Who pinched all my apples?

[Veggiemama]

I have a Braeburn apple tree, a bramley and 2 cox's pippins.
The 2 cox's pippins i have had for 2 years and the others about 5/6 years.

Anyway, i wasnt expecting anything yet from the cox's and didnt get anything, BUT last spring both of the others were filled with blossom.

I have always had apples from the bramley. Last year was the first year i had fruit on the braeburn. Loads of apples had appeared then within days they all disappeared!!

What happened to them. I didnt see any on the ground, so did the birds or a squirrel or something else eat them.....what could have happened to them.

Should i cover the tree with netting this year once the fruit appears?

Thanking you in advance for any advice

[Bacchus]

Any chance some neighbors are enjoying them?

[Veggiemama]

Lol
No, they werent developed that much when they went missing. We live right out in the country and my neighbours are cows in the summer (and i mean real cows as in animals )

I'll keep a closer watch this year and maybe net them after the fruit has set.

[Bacchus]

You're not that far from me - and I live in a similar setting.

I can't ever remember experiencing a similar thing with my trees though.

[FB.]

Probably the tree dropped the fruitlets and slugs and snails ate them.

[Veggiemama]

You're not that far from me - and I live in a similar setting.

I can't ever remember experiencing a similar thing with my trees though.

Oh, i have just seen that you do live close to me. Thats good to know

[Veggiemama]

Probably the tree dropped the fruitlets and slugs and snails ate them.

Why would it have dropped the fruitlets. I definately didnt see any on the ground but the slugs could have eaten them.

It was the first year i actually had fruit on this particular tree.

thanks in advance

[WendyC]

Fruit trees generally set more fruit than they can bear to full size. Typically the excess fruitlets drop off around June time- "June drop" we always called it. Unfortunately yours dropped all of them. Perhaps it was not growing well at that time? Too dry possibly?
We loved the June drop apples as children, as thrown hard they could be effective missiles against opponents in games!

[Veggiemama]

Thanks Wendy. Its planted right in the garden, so i may have neglected the watering.

Will make sure i take better care this year as i really want apples

[FB.]

Why would it have dropped the fruitlets.

Various reasons:
1. Not enough water (usually a problem with dwarf rootstocks).
2. Poor pollination (not enough bees visiting - it's not worth their effort to fly miles to visit a small tree).
3. Some varieties are more prone to drop their fruit - Cox's needs no excuse to drop them all.
4. Diseased fruits will drop or may rot on the tree. Scab is a major problem for common varieties.
5. Insect-damaged fruits (including codling or sawfly maggots) often drop prematurely. Some varieties are more prone than others.