Crabapple trees do not need to be trained or thinned. Prune only in early spring to remove dead branches and suckers.

Should you thin crab apples?

They're not supposed to be too big, in fact, since I mostly make pickled crab apples with mine, I think I prefer them smaller, since more of them pack into the jars this way.

When should crab apple trees be pruned?

The time for crabapple pruning is when the tree is dormant, but when the possibility of severely cold weather has passed. This means pruning should be done in late winter or early spring, depending on your local climate and temperatures.