Knowing how to prune apple trees can improve their health and make harvesting them easier. They can also be shaped to aesthetically match a landscape.

Orchardist Al Yelvington will lead Audubon Community Nature Center’s workshop “Apples All Year Long: Pruning and Shaping” on Friday, March 2, from 2-4 p.m.

Pruning can take on a life of its own or be a simple process. In this workshop those attending will learn the basics of pruning, how not to harm the tree and a little about proper pruning tools. The group will also learn different methods of shaping apple trees, from open vase to central leader, even touching on espalier pruning. The class will cover pruning both young trees for ideal growth and shape and recovering old trees to get them back into good condition.

For those planning on grafting, this is the time during which to collect scion wood. Grafting will be the topic of an April workshop.

Those attending should be dressed for the weather, as the class will have an outdoor component.

Yelvington is a fairly recent transplant to the area after retiring from 33 years in the Coast Guard. He started his cider orchard, Happy Dog Farm, outside Russell to provide juice specifically for hard cider makers. Yelvington is in his second year in the Virginia Tech Online Masters in Agriculture and Life Sciences (OMALS), focusing on pest and weed management. Happy Dog Farm includes a community cider mill that is registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Enrollment is limited. The fee for the program is $16 or $12 for Nature Center members. Paid reservations are required by Wednesday and can be made by calling 569-2345 during business hours or online through the Programs page at auduboncnc.org.