[Grubbypaws]

In autumn 2015 I bought a maiden whip (winter greening). I followed all instructions cutting it back and nicking below the top two buds aiming to produce a short trunk with well spaced laterals (RHS pruning and training guide)

During 2016 it developed 4 nicely spaced laterals but they are only short. Three are between 9 and 13 inches and the fourth is much smaller. 

The  guide advises shortening the laterals of a young feathered tree in winter to encourage branching and it suggests that you shorten them by 2/3rds.

Should i be shortening them this winter or leaving it until next?

[Grubbypaws]

No one got back to me so I contacted  Bernwode nursery where I had bought the tree. The owner Derek got back to me immediately and I am going to share his advice in case any one else is unsure how to train a maiden whip.

'If you are happy with the height of the tree now, and your four new branches are heading in the right direction, there is no harm in leaving them until they start growing again – when you can make a judgement about whether they are growing in the right directions. The more you cut off a young tree, the less leaves you have to photosynthesize and grow the tree. At your stage there is no merit in pruning to encourage more branching. You risk the tree just growing a tangle of new branches. If you think the new branches taper to some thin growth at the ends, then cutting back a little will encourage a faster flow of sap to start up new thicker shoots from the ends. You might just be better off seeing what new shoots come from your new branches and doing the pruning then. Young trees are perfectly happy to be pruned over the summer.'

I wholly recommend this nursery if you want to buy an Apple tree, Their mission is to collect, conserve, grow and sell trees of traditional British fruit varieties  http://www.bernwodeplants.co.uk/index.htm

[SusieB]

Very helpful, thank you.