Hello all
I planted an orchard 15 to 18 years ago at my camp. Cleared about ½ acre and planted 9 trees. I know some were fireside, can’t remember the name of the others? I ordered them from Gurneys, and chose ones from the zone that included southern Canada. 7 have made it all these years. I have pruned them and kept them to about 15’ tall. They seem healthy, and get lots of blossoms each spring. Some times there are a couple of dozen apples on them in early summer. But I have never harvested even 1 apple yet??? I do spray when I can. And have used those fertilizer spike around the trees some years. Any Ideas what is wrong???
Thanks for any help
Roger Ort
No apples after 15 year
Moderator: appledude
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Pa Bow Hunter
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:42 am
- Location: Central Pa
Just a practical guess, but if you have plenty of light available to these trees, all I can think of is inadequate pollenation.
You might consider learning how to bark graft, and stick a different "other kind" in the tops of each tree. I can even help with the scion wood next spring if you are up to it!
By having many kinds of pollen, you should get loads of fruit. That is assuming that you have insects that flitter between flowers, spreading pollen. I wonder if you have some, or none?
Anyway, here is a good barkgrafting webpage to learn from:
http://home.comcast.net/~gkowen/grafting/barkgraft2.htm
Here is another thought: Are these apples mainly tip bearers? If they are, and you are pruning vigorously, it could be that you are pruning off fruiting wood. I know, a wild shot, but worth investigating.
Edit: You will need to consider disease resistance for your orchard in selecting various scions to graft. And I know next to nothing about what diseases are prevalent there. Do you know?
You might consider learning how to bark graft, and stick a different "other kind" in the tops of each tree. I can even help with the scion wood next spring if you are up to it!
By having many kinds of pollen, you should get loads of fruit. That is assuming that you have insects that flitter between flowers, spreading pollen. I wonder if you have some, or none?
Anyway, here is a good barkgrafting webpage to learn from:
http://home.comcast.net/~gkowen/grafting/barkgraft2.htm
Here is another thought: Are these apples mainly tip bearers? If they are, and you are pruning vigorously, it could be that you are pruning off fruiting wood. I know, a wild shot, but worth investigating.
Edit: You will need to consider disease resistance for your orchard in selecting various scions to graft. And I know next to nothing about what diseases are prevalent there. Do you know?
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Pa Bow Hunter
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:42 am
- Location: Central Pa
Thanks for the Ideas. I am willing to try any thing that would bare fruit from my investment. Next time I get to camp I will take some pictures of my trees.
Is there any way to tell what kind of trees I have (with no fruit) I know some are Fireside?? I believe there were 3 different types, and I made a drawing with the location of, and name of each tree, but I can't find it!!!!
What kind of fertilizer should I use, and how and when should I apply.
I read the link on grafting and That should not be a problem, Not sure Where I would get scion wood locally or what kind would be best?
My thoughts were pollination But a camp about 1/2 mile from mine has a large old orchard. And does not seem to have a problem??
I have tried to keep my trees from going strait up, so any thing that goes strait up gets cut. Probably not doing it right.
Thanks again for the help
Roger
Is there any way to tell what kind of trees I have (with no fruit) I know some are Fireside?? I believe there were 3 different types, and I made a drawing with the location of, and name of each tree, but I can't find it!!!!
What kind of fertilizer should I use, and how and when should I apply.
I read the link on grafting and That should not be a problem, Not sure Where I would get scion wood locally or what kind would be best?
My thoughts were pollination But a camp about 1/2 mile from mine has a large old orchard. And does not seem to have a problem??
I have tried to keep my trees from going strait up, so any thing that goes strait up gets cut. Probably not doing it right.
Thanks again for the help
Roger
Is there any way to tell what kind of trees I have (with no fruit)
Not really, unless any of them have unusual leaf color. Pretty much you have to clock when it ripens, its coloration patterns, taste, whether the flesh turns brown quickly or not, shape of apple, etc etc to get hints as to what a cultivar is. Even experts with an apple right in front of them don't always get it right, but usually they do.
What kind of fertilizer should I use, and how and when should I apply.
You might choose to apply ferts whenever there is 5 to 10 inches of rain left to your springtime, to give it a chance to wash into the rootzone. Here in the PNW we gauge winters in inches of rain. You might have to accomodate for snows, all summer rains etc. Our summers tend to be hot and dry with little rain until about October, and by then the grow season is pretty well past. If you get regular summer rains, then I think any old time is good for fertilizer application, save for the last 2 months of your season. You don't really want to stimulate a lot of green growth right before you expect killing frosts, as you might lose tender shoots at this point.
As to what sort of ferts you need? I suppose a little triple 16 could not hurt. I tend not to fertilize my apples as I don't want to encourage them too much. They are pretty vigorous in their own rite!
Best to scatter any such ferts around the drip line of the tree, do not heap it up near the trunk, as their are no feeder roots there. They are all "out there" exploring for nutrition.
Not sure where I would get scion wood locally or what kind would be best?
I could send you some next winter or spring. Spring is when you would want to attach them to your trees. Perhaps a variety of kinds is best for pollen, beings you don't know what kinds to go for. It would not hurt for you to learn from your county ag expert what cultivars are reccomended for your area, then you could avoid certain kinds that would not do well for you. You have plenty of time between now and then to do some exploratory work with the ag experts. Use them! Your taxes have already paid for them!
I hope that helps.
Not really, unless any of them have unusual leaf color. Pretty much you have to clock when it ripens, its coloration patterns, taste, whether the flesh turns brown quickly or not, shape of apple, etc etc to get hints as to what a cultivar is. Even experts with an apple right in front of them don't always get it right, but usually they do.
What kind of fertilizer should I use, and how and when should I apply.
You might choose to apply ferts whenever there is 5 to 10 inches of rain left to your springtime, to give it a chance to wash into the rootzone. Here in the PNW we gauge winters in inches of rain. You might have to accomodate for snows, all summer rains etc. Our summers tend to be hot and dry with little rain until about October, and by then the grow season is pretty well past. If you get regular summer rains, then I think any old time is good for fertilizer application, save for the last 2 months of your season. You don't really want to stimulate a lot of green growth right before you expect killing frosts, as you might lose tender shoots at this point.
As to what sort of ferts you need? I suppose a little triple 16 could not hurt. I tend not to fertilize my apples as I don't want to encourage them too much. They are pretty vigorous in their own rite!
Best to scatter any such ferts around the drip line of the tree, do not heap it up near the trunk, as their are no feeder roots there. They are all "out there" exploring for nutrition.
Not sure where I would get scion wood locally or what kind would be best?
I could send you some next winter or spring. Spring is when you would want to attach them to your trees. Perhaps a variety of kinds is best for pollen, beings you don't know what kinds to go for. It would not hurt for you to learn from your county ag expert what cultivars are reccomended for your area, then you could avoid certain kinds that would not do well for you. You have plenty of time between now and then to do some exploratory work with the ag experts. Use them! Your taxes have already paid for them!
I hope that helps.
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Pa Bow Hunter
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:42 am
- Location: Central Pa
county agent
I finally got to visit my county agent. What a disappointment, It took a while for him to understand what I wanted (best scion wood for my area) So he started doing a search on the internet? Same thing I had already done. So I thanked him and left.
My next option is try asking at some local commercial orchards.
My next option is try asking at some local commercial orchards.
If you are getting flowers but no fruit, I would agree that the most logical conclusion would be poor pollination.
Be careful when adding fertilizer to fruit trees. If your trees don't need the extra food, you may send the trees into a vegetative state and they will just grow leaves and no blossoms or fruit.
If you are in central PA and want to talk to a horticultural expert that understands your locale, you may want to try the PSU research farm at Rock Springs. I don't want to publish personal info here, but I can give you a name if you e-mail me at tkuntz@masonicvillagespa.org.
Be careful when adding fertilizer to fruit trees. If your trees don't need the extra food, you may send the trees into a vegetative state and they will just grow leaves and no blossoms or fruit.
If you are in central PA and want to talk to a horticultural expert that understands your locale, you may want to try the PSU research farm at Rock Springs. I don't want to publish personal info here, but I can give you a name if you e-mail me at tkuntz@masonicvillagespa.org.