Apple Tree Pruning

This is my 3 year old apple tree. I had a good crop last year but I did not prune it in late autumn. Now it has some long branches with about to flower buds on the ends. There are a lot of fruiting spurs inside the tree. Should I prune back the long branches by 1/3rd now or just leave it. If the ends produce apples the branches will not be strong enough to hold them

 

I prune my apple trees in late autumn, after they have finished fruiting, but before the hard frosts start.
In my opinion, you can prune them any time before the warmer growing season begins, and certainly before any blossom is visible.
This depends on the type of tree you have, and which part of the UK you live in.
Your tree is young, and looks healthy. In your situation, I would prune it as soon as possible, while the weather is cool. Late pruning will not harm it, but any apples that appear towards the ends of the flimsier branches, I would remove before their size puts unnecessary strain on the tree.
DO IT NOW! ANOTHER WEEK MAY BE TOO LATE.

 

I would leave it and just remove any apples that form where you don't want them. It's a young tree so the extra foliage will help to develop the fruit. The downside to doing it now is that you will promote new growth that competes with the fruit formation but if you do it in late summer it limits the growth and promotes new fruit spurs.

 

Thanks for the information. After looking things over. I will wait to see if the flowers produce embryo apples I will pinch them off. Then in the autumn I will prune the branches back. This should then encourage fruiting spurs further down and on stronger wood.
Thanks for your advice.

 

Have a look at summer pruning of the new growth