I noticed on several trees this year Fruit size is larger or smaller ddpending on its locatiin on the tree. The part that does not make sense is its not the same place each time. I’m looking for a way to capitalize on the phenomenon but still have not figured out what I’m looking at. So on one tree all the fruit was larger at the bottom so logically I thought it was because its closer to the water. That theory does not hold water because the next few trees are larger fruit at the top so maybe sunlight influenced the fruit size. Then I find myself back where I was seeing something but not being able to pinpoint why. The tree has veins like us so to speak that pull water similar like drinking through s straw to the top of the tree. I know something makes the fruit larger and I know it does it based on a set of rules so what’s going here?
Sinks and sources, the more sinks (fruit) on a source (tree), smaller fruit. Sunlight will more impact sugars and coloring as I understand.
Ampersand,
That makes perfect sense that more fruit= smaller fruit. What’s strange is why in one spot like the top of the tree the fruit is larger.
I also found that as my trees matured, the size of the fruit grew into the sizes described when I bought the trees. It took a number of years for the fruit to grow into normal sizes, or larger. I find thinning very important to size of fruit as well, particularly with my peach trees and apples.
Clark,
you might just be seeing bigger fruit on areas of the tree where less fruit set took place. That would very depending on rain, frost and wind year to year.
If you had time you could pick out all but the king fruit / blossom ( the center flowers that open first)
Thinning fruit by hand is not fun. I want to experiment with chemical thinning heavy bearers. some varieties very allot in sized depending on fruit set. I found an application of sevin within the first 30 days of fruit set severely thins trees. I want to try spraying salt at full bloom. maybe after the king flowers are finished.
We know numerous factors play into fruit size such as rootstock, environmental conditions, etc. I’m wondering if there is more to it though. Most trees don’t show signs of fireblight until they produce fruit the first time. What if like with disease .most trees don’t produce their large fruit until xyz condition is met. I find myself going back to it and feeling like I’m missing something. I think back to when I was a kid and we stared up at the tree and said wish I could get to those big fruit on top. Even then I wondered why the big fruit were on top…
This would be very beneficial if the mystery could be solved and better yet if we could apply the knowledge to our trees and get larger better quality fruit. Sometimes I look at apples that have been properly thinned and they are a decent size fruit and then you look over at a cluster with three from one spur that is larger than the ones thinned. Good luck. Bill