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Apple tree: spurs and fruit set

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  • Apple tree: spurs and fruit set

    Does the cropping potential of apple tree varieties determine whether the spurs should be thinned out or not in spring? E.g. Kidd's OR is a Light cropper, Red Falstaff is a Heavy cropper. Or should the spurs always be thinned regardless of type?

  • #2
    I would only thin the spurs if the tree was consistently producing under-size fruit - although more than likely I'd remove the tree because it clearly can't cope (rootstock too weak is a common problem). But under-size fruit can be from biennial bearing so after a huge crop of small fruit in an 'on' year you may get no crop at all the next year if you thin the spurs.

    Spur thinning might help reduce biennial bearing but if you thin the spurs before the 'on' year and the bees don't make many visits you might not get a good crop anyway.

    It is thought that the number of flowers pollinated in the current year influences the fruit spurs to adjust the number of blossom buds for the following year. So a high pollination rate in spring 2015 will mean less flower buds produced for 2016. The fruit bud initiation for the following season happens as soon as the petals have fallen so fruit thinning has limited effect on fruit bud formation for the following year (although fruit thinning will help increase the fruit size for the current year).

    Growing conditions affect fruit bud formation for the following year too. A hot sunny drought summer usually encourages lots of fruit buds for the next season (I can get pears on seedling rootstock to blossom and crop in their third season). A cool, dull, wet summer usually discourages fruit bud formation for the following season. Some varieties are fussier and more easily stressed than others.

    Correct 'cordon pruning' technique can also increase fruit bud formation for the following season.
    .

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    • #3
      Cheers, FB.

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