Thin apples in June

londongardener · « **on:** June 14, 2018, 15:04 »

Does anyone do this? Any advice or thoughts?

Lardman · « **Reply #1 on:** June 14, 2018, 15:34 »

If you've had a good set this year and don't want too many small apples its a good idea. Most of my trees have dropped themselves to a reasonable level now probably as it's been so dry.

The Kidds orange red needed a hand and I've reduced this to roughly 4 fruit per foot (grown as an espalier). Depending on the variety and style of tree you have leaving 2/3 fruit per cluster should give you a good sized desert apple. If you're after honking great cookers for baked apples thin a little more.

victoria park · « **Reply #2 on:** June 15, 2018, 07:42 »

Last year I had a huge crop on one of my two small 7 ft Braeburn garden trees. I didn't thin them for some reason, and the result was two broken main branches

... however the apples were still excellent and a perfect eating size, but a big price to pay.
So, this year, I have started thinning this week. I don't want to lose any more branches. I've also got a few props ready to support branches just in case, and have taped one of the old broken ones in hope. It's certainly got good fruit on it and I might have saved that one.
It's looking like a great crop again this year, a huge set, but the dry weather seems to have brought out the aphids in hordes. All the new growth tips are covered in a mealy aphid type, and I'm going to have to prune them off I think. Not quite sure if it will affect next year's crop.

Lardman · « **Reply #3 on:** June 15, 2018, 08:56 »

Quote from: victoria park on June 15, 2018, 07:42

It's looking like a great crop again this year, a huge set, but the dry weather seems to have brought out the aphids in hordes. All the new growth tips are covered in a mealy aphid type, and I'm going to have to prune them off I think.

You mean rosey apple aphid ? I've suffered terribly with them for the past 2 years but only on certain trees and the ants farming them makes it worse. Christmas pippin and Winter King are the worst hit this year. The damage is so bad the new growth is all twisted and contorted.

I did spray in the end but it's too late the damage has been done.

I'n a couple of weeks I'll be cutting back the affected branches as part of the summer prune, it will mean the loss of all this years growth on a few though, but it's better than a branch which looks like it came out of a spiraliser

londongardener · « **Reply #4 on:** June 15, 2018, 09:11 »

Quote from: victoria park on June 15, 2018, 07:42

Last year I had a huge crop on one of my two small 7 ft Braeburn garden trees. I didn't thin them for some reason, and the result was two broken main branches ... however the apples were still excellent and a perfect eating size, but a big price to pay.
So, this year, I have started thinning this week. I don't want to lose any more branches. I've also got a few props ready to support branches just in case, and have taped one of the old broken ones in hope. It's certainly got good fruit on it and I might have saved that one.
It's looking like a great crop again this year, a huge set, but the dry weather seems to have brought out the aphids in hordes. All the new growth tips are covered in a mealy aphid type, and I'm going to have to prune them off I think. Not quite sure if it will affect next year's crop.

How big are your trees? Can you brush them with something (possibly not that practical).

victoria park · « **Reply #5 on:** June 15, 2018, 16:15 »

They're about 7 feet tall. i have tried spraying with soapy water for a few days, but it's quite a bad infestation, so the new shoots will have to go, As long as I prune in time for a bit of new growth at the end of the Summer, I'll be happy. Fortunately lots of the new top growth would have been pruned anyway to keep the height of the trees down.

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Thin apples in June

londongardener

Thin apples in June

Lardman

Re: Thin apples in June

victoria park

Re: Thin apples in June

Lardman

Re: Thin apples in June

londongardener

Re: Thin apples in June

victoria park

Re: Thin apples in June

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