Apple tree problem

[rowan lee]

Was asked about this at the weekend, 3 trees - Kathy and discovery varieties.

10 years in the ground. Has been producing fruit, until this season. No fruit this year, but vigorous growth throughout.

 

Is this common in apple tree's and what may have caused it to pump all its energy into new growth rather then fruit? Could it be stress related - we had a very dry spell here in Ireland through the mid summer months.

 

thanks.

[sandspider]

Some years seem to be better than others for fruit trees. Last year I got no apples and no plums - year before that lots of both, and this year lots of both. Last year I did have the apple tree cut back quite hard, but the plum was untouched (though it still grew vigorously) - apparently last year was a bad year for many fruit varieties (over here anyway)...

[Stephen Blair]

It's been a bumper crop with us for apples, and we are a similar weather pattern to you.

Very dry and hardly any rain, the Rowan trees are buckling with berries aswell.

Sorry cant offer any advice mate

[rowan lee]

No worries, yeah Ive been told that from time to time these sort of fruit tree's just take a break in the cycle every so often and put all their energy into new growth which bypasses the fruiting. odd though as this small orchard contains a few different varieties. Somebody else talked of a pollination issue.

[peatff]

Do you prune them ? I have a couple of Worcester Pearmain trees and they are reluctant to fruit the year after a good pruning. They made a small amount of fruit this year and have done like yours making a lot of leaf growth. Odd thing is there does not seem to have been any fruit drop in June this year like we usually get when it naturally sheds weaker fruit.

Edited October 3, 2013 by peatff
add ons

[rowan lee]

As far as I know the owners haven't ever pruned these trees, but somebody esle mentioned that problem as well, especially when its a heavy prune.

[slack ma girdle]

They are producing alot of growth this year, and it maybe due to drought stress. My sunset tree started producing every other year, to stop it i picked about half the fruit in early june. Producing such a bumper crop was not sustainable for the tree, so it would have a break. By removing half the fruit early on , the tree was not so exhausted. It is now producing every year.

For your trees i would prune out most of the new growth this winter, and thin out half of the apples next june.

[fagus]

Worcester permain is a tip bearer so pruning will remove the fruit buds,needs a balanced pruning adn not severe

[peatff]

Worcester permain is a tip bearer so pruning will remove the fruit buds,needs a balanced pruning adn not severe

 

You don't prune the fruit bearing branches, just some of the new growth so it puts the energy into the fruit and the sunlight can get in to ripen the apples otherwise they don't turn red These are on a dwarfing stock so they have to be pruned to keep growth in check. Those in the picture look like dwarfs and I would winter prune them taking out any rubbing branches and any vertical growth and open up the middle of the tree, the old adage was that you should be able to throw your hat through the tree. I've had mine for 25 years and they are doing alright.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

toomuch nitrogen?

[agg221]

Only two causes - either they didn't have blossom or it didn't set. If they can remember whether it blossomed it would help identify the problem.

 

If it blossomed but didn't set then it suggests either a late frost or lack of pollination. Several varieties so lack of pollination could be down to poor weather meaning lack of insects at the time.

 

If it didn't blossom, but has been previously, it suggests that the blossom was taken off by previous pruning, so if it hasn't been pruned I would guess it isn't that.

 

The increased growth is probably because it hasn't been putting any energy into fruit this year.

 

I would be careful about pruning - if you go at it too hard you send it into regrowth rather than fruit formation. I would probably look at judicious thinning of the structure, removing high growth which extends up beyond the main 'ball shaped' structure (visible in the first picture) completely, down within the structure, but probably not touching much else. More thinning could be done next year to let light and air in. It should start fruiting again (note whether it blossoms or not, as otherwise you could get a false impression due to a late frost or similar). If it blossoms, all well and good. If not, time to take other action.

 

Alec