Crabapple pruning question

[Davealt72]

Attached some pics and wanted to know if all the little shoots on main branches are suckers/remove them? Also attached a pic of baee trunk with a hole. Is that a bad sign? Thanks

 

[JustinK]

Remove part of them. The more light exposed the more water sprouts will come out. Remove every "3rd" sprout as a rule of thumb, but try to leave ones that appear to be developing into more branch like structure, and not just a long, straight shoot. Much easier to demonstrate than tell. Sprout removal should be a process, IMO, based on observations, of years rather than one whack. You do nothing but prolong the process by taking them all at once. Allow some of the nicer ones to grow into branches, provide shade, and avoid making cuts that will trigger reaction growth. The more shade, and less wounds, the more the tree will control them on it's on. Water sprouts are typically reactionary to wounds and sudden sunlight.

 

[JeffGu]

Like the trunk damage and topping cuts...

 

[JD3000]

Yeah sprout training and removal is very much a process of allowing some to develop and hopefully develop some laterals to become permanent branches. A good question to ask is why the crab is sending out the shoots. Apple scab and over-pruning are likely culprits.

 

[oldoakman]

Or you can follow the old rule of Removing branches and suckers until you can throw a cat through the canopy.

 

[ROYCE]

Or you can follow the old rule of Removing branches and suckers until you can throw a cat through the canopy.

Ha, I took a pruning class once and they taught to that standard.

I think it all depends on your objective and what your trying to accomplish.

 

[JD3000]

Suckers come back, repeat.

 

[CutHighnLetFly]

Here ya go, this is how ya do start with that mess of suckers.
Start by removing any of them growing directly back into the middle of those two stems. The ones you that if you left it would just grow right against the stem.
Next, remove any suckers that look like they are growing very vigorously, straight up. "Grow a branch off a tree, not a tree off a branch".
Your gunna be getting a lot out by this point, so your begin to be a bit more judicious in your selection now.
Start dealing with dense pockets. What will become a nice branch and what is going to grow into a gross mess?
There are other little growth whips, they almost look like stubby suckers. Leave those for the most part, they are called spurs. This is were flowering will be happening. Removing suckers around the spurs will help expose flowers more in bloom and also encourage energy to be focused more towards reproduction.
You're welcome