Another form is a crown with loose tiers. Such trees have a guide, on which two or three loose branches are embedded, that is, they are at the highest level in one floor 2 or 3 branches. The distance between the individual floors is approx. 40 cm. The conductor protruding above the top floor removes itself. The loose-leaf crown looks nice and is very tear-resistant, and its interior is well insolated, because there aren't many branches on any floor.
Forming a crown with loose tiers, if we are dealing with a one-year-old maiden, we trim it in height 60-80 cm above the ground and only in the second year after planting, we begin the proper formation, the stages of which are shown in the figure.
The next steps in the formation of a crown with loose floors: a) one-year-old branched sapling; b) tree after trimming for a guide and 3 shortened side shoots; c) the tree in the second year in spring; d) the tree after trimming the conductor and removing unnecessary branches; e) the tree in the third year in spring; f) the tree is in the final stage of its formation (the cut places are marked with dashes).
If we have planted two-year-old trees, this is the spring that we should choose at any time 3 shoots, forming a wide angle with the guide, to form the first tier of limbs and shorten them to 40-50 cm. We shorten the guide, similar to the previous case, in distance 40 cm from the first. For this, we leave 2-3 shoots with wide angles at the base, removing the rest. Shorten the left shoots by 1/4-1/3, by making a cut over an eyelet located on the lower side of the shoot. We shorten the guide again in the distance 40 cm from the floor. In the third year, we form the next floor. We remove the guide above the third floor during the formation of that floor or later, after the first fruiting of trees. Apple trees with loose-leaf crowns should bear fruit in the fifth year after planting at the latest.
Trees in the form of a flat crown are particularly suitable for a plot or a small backyard garden, because they take up little space. A few flat trees, growing in a row next to each other, creates an impressive wall called a lane. Wanting to create such a line, we plant apple trees on M rootstocks 9 or M 27, in a row what 2-4 m. It is convenient to form such crowns at scaffolding, consisting of stakes and wires stretched over them. The formation of a flat crown begins after planting annual trees in the second year, or in the first – two-year-olds. When planting two-year-old trees, arrange them this way, so that their longest side shoots are in the line of the row. After the trees are planted, the shoots growing towards the inter-row are removed, shortening the remaining sts 1/3-2/3 length like this, that the branches on one level have the same length. If the trees have a lot of side shoots, we leave it on each tree after 4 twigs growing in opposite directions, in a row line. If the trees are weak, we leave on each of them only after 2 twigs (Lynx. 92). If the shoots after cutting have at least 40 cm in length, they should be bent to the level and tied with a string to the tree trunk or to the scaffolding wires, it is advisable to use, made of wire with a diameter 5-10 mm, pins. Such pins should be approx 70 cm. They are stuck in a row after 2 under every tree. The upper ends of the pins are bent over, forming a hook or "eye"”, so that a string can be threaded through them, with which we bend the side branches. After trimming and possible bending of the lower limbs, the tree guide is trimmed at the height 50 cm above the highest shoot. During the summer, the bindings should be checked and if the string is cut into thicker twigs, it must be loosened, and even remove them in mid-July, because at that time the twigs will not return to their original position. The guides of annual trees are trimmed in height 60-80 cm above the ground. In the second and third year after planting the trees, form the next tiers of the crown as shown in the picture.
Forming a flat crown: a) the first year of formation of a flat crown; b) the second year of formation of a flat crown; c) the third year of formation of a flat crown, I – before cutting, II – after cutting and bending the shoots to a horizontal position (the cut places are marked with dashes).
It is recommended to place horizontal branches on the conductor at 50 cm intervals, and leave small fruit-bearing branches between them.
The formation of apple tree crowns should be completed in the third and at the latest in the fifth year after planting the trees. In the following years, we remove dead branches in the spring, broken or frozen and we x-ray the crowns, cutting only the shoots growing inside, crossing with each other and rubbing against each other. The intensity of x-ray depends on the nature of the growth of individual varieties. Particular attention should be paid to the varieties that produce a lot of long shoots and create very dense crowns, like for example. Bancroft, Boiken. When examining the crowns of young trees, it is not allowed to remove short shoots and small shoots not exceeding 20 cm in length, because flower buds form on them.