I’m growing in southeast Texas, and my Granny Smith apple trees have started putting out blossoms. That being said, it’s only been just under a week and the first blossoms have already dropped their petals. This is my first apple tree so I wanted to know, is this normal? I feel like they should last longer? If so, what could be causing them to drop so soon and what can I do to help prevent it before the others open up?
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Trees sometimes have a few late blooming buds like on your tree. That is more common in some apple varieties than others. It is not a cause for worry.
I believe that one factor is the heat - the cooler the weather, the longer the blooms last.
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I’m also curious about how long blooms can be hand pollinated. I have been carrying a bloom from one tree to another, but I am focusing on pollinating the newest blooms. I was thinking they were more amenable to pollinating than the older ones where the pollen has lost its color and is starting to turn dark. I’ve also cut out blooms from more prolific trees and put them in a jar with water, then nested them in the crotch of another tree (mostly pears). Im not seeing a lot of bees, so I am trying each day to increase the odds. My trees are about 8 feet or less, so I can get to a lot of the blooms
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