What do you do this year to help fruit production next year

General Fruit Growing
#1

This is a subjective topic because many of the things we do haven’t gone through any verifiable trials. Most of this group is like me in that we only have a few years under our belts growing fruit. I think this topic could be a valuable resource to improve our hobby/occupation. Most of my listing will be opinions but I think we have several members that can offer more long term experiences. All comments are welcome from new growers to experienced ones.

-Removing drop fruit won’t eliminate insect pest for next year but it will reduce the population.
-Prune young trees only to get the desired shape and they will fruit sooner.
-Finding a good balance of how much fertilizer if any to prevent biennial bearing (I haven’t done a good job).
-Choosing a few varieties like Harrow Sweet pears that has a tendency to fruit at a young age (watch out for alternate year fruiting).
-Plant more trees than you think you need. If one takes a year off another one will produce. I have two Harrow Sweet and two Gold Rush.
-If you have trouble distinguishing between fruit buds and leaf buds you can prune after they flower.
-Graft in several varieties to help with cross pollination.
-If possible plant trees that escape early cold snaps. I have been testing several pear varieties.

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#2

Apples, pears and E. plums are the most prone to biennial bearing and are the only species that I really think about in this context. There are some proven facts, of course. Overbearing shuts down a trees ability to spend energy on next years blossoms, for instance.

There are other factors that are as good as facts in my mind as far as having a varying effect of annual good cropping- maturity of tree, rootstock, variety (of course), sun exposure, soil type, local and regional weather, light exposure, excessive crowding of trees (see light exposure), pruning and training methods (light exposure involved here to), drought stress or excessive water, nutritional deficiencies, texture and mineral composition of soil and so forth.

One thing I do that isn’t proven to help but seems to is a spring pruning, when I’m thinning fruit, of shoots that aren’t likely to serve the fruit, that is sprouts coming from larger wood and not near the fruiting wood. At that time they are quick to mop out just by rubbing off.

I started doing this after reading an article by some professor stating the discovery that after a period of time he didn’t specify, shaded leaves permanently lose their ability to photosynthesize. There is a not a scientifically established distance at which point leaves no longer serve the fruit they are closest to, and instead energize wood production, but clearly, nearby leaves, and especially spur leaves, do that job. This mopping of “scaffold sprouts” probably keeps spur leaves at a higher rate of energy reserves to help them have enough to spend on both this seasons apples and flower buds the following year.

I keep in mind that every great, good sized apple, needs to be served by about 30 well exposed leaves. This also increases the probability the tree will have enough surplus energy to make fruit nest year- a “decision” most likely made by the spur leaves- supposedly within 3-4 weeks of petal fall, but I think that may not be entirely true, at least for all apple varieties. Some may have more thoughtful jurists that take more time.

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#3

Had some trees cut to provide more light to a blueberry bed. Moved some bushes to a better location. Pulled weeds around the bushes and mulched with arborist mulch over cardboard. It is an ongoing effort, though and not keeping ahead of the weeds yet. Planted some more varieties of raspberries to try to extend the season. The fruit and nut trees are mostly plugging away on their own until they reach beating age, with a little fertilizer or mulch applied, mice trapped, trunks painted and other routine maintenance as needed

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#4

Cleanup and then a through spray of heavy dormant oil (after dormancy).

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#5

When our trees get thick we thin out some of the limbs. I have also started thinning to create air flow upward near the trunk (chimney). Others have suggested using the chimney. These cuts add light and air to the interior limbs.

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#6

@Auburn

I seem to remember reading here that @alan feels that agressive pruning to shape early on delays fruiting.

@alan, am I remembering correctly that you let young trees have at it and only a later you start removing the scaffolds that don’t serve the shape you are trying to achieve.

Mike

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#7

[quote=“MES111, post:6, topic:31014”]
only to get the desired shape
[/quote

Good point. I think but don’t know that less pruning is best. My opinion is that a few limbs should be removed early such as double trunks starting at a low level.

#8

@Auburn
Yes… those definitely. I was thinking of the case where some branches develop in an area that you are pretty sure you don’t want them. In that case, if I remember correctly, its better to let it go and prune it off later when the tree starts to get more serious about fruiting.

Mike

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#9

It is still hot in my area but the humidity dropped and has made working outside easier. I’m taking advantage of the weather change and doing some much needed cleanup around my fruit trees.

#10

It’s all in my pruning article in the guides section. You remember correctly, just not completely. I’ve come to the conclusion that some varieties shade themselves with so much rank growth it delays fruiting, such as Fuji and other varieties don’t like sending out secondary branches which may justify cutting back scaffolds about a third of previous years growth to coax them to do so, then choosing one of the shoots that form at the pruning point (stub cut, probably) to assume leadership by slightly pinching back the competing shoots to make them secondary.

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#11

Part of my fruit trees are shaded but I can’t removed the offenders because they are on a neighbors property.

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#12

Midnight Roundup injection to root just below ground:wink:

My neighbor on the south side has lots of dying ash trees, you can always prey the next invasive tree killing pest attacks the species in your neighbors yard. I’m getting sun now faster than I’m losing it, which is rare when you are bordered by other people’s forest trees.

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#13

Excellent suggestions, Auburn. I would add, be sure to fruit prune in the spring to provide space for fruit to expand. Also, remove water sprouts in the late spring. Be sure to put plastic guards around the young seedlings to prevent critters from girdling the tree. Thanks, Waite

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#14

@alan

That is becoming a more frequent event because I have a medical condition.
It is called “CALENDARITIS”. It progresses as number of days on one’s life calendar start to mount.

But, considering the alternative, I can deal with having my mis-remembering refreshed once in a while.:smile:

Mike

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#15

I’ve been diagnosed as having chronic tmb*, myself. Same outlook as yours!

*(too many birthdays)

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#16

Is there any benefit to feed the trees on fall just before they go dormant. Some fall feedong…

The roots continue functioning even after leaf drop. I wonder if having some nutrition available is helpfull in any way?

Mike

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#17

I don’t feed my trees in the fall but it is something for me to consider. Some of the other members might do this type feeding and it would be good to hear from them.

#18

I would think not. At least for deciduous trees. That added nutrition has nowhere to be utilized as all the food factories have vanished. Wat little activity there is within the root system would be to replenish any water lost. Any feeding going into dormancy seems like it would pose a potential risk to that as well. However, would be interesting to get input from those more experienced than I.

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#19

It varies by species, but apples will take up N now and distribute it to flower buds and spur leaves, although there doesn’t seem to be much advantage over doing it in early spring just at bud swell to half inch green. K is usually applied in the fall as is lime. N shouldn’t be applied with Lime, however, because it encourages volatilizing.

I often apply to the soil a mix of N,K and boron in the last days of Sept for customers because I’m so busy in Spring (and, most of all, need justifiable work and income in late summer to early fall), but have found little benefit in doing this for peaches. They need spring application of N. As I’ve said, for peaches that I’m trying to size up in a hurry, a 90 day coated urea at first growth in spring is the ticket.

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#20

One thing you can do to help fruit production next year doesn’t happen in the fall, but in the spring: thin heavily, and then thin again! I always thought I was doing enough thinning, but last year’s bumper crop appears to have slowed my Liberty down this year, and if I’m not careful about thinning in spring '21 I’m afraid I’ll start making the tree biennial.

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