Flowering crab apple advice

[Silentrunning]

I bought 2 flowering crab apple trees at the local grocery store yesterday. They are about 10 feet tal and look very healthy. They are just starting to come into bloom and leaf out. They look as if they have never been pruned and are somewhat spindly in stature. I have never had this type of tree before so I’m not sure if I should prune it back when I plant it or if I should let it grow for a year first. I want the tree to spread out with a nice canopy and not be tall and skinny.

 

[johnny canoe]

I would probably just leave them be the first year and prune the limbs back a third next March. That's when I do the pruning on my apple tree, before it leafs out and there is still snow on the ground.

I don't think you would harm them if you pruned but this first year you want strong root growth, maybe adding something to help with that when you plant.