By Hank
Cheshire, United Kingdom
My 6 ft 6 tall eating apple tree.
This shows just 1 branch, It's like this every year. But I'm told I shouldn't have left so many on. Should I ? Am I harming the tree in any way ?
- 28 Oct, 2015
Answers
Well they look fine Hank - sometimes, if the crop's too heavy and the weather's damp, brown rot sets in where apples are touching one another, or the weight of the fruit breaks branches on the tree, but I don't see any problems like that with your crop. If it ain't broke, don't fix it - whatever anyone says!
28 Oct, 2015
We leave ours to fall for the butterflies and birds.....later if its cold we'll put out those saved for the redwing and fieldfares down from Scandinavia. ....such a treat to see them
28 Oct, 2015
Thanks very much - no change next year. The tree has been there for over 35 years and I only wish I'd kept the name of it.. The apples are superb.
28 Oct, 2015
Your apples look nice. Your tree will naturally cast fruit on its own "June Drop", however, you may still want to look over the three and get rid of any inferior fruit to reserve the tree's resources for the higher quality fruit.
http://gardening.about.com/od/treefruits/qt/June-Fruit-Drop.htm
28 Oct, 2015