was a bit late getting started this year - it still looks dormant from a distance, but closer inspection shows there are buds developing. I think it's probably the cold winter making it a bit later this year.

[GrendelsMum]

Well, I don't know what the other plants in your garden look like, but all our trees and shrubs are doing well to have buds on. It's been such a cold winter that things are taking their time about putting on leaves and blossom, I think.

[taffetacat]

Just been out for a look. We are in Kent and have 2 - one normal and one espalier. Last year they fruited very poorly - we pruned them the previous autumn. The autumn just gone we weren't able to get in the garden so they were ignored. They both have more buds on now than I have seen on them in the 5 years we've been here.

But they do seem to fruit prolifically one year and very poorly the next - I suspect this is what happens if you don't prune them properly/at all. We are neglectful and novice in our pruning.