February and March are the best times to prune apple and pear trees. It’s important to remember that they produce fruit on 2 to 3-year-old wood. The tree should have enough open spaces to throw a basketball through! Wow, so don’t be afraid to prune. Golden Delicious is a good variety to include because it fertilizes all other apple trees. Pruning will help avoid disease and will make your trees more productive. And it's fun - like giving your tree a new haircut! Advice from the experts is below.
Cornell Fruit Website
Cornell Guide to Growing Fruit at Home
How to Prune Trees