I was out my orchard this afternoon. Bella Gold is in full beautiful bloom right now. I have tons of bee activity going on, I noticed most times when a bee lands on a bloom the entire blossom falls off. I’m wondering if this is why I never get any fruit?
It’s planted within 7-10ft of both Flavor Grenade and Blenheim, supposedly the 2 pollinizers. Any ideas or thoughts?
Do any ever set and just abort? If they’re 7 ft apart a stiff breeze can do some of your pollination, I.e. I don’t think the pollinators are your problem.
Yes, every year a few (4 or5) will set then abort. I’ve had Bella Gold since it first came out. If it wasn’t for the pretty bloom every spring I would delete it! I’ve tried them at fruit tastings and I really like the taste.
Your symptoms seem like a nutrient deficiency. Not sure what kind — Or perhaps frost damage of premature buds.
Bella Gold is a notoriously poor setter. Several people here have them and some people have removed theirs due to this problem. Even Tom Spellman mentioned it in one of Dave Wilson’s videos.
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I don’t think it’s a nutrient deficiency, everything else in my orchard (80+ trees) grow and set fine.
I’ve had mine for 2-3 years and no fruit yet and the falling blossoms.I try to had pollinate with Flavor Grenade and sometimes they will disconnect with just a touch.
I’m slowing grafting other Peach types on. Brady
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I probably already stated elsewhere that this thing was a dog for me. Very poor fruit set even when hand pollinated or with numerous bees and a dozen other varieties of apricot and pluot in bloom. Then when I did get a couple of fruit they weren’t nearly as good as Orangered that matured at the same time, not even close to being as good.
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My two trees produced a small crop last year, and the fruit was delicious. One fruit scored a 26 brix and another a 25 brix.
This year, both have a decent amount of bloom. So hopefully, they produce a good crop.
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If I don’t get any fruit this year, it may “go down for the dirt nap”
Tbe pollinator that I use for mine is F1 Moorpark Apricot, so a Morpark Apricot will also work.
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I use Flavor Grenade as a pollinator. This is the first year I might have expected possible fruit but Bella Gold woke up early and lost all its blossoms to frost this year. Maybe next year.
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For those who still have Bella Gold peacotum, try pairing it with Flavorella plumcot. Both of my trees bloomed at the same time and the results for both trees look promising. I will report in about a week.
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Mine fruited for the first time last year. It actually produced a decent amount of fruit but PC got them all before I could. I do have several pluots, plums, and pluerries near it so im not sure what polinated mine. It did set a lot of fruit for a small tree. Ill keep you guys posted this year.
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Update: 50% of the peacotum flowers developed into fruit and 97% of the Flavorella plumcot flowers developed into fruit.
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Bad news. Last night temperatures dropped below 28 Fahrenheit and as a consequence, it appears there’s a 60-80% crop loss on my pure and Interspecific apricots.
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We had another freeze last night.