why does an apple have only one fruit!

[Mr. Bish]

I cut back some apples for a client pretty hard four years ago.

It grew back well as I had expected.

 

Went back to her garden for more work and was asked a question I couldnt answer... "My apple trees have had no fruit now for three years, this year there are about three apples between the four trees.... why?"

 

All I could do is mumble a bit about single sex trees... then apoligise and said I'd get back to her.

 

Anyone have any idea as to why?

also any cutting based treatment as they are now massive and bushy again.

 

Thanks.

[difflock]

How much fruit did they produce before your work?

Ud be my first question.

[peatff]

You need to know what variety they are and whether you cut all the fruit bearing branches off and they are just starting to recover.

[Mr. Bish]

How much fruit did they produce before your work?

Ud be my first question.

 

Barrow loads I know becaise I had to cart them off. Tree was done in October 2010

[Mr. Bish]

I'm guessing it should be assumed that I did cut all the fruit bearing branches off. I was pretty brutal.

Do you think the fruit will return?

 

If thats the case then perhaps a 2 in 5 new growth reduction would make sense?

[peatff]

Look at the branches that are producing fruit and learn to identify them then when you come to thin the tree leave as many of them as you can or just shorten them not remove completely. Only take out branches that are rubbing or look sickly and try to keep the tree centre open, depending how big the trees are don't prune all the branches out at one go but spread any drastic work over three or four seasons as they don't like to be hit too hard. Read this for an idea what you are looking to achieve.

[Ruskins Trees]

Pollinator ? If not a self fertile variety.

 

Perhaps a pollinator was nearby when the tree had loads of fruit and the explanation why it has none/one now it that it has gone.

[Mr. Bish]

Thanks both. I can now answer and start remedial work much better informed XX

 

And yes, when I did it they used to keep bees...

[Acg128]

If you had to cart the apples away why does the customer care? Lol just a thought.

[agg221]

What size were the trees before?

What size did you cut them back to?

 

My guess is that they were fair sized trees, not on dwarf stock, and they were virtually pollarded, in which case if you get them back in bearing in five years you are doing well. The main thing to remember is that the more upright the branches, the less they will fruit. You can affect this by pruning out very upright branches and tying down others - this should get it back slightly quicker. Continued use of tying down is likely to be necessary if you are trying to keep them artificially much smaller than they want to be (so says Gollum and having done it two years running, I am a convert).

 

Alec