Re: [MBZ] OT Apple Tree
I didn't prune the tree last year time just got away with me. This year I will make sure that I do. Thanks to all that replied! Douglas Standard practice, if I remember correctly, is to thin in june AFTER the natural drop occurs. There is usually some spontaneous fruit drop in early to mid June, and if that doesn't reduce the crop to around one fruit per 4-6 of branch, you need to thin manually. The fewer apples there are, the larger they will get, generally. Pruning is also very important -- if this is a young tree, you should pick three or four strong branches that do NOT meet in a common place and make a stick with a nail or wire in each end and use them as braces between the trunk and branch fo hold them down and out. Prune all upward shoots off the side branches, you want the tree to spread out, not grow up, which is it's natural tendency. It should look fairly bare -- keep all branches open to sunlight, no internal shading of branches, and don't let it grow upwards once you have a set of nice framework branches. Pretty much the opposite of a Bradford Pear. Fertilize in the early spring, probably a couple pounds of 12-12-12 for an average sized tree (less for dwarfs, of course). I never sprayed mine, so I can't tell you when or what, but DO NOT spray ANY pesticide from a couple days before bud break until a couple days after the end of petal fall -- otherwise you will poison someone's bees and get poor fruit set. Peter ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
[MBZ] OT Apple Tree
I know this is OT and never had a apple tree before and now I do. It’s a Fuji and last year we got maybe 4-5 apples off it. This year the thing is so loaded down that the limbs are bending. When and how much do I thin the fruit out? Douglas ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT Apple Tree
Douglas wrote: When and how much do I thin the fruit out? I'd like to know too. My semi-dwarves were way overloaded last year. I don't think another bumper crop of undersized apples this year would be a good idea. I'd assume the sooner the better with thinning. Mitch. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT Apple Tree
Do you prune your apple trees in the fall? This is the first and best way to protect against over-production of undersized, unhappy fruit. It's an important practice, not only to prevent over-production of fruit, but to give the tree a good structure and keep the canopy open enough that light can get through to all of the branches. Lee Mitch Haley wrote: Douglas wrote: When and how much do I thin the fruit out? I'd like to know too. My semi-dwarves were way overloaded last year. I don't think another bumper crop of undersized apples this year would be a good idea. I'd assume the sooner the better with thinning. Mitch. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT Apple Tree
Standard practice, if I remember correctly, is to thin in june AFTER the natural drop occurs. There is usually some spontaneous fruit drop in early to mid June, and if that doesn't reduce the crop to around one fruit per 4-6 of branch, you need to thin manually. The fewer apples there are, the larger they will get, generally. Pruning is also very important -- if this is a young tree, you should pick three or four strong branches that do NOT meet in a common place and make a stick with a nail or wire in each end and use them as braces between the trunk and branch fo hold them down and out. Prune all upward shoots off the side branches, you want the tree to spread out, not grow up, which is it's natural tendency. It should look fairly bare -- keep all branches open to sunlight, no internal shading of branches, and don't let it grow upwards once you have a set of nice framework branches. Pretty much the opposite of a Bradford Pear. Fertilize in the early spring, probably a couple pounds of 12-12-12 for an average sized tree (less for dwarfs, of course). I never sprayed mine, so I can't tell you when or what, but DO NOT spray ANY pesticide from a couple days before bud break until a couple days after the end of petal fall -- otherwise you will poison someone's bees and get poor fruit set. Peter ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT Apple Tree
I neither spray pesticides nor use chemical fertilizers. Just a shovel-full of compost now and then. I do plant my apple trees as a guild with other friendly plants to help meet the apple's needs, including perennial nitrogen fixers. Insectaries like dill, fennel, yarrow, lovage attract predatory wasps which in turn keep down the unwelcome bugs. Good advice on the pruning. Lee Peter Frederick wrote: Standard practice, if I remember correctly, is to thin in june AFTER the natural drop occurs. There is usually some spontaneous fruit drop in early to mid June, and if that doesn't reduce the crop to around one fruit per 4-6 of branch, you need to thin manually. The fewer apples there are, the larger they will get, generally. Pruning is also very important -- if this is a young tree, you should pick three or four strong branches that do NOT meet in a common place and make a stick with a nail or wire in each end and use them as braces between the trunk and branch fo hold them down and out. Prune all upward shoots off the side branches, you want the tree to spread out, not grow up, which is it's natural tendency. It should look fairly bare -- keep all branches open to sunlight, no internal shading of branches, and don't let it grow upwards once you have a set of nice framework branches. Pretty much the opposite of a Bradford Pear. Fertilize in the early spring, probably a couple pounds of 12-12-12 for an average sized tree (less for dwarfs, of course). I never sprayed mine, so I can't tell you when or what, but DO NOT spray ANY pesticide from a couple days before bud break until a couple days after the end of petal fall -- otherwise you will poison someone's bees and get poor fruit set. Peter ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT Apple Tree
1. bloom 2. Blossom set 3. pea size 4. 3/8 to 3/4 dia 5 larger than 3/4 dia, By hand only The first stages can be done with Sevin, or hormone or by hand. Do not use Sevin during bloom, as you do not want to kill bees, and honeybees in particular. I know this is OT and never had a apple tree before and now I do. It's a Fuji and last year we got maybe 4-5 apples off it. This year the thing is so loaded down that the limbs are bending. When and how much do I thin the fruit out? Douglas ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT Apple Tree
Established apple trees seldom (Never) need fertilizer in the midwest. Don't know about your area, but it sounds like you have worked to establish a good system, so fertilizer is probably not needed unless the leaves show a nutrient deficiency. Fertilizer is probably the most overused, wasted product in the world. It is always blamed on agriculture, but suburban lawns and glof courses are the most overfertilized patches of earth on the planet. Without using Sevin or hormone, hand thinning is your option, and the sooner the better. As Peter and others have said, the best method of thinning is pruning in dormancy. However, unless you have varieties subject to fire blight, you can prune anytime. For my .02, it is best pr prune when the trees are dormant. I neither spray pesticides nor use chemical fertilizers. Just a shovel-full of compost now and then. I do plant my apple trees as a guild with other friendly plants to help meet the apple's needs, including perennial nitrogen fixers. Insectaries like dill, fennel, yarrow, lovage attract predatory wasps which in turn keep down the unwelcome bugs. Good advice on the pruning. Lee Peter Frederick wrote: Standard practice, if I remember correctly, is to thin in june AFTER the natural drop occurs. There is usually some spontaneous fruit drop in early to mid June, and if that doesn't reduce the crop to around one fruit per 4-6 of branch, you need to thin manually. The fewer apples there are, the larger they will get, generally. Pruning is also very important -- if this is a young tree, you should pick three or four strong branches that do NOT meet in a common place and make a stick with a nail or wire in each end and use them as braces between the trunk and branch fo hold them down and out. Prune all upward shoots off the side branches, you want the tree to spread out, not grow up, which is it's natural tendency. It should look fairly bare -- keep all branches open to sunlight, no internal shading of branches, and don't let it grow upwards once you have a set of nice framework branches. Pretty much the opposite of a Bradford Pear. Fertilize in the early spring, probably a couple pounds of 12-12-12 for an average sized tree (less for dwarfs, of course). I never sprayed mine, so I can't tell you when or what, but DO NOT spray ANY pesticide from a couple days before bud break until a couple days after the end of petal fall -- otherwise you will poison someone's bees and get poor fruit set. Peter ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT Apple Tree
True. Over-fertilizing, particularly with chemical fertilizers, also creates super-abundant nitrogen in the foliage which makes your plants much more attractive to insect pests. Which then drives you to use the pesticides in addition to the chemical fertilizers. Or so I have read. Lee Dieselhead wrote: Established apple trees seldom (Never) need fertilizer in the midwest. Don't know about your area, but it sounds like you have worked to establish a good system, so fertilizer is probably not needed unless the leaves show a nutrient deficiency. Fertilizer is probably the most overused, wasted product in the world. It is always blamed on agriculture, but suburban lawns and glof courses are the most overfertilized patches of earth on the planet. Without using Sevin or hormone, hand thinning is your option, and the sooner the better. As Peter and others have said, the best method of thinning is pruning in dormancy. However, unless you have varieties subject to fire blight, you can prune anytime. For my .02, it is best pr prune when the trees are dormant. I neither spray pesticides nor use chemical fertilizers. Just a shovel-full of compost now and then. I do plant my apple trees as a guild with other friendly plants to help meet the apple's needs, including perennial nitrogen fixers. Insectaries like dill, fennel, yarrow, lovage attract predatory wasps which in turn keep down the unwelcome bugs. Good advice on the pruning. Lee Peter Frederick wrote: Standard practice, if I remember correctly, is to thin in june AFTER the natural drop occurs. There is usually some spontaneous fruit drop in early to mid June, and if that doesn't reduce the crop to around one fruit per 4-6 of branch, you need to thin manually. The fewer apples there are, the larger they will get, generally. Pruning is also very important -- if this is a young tree, you should pick three or four strong branches that do NOT meet in a common place and make a stick with a nail or wire in each end and use them as braces between the trunk and branch fo hold them down and out. Prune all upward shoots off the side branches, you want the tree to spread out, not grow up, which is it's natural tendency. It should look fairly bare -- keep all branches open to sunlight, no internal shading of branches, and don't let it grow upwards once you have a set of nice framework branches. Pretty much the opposite of a Bradford Pear. Fertilize in the early spring, probably a couple pounds of 12-12-12 for an average sized tree (less for dwarfs, of course). I never sprayed mine, so I can't tell you when or what, but DO NOT spray ANY pesticide from a couple days before bud break until a couple days after the end of petal fall -- otherwise you will poison someone's bees and get poor fruit set. Peter ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] OT Apple Tree
Prop the branches up. Other than that, just make sure you use a good bug oil to reduce infestation of fruit. If you want to cull, look for fruit that may impinge on others or that is a tad too small or misformed clay Gump - She is green, simple and runs and runs Cleo - Used by the Queen of Denial POS SDL - Beware Nigerian Scammers On Jun 19, 2011, at 7:35 AM, Douglas wrote: I know this is OT and never had a apple tree before and now I do. It’s a Fuji and last year we got maybe 4-5 apples off it. This year the thing is so loaded down that the limbs are bending. When and how much do I thin the fruit out? Douglas ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
