Delaying beyond this time will limit the ability to improve the crotch angle. Select 4-6 scaffolds with wide crotch angles. Remove upright limbs with narrow crotch angles with a horizontal cut that leaves the bud at the base of the limbs. This cut will generally stimulate a branch to form during the coming season at this point that will naturally form a wide crotch angle. This includes removing buds on either side of the terminal bud if the terminal was not headed.
Protocol coming from Europe indicates that scaffolds are never headed.
This seems very appropriate if trees are placed close enough together so that scaffolds have little space to fill or if trees are growing in a location with strong growing conditions. This over cropping can lead to a near shut down of terminal growth. If this happens to scaffolds before the trees have filled the allotted space, then yield will not reach desired levels. Always head to an upright bud. Under very low vigor conditions, the shoot developing from the upright bud may be desirable.