Apple trees grow in almost all areas surrounding our summer cottage. Often this is not one tree, but several with different varieties and ripening periods. Sometimes it happens that the tree is already several years old, and no one has ever eaten apples from it. Today I will tell you why this happens and what should be done about it.
Possible reasons
Fruits can be absent on trees of different ages - both young and old. Or, regardless of the number of years, give a very meager harvest. Let us dwell on all cases in more detail.
Young apple tree
When an apple tree is five years old, it usually begins to give its first harvests. There are exception varieties on which apples appear after the seventh year.
The tree is seven to eight years old or more
If all the deadlines have passed and nothing happens, there is a possibility that it was incorrectly planted. For example, it is deeply buried, and instead of fruiting, the apple tree spends all its strength on survival. Another option is that the pruning was not done according to the rules. Sometimes inexperienced gardeners remove the fruit twigs. To understand this, do not prune the tree in the next year or two. If fruiting begins, then the reason was the absence of fruit twigs.
It blooms, but there is no harvest or very little of it
There may be several reasons. I will name the most popular ones:
- No cross-pollination. This can be encountered if there are no more apple trees on your site and on the sites of your neighbors.
- Fruit buds ripened poorly. This often happens with southern varieties planted in cold regions. Flowers on such plants are weak and with a short period for pollination. This is also facilitated by an excess of nitrogen in the soil.
- An apple tree was attacked by a weevil. The larvae of this insect harm flowers, as a result - a lack of harvest.
Does not bloom or bear fruit
It also happens that the apple tree has ceased to give yields, with which there were no problems before. Possible reasons:
- High standing groundwater. Because of them, the roots rot and the generative buds cease to form.
- Old trees also do not bring expected harvests. You can try to rejuvenate the apple tree at an age, but this does not always give a positive trend.
- Low amount of iron in the soil.
Does not bear fruit every year
Usually gardeners complain about "not an apple year", many say that a similar phenomenon happens every season. As a rule, these are mistakes of gardeners who planted non-zoned varieties. As a result, apple trees do not tolerate winter well, and then they get sick and are affected by pests.
Improper care negatively affects fruiting. The tree ages quickly and produces a large number of small and sour fruits.
Affects productivity and weather - harsh winters, frosts in spring, rains during flowering. In a year, everything will change: for the next season, the apple tree will direct all its efforts to create a large number of flower buds.
How to make an apple tree bear fruit
If you have a young tree, correct the mistake you made when planting. The root collar should be at ground level. You also need to stop pruning for a while so that the tree gains strength for fruiting.
Apple trees that do not set fruit after flowering should be checked for their ability to grow in a given area. You will also have to eliminate the excess nitrogen in the soil. It is better to replace this element with feeding with phosphorus and potassium. Against the weevil, the easiest way is to buy and install special trapping belts. If they did not help, you will have to eliminate the pests with the help of chemicals.
To make the apple tree bear fruit, one should take into account the peculiarities of the variety, protect it from pests, and the tree will thank you with a good harvest.
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