Why do my apples grow to the size of a golf ball and then drop off?
Question:they have done this for the past 2 years
Answers:
There are many reasons why an apple tree might shed its fruit prematurely. Most of the time, fruit drop might be natural, environmental or pest-related.
Following are 3 possible reasons why you may be seeing premature fruit drop of your apples;
1) Sometimes it's a result of the plant's inability to support the vast number of fruit that it has produced. Over-production of fruit, beyond what the plant can physiologically sustain, will result in an effort to conserve energy and the plant drops the fruit. It's a natural thinning process that results from the competition between fruits.
CURE: During the growing season, remove dwarf-sized and blemished apples. Use mini-pruning shears to remove those apples to prevent tearing of entire clusters.
2) Premature fruit drop is often related to unfavorable environmental conditions, such as late frosts, excessive heat or cold, and abrupt changes in humidity. Fruit drop may be also be soil related---irregular watering and improper nutrition.
CURE: Keep soil moist throughout the growing season. IF you live in a climate where winds and high temperatures are prevalent, use a mulch to minimize soil drying out between irrigantions. Make fertilzer applications (starting in early spring) about every 6 weeks using a well-balanced fertilizer...such as a 10-10-10 applied evenly on the soil surface under the entire branch spread of the tree and water in.
3) Pest-related fruit drop is more likely to occur late in the growing season when the fruit is nearing maturity. Common insects that cause premature fruit drop include codling moth, apple maggot and plum curculio.
CURE: Good idea to set out phermone traps which helps reduce male moth populations. Spray every 7 to 10 days once you begin to notice moths in traps or you can consult with your local farm extension office how to calculate days to larvae emergence. I spray a bacteria-based insecticide called "SPINOSAD" that will remain on the apples and prevent larvae from feeding.
Hope this information helps prevent further pre-mature apple drop on your trees. GOOD LUCK!
-Certified Professional Crop Consultant with over 30 years of experience and a Degree in Plant Science
My mum used to have a tree that did that, I think she was told it had some tree disease.
If it is just around this time of year then this is what is known as June drop - although it can happen May - July depending on conditions.
It's the tree ridding itself of excess fruit for various reasons - it can't sustain all of the fruit, some of the fruit is not fully fertilised therefore will not grow to full size or there are diseased/damaged fruits.
If it sheds ALL the fruit at this time I would guess there is something radically wrong either with the fruit or the tree - try cutting the fruit open & see if maybe there are grubs in all the fruits. If so, you need to apply a winter wash (or grease strips can help too) to the trunk of the tree & make sure that all the infested fruit is picked up & destroyed.
It is a good idea to dispose of any dropped fruit if it is diseased or infested anyway.
You need to buy a good fruit tree spray and use according to directions. Sounds like maybe you have a fungus disease.
it could be the type of apple tree, granny smith apples grow a different size to other apples!!
I have apple tree also in my backyard, although I don't know the variety.
Some grow to a normal size, but many of them are not. My problem is more to the black fungus that grows on them, and almost all of them has caterpillar inside. My neighbour told me the cost of commercial herbicide or fungicide for a single tree is more than a cost of the apples in the grocery, so I didn't bother to try.
Anyone know better and safe solution for this?
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