Apple Trees?
Question:I have had a Harlson Red dwarf apple tree in my yard for 10 yrs and I have yet to eat an apple off of it,, the apples begin to grow and make it to golf ball size and green of course,,but then they drop off and never and i mean never make it to maturity,, its not a pollination problem,,cause i have a flowering crab apple next to it,,and there are other apple trees in my neighborhood,, does anyone have any ideas for me,,please??
Answers:
It's your pollinator. Try a Red Delicious for the pollinator. It is important that the pollinator and the fruit tree bloom at the same time.
Some type of bug or disease is causing the problem. Unfortunately that is why people have to use chemicals on their orchards.
Have you tried fertilizer into the roots of the tree? My Father-in-law had pecan trees that he fertilized with a hollow iron pipe put at angles toward the roots of the tree about to the drip line of the tree. (several around the tree). He then poured Red Devils Lye into the pipe which carried the red devils lye into the root system. You may try this for your apples trees and see if it works --also you can put a good fertilizer into the ground that way. I like Osmocote fertilizer for all my plants - vegetables and trees. It lasts from 6 to 9 months . Hope this works for you-- just a little of the devils lye goes a long way. so use it sparingly. Try some of the gaden shops wib sites- I like to go to Scotts websites and ask questions they are so good about answering you.
There are many reasons why a plant might shed its fruit prematurely. Don't panic. Fruit drop may be natural, environmental or pest-related. Take careful observations and evaluate all possibilities. Use a process of elimination to determine the cause of the symptom and decide on an appropriate control measure.
In many cases, apple in particular, the plant undergoes certain growth phases in which natural fruit drop occurs. An early summer fruit drop commonly occurs in apple, pear and, less frequently, cherry. This is a result of the plant's inability to support the vast number of fruit that it has produced. Profuse flowering and extensive pollination result in the overproduction of fruit, beyond what the plant can physiologically sustain. In an effort to conserve energy, the plant drops the fruit. Essentially, it is a natural thinning that results from the competition between fruits.
Premature fruit drop is often related to unfavourable environmental conditions, such as late frosts, excessive heat or cold, and abrupt changes in humidity. Symptoms may be soil related, resulting from irregular watering and improper nutrition. Nutrient deficiency is a common problem. Boron-deficient green peppers, for example, will even exhibit a certain amount of fruit drop. Although there are characteristic deficiency symptoms associated with each nutrient, plant expression may vary between species. Deficiency diagnosis is further complicated if more than one nutrient is deficient in the soil. In Manitoba, only nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur are of particular concern with respect to fruit production. Herbicide drift may also lead to premature fruit drop.
Pathological or 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 apple maggot and plum curculio. Common diseases include apple scab and peach leaf curl. Insects and diseases tend to have more visually identifiable symptoms and are, therefore, easier to diagnose than environmental or physiological disorders.
Thin fruit to reduce competition and encourage the plant to put more energy into producing fewer numbers of larger, higher quality fruit. The removal of fruit beyond what is lost during the early season drop may even be necessary. Some horticulturists even suggest thinning the blossoms, but flowers are typically an attractive feature for most homeowners. Avoid unfavourable environmental conditions that might cause a plant to drop its fruit. This involves effective water management and a balanced fertilizer program, according to individual plant specifications. Soil testing may be required in order to confirm nutrient deficiency/toxicity. Supplement with fertilizer where necessary. Avoid herbicide drift. Never apply herbicides in windy or dead calm conditions. Contrary to popular belief, dead calm conditions are often associated with a phenomenon known as temperature inversions. Spraying under such conditions can actually increase drift distance. If additional symptoms are observed on fruit, leaves or stems, proceed to identify the causal agent and administer appropriate control measures.
Sounds like you have apple maggot problems. That's a classic symptom. It's tough to control.
First, collect and remove any and all drop apples and send them out with the garbage. That will keep them from overwintering and/or emerging as adult. The adults are very small 3/16 of an inch or so. In the spring, hang apple maggot fly traps in and around your trees. They are treated with a feramone scent lure. The adults go to them to lay their eggs, and become trapped. Monitor the lures frequently, and when you begin to see the pest in question, you need to begin treatment.
There are a number of sprays you can use. Some are gentler (like insecticidal soap), but need to be applied every few days. You can also use a perethrin spray, which is a bit more toxic, but has a residual, so will last a few weeks.
You can also bag the individual apples on the tree after they are pollinated (and flower that set fruit have been pollinated). Put bags over them - big enough for the apple to grow inside, and tie closed around the branch. Then the flies cannot get at the apple to lay the eggs under the skin. (once the eggs are laid, it's over - since they're inside the apple, sprays have no affect on the larvae.)
Start learning about the apple maggot fly, and you'll be better prepared for next year. If there's any good news - it's that the pest will not affect the health of the tree itself - just the fruit.
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