Shy-bearing Apples

Categories: Fruit Growing

I have some apple trees 10 and 12 years old that do not bear

satisfactorily, but persist in making 5 to 6 feet of new wood each year.

If not cut back this winter, will they be more likely to make fruit

buds?



Yes, probably. Certainly you should try it. You should also cultivate

less and slow down the growth. If they then take to bearing, you can

resume moderate pruning and better cultivation. This is on the

assumption that your trees are in too rich or too moist a place. But you

should satisfy yourself by inquiry and observation as to whether the

same varieties do bear well in your vicinity when conditions are such

that slower growth is made. If the variety is naturally shy in bearing,

or if it requires cross-pollination, the proposed repressive treatment

might not avail anything. In that case you can graft over the tree to

some variety which does bear well or graft part of the trees to another

variety for cross-pollination.