Pruning after Bridge Graft?

Greetings from Central Wisconsin (during the onset of our second Spring)!

I'm experimenting with my second bridge graft. This time of a 3 year old pear tree. Being that we didn't have success with the older apple we grafted last year, I'm interested in learning more about what others have done regarding pruning the tree that is being grafted. In a situation like ours where it is a near-girdle, is there any merit to eliminate pruning or to prune excessively?

Thanks HON members!

Jason

Zone 4b, Central Wisconsin, Living Earth Orchard

Hello all -

Jason, I have no answer for you but I'm interested in what others have to say as we did a fair amount of bridge grafting and in-arching on older trees this spring.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Door Creek Orchard
Zone 5a in Wisconsin

I have never done it, but purely on theoretical grounds it seems to me that there might well be benefit in heavy pruning, as reducing the demand on the severely impaired delivery of sap to the buds above. My own experience has been that, even with successful takes of the inarch grafts, the trees never really recover or flourish. Recently I have, instead of trying to salvage extensively damaged trees, simply grafted onto one of the more robust suckers, and cut out the original tree entirely.

Broomholm Orchard
Zone 5b in Nova Scotia