Apple trees

Mach Two

I have a few eaters here. They might be 15 yrs old. Next to no blossoms on them. So I expect very few apples this year. They were covered in apples last year. The same happened maybe 3 yrs ago. No apples. Every year before that they always had a great crop. Has anyone any explanation for this.

Do you fertilize them, prune them?

Mach Two

We never gave them fertiliser. We started pruning them last year. There was such a good crops of apples on them that you would think there would be no need.

standardg60

Mine does the exact same, one year laden, next year barely anything. I just assume the tree uses the fallow year to replenish energy.

Mach Two

standardg60 wrote: »

Mine does the exact same, one year laden, next year barely anything. I just assume the tree uses the fallow year to replenish energy.

What age are they? And did they always do it?

standardg60

Mach Two wrote: »

What age are they? And did they always do it?

About the same age, I don't recall it as much when young but certainly became more prevalent as it matured and produced more fruit.

I've just accepted it as a natural phenomenon.
There was another similar thread on here a while back with others experiencing the same thing so you're not alone.

magicbastarder

trees naturally experience mast years. not something i've heard of in the case of apple trees, but it's a possibility.

also, from this link (i can't say if it's accurate, just struck me that this issue appeared in the year after you pruned it):

The largest and best quality apples and pears grow on two-year-old wood and young spurs

https://www.goodfruit.com/the-1-2-3-rule-of-pruning/

Mach Two

It happened before we pruned them too. One other thing to note is that it is happening on all the trees. Does that rule out lack of fertiliser?

macraignil

Would think it is unlikely to be fertilizer related as trees have the ability to stretch their roots over such a wide area and so deep in the ground to get nutrients. I read somewhere before that it is a good idea to reduce the number of fruit maturing on a tree to get better fruit and another effect of this is to get a more even fruit production from year to year. If a tree produces a very large amount of fruit in one year it may need to take a couple of years to build up its energy again to have another productive year. It is a natural process in trees in the wild so the number of fruit eaters is not always at a level that all the fruit gets eaten. If there is an odd year where a surplus is produced some more fruit may simply rot and allow the next generation of plants sprout. Trees will often drop some of their immature fruit themselves so they are not trying to mature too much fruit but taking out a few apples particularly when there seems to be a large number is probably worth while. I do this with a granny smith apple tree at the end of this video clip.

Mach Two

It is all the trees though. If it was as you say would you not think that it would happen an odd tree now and then. Same happened a few years ago. None of the trees had any fruit worth talking about.

standardg60

I think Macraignil has explained it all perfectly there.
I'll be giving my tree a good thinning this week to reduce the amount of developing fruit.

Mach Two

standardg60 wrote: »

I think Macraignil has explained it all perfectly there.
I'll be giving my tree a good thinning this week to reduce the amount of developing fruit.

You could be right as all the trees had a heavy crop last year. Would I be correct in saying that by more pruning would reduce the number of fruit bearing branches therefore reducing the amount of fruit on it.

standardg60

Mach Two wrote: »

You could be right as all the trees had a heavy crop last year. Would I be correct in saying that by more pruning would reduce the number of fruit bearing branches therefore reducing the amount of fruit on it.

Yes pretty much.
Bear in mind that you're thinning rather than pruning, ie. Removing entire branches to create more light and space in the canopy rather than shortening every branch which will just lead to more crowding.

Mach Two

What time of year should I be thinning the trees. I presume it is the centre branches that should be cut.

standardg60

Ideally you want to create a canopy where the branches radiate equally out and away from the trunk so removing one of two branches growing in the same direction close together and those that start on one side and grow back through the centre to the other side. You can do it now as you're still leaving plenty of leaf.

Mach Two

If I take too much I presume I would kill the tree. Is there any advantage in doing it now. Do I need to treat the cuts.

standardg60

Less questions and more action please!
Follow my instructions to the letter and the trees will be fine and produce a better and more even crop.
You don't need to treat the cuts but do them cleanly.

Doctors room ghost

They’re bad for drawing wasps in around the place during late summer.we do be plagued with them

Mach Two

standardg60 wrote: »

Less questions and more action please!
Follow my instructions to the letter and the trees will be fine and produce a better and more even crop.
You don't need to treat the cuts but do them cleanly.

Very good. Thanks for your help. I will do as you say and hopefully the trees will prosper from it.

standardg60

you're welcome