[sloworm]

Hi
I am hoping for some advice re:- my 3 new eating apples, they were planted oct/nov last year, a semi dwarf root stock looking happy and healthy
my question is should I remove the apples early or let them fully ripen as it is their first year in the ground and there does seem to be plenty of fruit on them...
i have read somewhere that too many apples in the first year can stress the trees

Thanx in anticipation

[mrs.ploppy]

I planted a breaburn 2 yrs ago that had about 15 baby apples but only matured 3 large apples and cox's orange pipin 1 yr ago which this yr both are covered in fruit.  Never heard of removing the fruit at all before.   

[Trillium]

It's not a fallacy, it's a hard fact that young fruit trees are still setting in their roots and storing energy, so, the first year of fruit flowers should be picked off. It will give the roots a chance to dive in and find more energy rather than expending it on a small quantity of fruit that will actually stay on the tree (versus what got pollinated), and the branches will become stronger to support future crops. It seems a hard gesture, but if you can hold off one more year for fruit, your tree will reward you well.

[sloworm]

Thanx for the advice Trillium,

 I couldn't do the deed so sent my son out instead    we have an eating apple and cooker over hanging the allotment so hopefully will get a few from there this year instead

[Ice]

Trillium's advice is spot on.  Also, as it is still establishing roots you need to water it well over the summer.

[sloworm]

will do ice,
they have a good mulch around the base so hopefully that should help too

[oldbean]

Trillium's advice is spot on.  Also, as it is still establishing roots you need to water it well over the summer.

It is also relevant for established trees. You will get fewer, larger fruit if you pick off many of the developing apples. You will still get the same weight of fruit, it will just be easier to gather the crop as there won't be so many. You will still have a lot of fruit that falls off, or the birds get, or that have inhabitants. It's a good idea to have no more than two on the same spur, but if you go down to one, then earwigs don't live in between them.