what is the best time of year to prune a crab apple tree
Steps. 1  1. Perform major pruning during the dormant season. The ideal time to prune a crabapple tree is late winter or in the cold days of early spring, before leaves appear. 2  2. Remove suckers. Suckers are additional branches that begin growing underground and sprout near the base of the tree. 3  3. Remove water sprouts.