Central leader system

This is the most widely planted system in Pennsylvania. Trees are usually, but not always, freestanding. With the range of rootstocks available (see Apple Tree Spacing), trees can vary from 7 to 20 feet tall. Trees can be kept smaller by periodically heading back the central leader into 2-year-old wood to stiffen the central axis. Size and vigor can also be controlled by selecting less-vigorous branches as the central leaders.

Trees are trained into a Christmas tree shape with the tops always narrower than the lower branches. Annual pruning is required for maximum sunlight penetration into the tree's interior and for greater production. In some instances, summer pruning is also beneficial.

The cost of establishing this system is relatively low because no tree supports are used and there are fewer trees per acre. In early years, efforts are focused on trying to invigorate trees to fill their allotted spaces. Early production years are then spent in slowing the trees down and getting them into an annual bearing habit. Later, as the planting grows older, it is necessary to maintain fruit spur quality by pruning annually and keeping tree tops from overshadowing lower branches.

The following is a "cookbook" method of how to prune and train trees to a central leader system.

At planting

  • Remove all scaffolds below 18 inches flush to the trunk. Trees with fewer than three scaffold branches should be headed at 30 inches and all feathers removed with a bevel or Dutch cut. Trees with three or more branches offer three options depending upon the vigor of the scion and rootstock. Always remove any scaffolds that are more than half the diameter of the central trunk. The options in order of low vigor to high vigor are as follows:
  • Option 1: Head leader 10 to 12 inches above the uppermost branch and all branches by a third.
  • Option 2: Head leader 10 to 12 inches above the uppermost branch and do not head the side branches.
  • Option 3: Do not head leader or side branches.


First growing season

  • May: Install stakes and tie the leader to the stake. Remove two or three competing buds that broke and began to grow below the chosen leader if you headed the tree back at planting. Spread the scaffolds horizontally if you had left them on at planting.
  • June: Clothespin new shoots when they are as long as, or just longer than, the clothespin.


Second leaf

  • Dormant: If additional scaffolds are needed, score above desired buds in the late dormant season (4 to 6 weeks before bud break) or apply Promalin mixed with latex paint.
    Do not head the central leader. Select three to five first-tier scaffold branches of moderate vigor with wide crotch angles and remove the rest. Care should be taken to attain good spacing of branches around the trunk, both radially and vertically. Scaffold branches that are evenly distributed around the tree will assure even light distribution and scaffolds that are spaced out vertically will assure that leader dominance is maintained.
  • June: Position permanent scaffolds at a 50- to 75-degree angle from vertical using spreaders, weights, elastics, or string.


Third leaf

  • Head the central leader, removing half to a third of previous year's growth. Thin out overly vigorous limbs that are of no use.
  • June: Position permanent scaffolds at a 50- to 75-degree angle from vertical using spreaders, weights, elastics, or string. When 3 to 6 inches of new growth has developed in the top third of last year’s central trunk growth, select shoots to be the second-tier scaffolds. Pinch out the most and least vigorous shoots, leaving three to four of moderate vigor. Clothespin these second tier scaffolds to obtain wide crotch angles.


Fourth leaf

  • Do not head the leader. Prune out only overly vigorous limbs that are of no use.
  • June/July: Position first-tier scaffolds at a 50- to 75-degree angle, and position second-tier scaffolds horizontally using spreaders, weights, elastics, or string. Position overly vigorous limbs below horizontal.


Fifth and succeeding years

  • Do not head the leader until it has bent over with a crop. Maintain good light distribution by making a minimal number of thinning cuts. Continue to position scaffold limbs with spreaders until this function is replaced by the weight of a crop. Shorten bottom tier of scaffolds by pruning back to side branch. Shorten pendulant branches back to a more horizontal position. Summer prune as needed in August to maintain light penetration.


Final leader height

  • The ideal situation is that the leader will bend with a crop to restrict the tree height. This is termed the "crop and flop" method. However, in some cultivars the leader does not bend and the tree continues to grow upward. If this occurs you can cut the leader back to a lower, more horizontal branch, but only do so after the upper portion of the tree has fruited.
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