How to Prune Apples: 25-Year Old Golden Delicious Apple Tree

In this video, Farmer Rich walks step-by-step through the process of pruning a 25-year-old Golden Delicious apple tree that has been historically trained in a central leader system. Over time, we began transitioning this large, established tree toward a more manageable and productive open center structure. Pruning mature apple trees can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. This video focuses on helping you understand how apple trees grow, where fruit actually forms, and how to make confident pruning decisions on a big, overgrown tree. You’ll learn how to work with the tree instead of against it. This is a real backyard tree—not a textbook example—so you’ll see real decisions, real challenges, and a practical approach developed from years of farming experience. Whether you’ve inherited an old apple tree, let one get too big, or just want better fruit, this video will help you move forward with confidence. 00:00 Pruning Tools I Use 02:52 Strategy First: Transitioning from Central Leader to Open Center 05:11 Major Structure Cuts, When to Remove Scaffolds 08:02 How an Apple Tree Produces Fruit 09:07 Pruning Decisions Step by Step 24:59 Speed Pruning as Rich Completes Half the Apple Tree 25:56 Tree is Halfway Done 26:02 More Scenic Speed Pruning 27:58 Completed Golden Delicious Apple Tree