[wneva]

We have a couple of apple trees at the top end of the plot -one's James Grieve and the other is a Bramley.  Planted in March 2012.  They have this year produced a few apples - but very small ones, and the bramleys are spotty and unhealthy looking. 

I attach photo.  What should we do to get more and bigger apples?

[Steveharford]

Wait ten years ? ;-). I'm sure others will come up with a better suggestion but to me it looks very young and you have done pretty well to get apples already. Get picking.

[Aunt Sally]

I agree. 

It's  very young and is growing in an uncultivated area.  They prefer not to have plants growing too closely around them.  Correct pruning and a spray/pest control regimen would help the quality of the fruit.

[ambodach]

We have a couple of apple trees at the top end of the plot -one's James Grieve and the other is a Bramley.  Planted in March 2012.  They have this year produced a few apples - but very small ones, and the bramleys are spotty and unhealthy looking. 

I attach photo.  What should we do to get more and bigger apples?

I'd start off by getting rid of the James Grieve - it's poor apple.  It's an eater that does not keep at all, and the tree is very prone to canker.  I suggest you replace it with something like a Ribston Pippin or if you want more Cox' Orange like, go for Sunset.

SteveHarvard is right - you do have to wait some years to get a crop.  There may be flower in all those years but it rarely sets to any degree.
Rob

[solway cropper]

The spotting could be scab, then again it could be other things. As aunt Sally says, you need to prune correctly and read up on pest/disease control. I have a James Grieve which is about 30 years old on a dwarfing rootstock and gave me over 20kg of apples this year. Not my best yield but it's probably getting a bit tired now! It has never suffered any disease and the fruit keep into the new year if stored properly. It all depends on your growing conditions and where you are so don't dismiss it just yet.

When I left school in 1965 I went to work in forestry and soon learned that growing trees is something you should only think about if you intend to leave them to your children.

[Kristen]

In addition to pruning I would remove all competing weeds / vegetation around it and use a mulch to keep the moisture in and stop anything else growing.  Some woven weed suppressing membrane would do if you need a low maintenance solution.

I think it looks a bit scrawny, although that might just be me missing some parts of it in the photo, so in addition to pruning I would also pay attention to feeding.

Variety is a subjective thing so I never think that one person's view is going to necessarily suit another.  If you know you like those varieties then stick with it, if you don't then try tasting different apples (e.g. at an Apple Open Day at a local nursery - normally held around this time of the year, unless that date has gone by already?) and then plant ones that you like the taste of, and that the nursery says are suitable for your soil / location etc.

[8doubles]

I had a James Grieve tree at the last house, no disease and a huge crop! I will agree it is not the best eater or storer but if you cook and freeze it you will have apple all winter!

No sugar needed !

[wneva]

Thanks to you all for so rapidly and helpfully responding to my cry for help!  You've given me things to think about and things to do.

I'll certainly clear the weeds around the trees and put down some weed control fabric.  I have the tail end of a big roll of the stuff - it's now my biggest crop, as over half the plot is covered at any one time!  And I'll also bone up on feed and pest control for apple trees.  And I'll pick the little James Grieve offerings to see how they taste.  Don't plan to get rid of it though - but we may buy another different apple tree next time.

Thanks again for your support.  Bye for now - Neville

[4 Seasons]

I would do some drastic pruning for a start. The branches below the top of the stake need removing completely as close to the trunk as possible as they are just taking up energy from the rest of the tree. Let it then bush outwards above the top of the stake which it will do once you remove the lower branches. I would even take the top of the tree off where the branches are dangling downwards but that might be a step too far for you. Remember that you won't kill it because the root system is established and it will just throw out growth where you want it after the pruning. The shape should be like a bowl with young branches pointing upwards but you can grow an apple tree to whatever shape you find comfortable to pick from. There are some pruning examples on uTube that I would never have done myself but work well. The trouble with your tree is that the main stem has been allowed to grow a weak trunk (caused by the lower branches not being removed) and you really need to prune it top and bottom to get it to the right shape to hold the weight of a heavy crop later.

[wneva]

Hmmm...  Thanks 4 seasons.  The RHS site says remove topmost shoot and all lower branches.  And it says do it now.  So I think I will.

[simonwatson]

We have a couple of apple trees at the top end of the plot -one's James Grieve and the other is a Bramley.  Planted in March 2012.  They have this year produced a few apples - but very small ones, and the bramleys are spotty and unhealthy looking. 

I attach photo.  What should we do to get more and bigger apples?

I'd start off by getting rid of the James Grieve - it's poor apple.  It's an eater that does not keep at all, and the tree is very prone to canker.  I suggest you replace it with something like a Ribston Pippin or if you want more Cox' Orange like, go for Sunset.

SteveHarvard is right - you do have to wait some years to get a crop.  There may be flower in all those years but it rarely sets to any degree.
Rob

James grieve is a good pollination partner for Bramley and is also partially self fertile. The variety you suggested to replace it with is triploid, just like Bramley. If there are no suitable pollinators close by and you replace the James Grieve with Ribston Pippin, you may never get another apple.

[simonwatson]

We have a couple of apple trees at the top end of the plot -one's James Grieve and the other is a Bramley.  Planted in March 2012.  They have this year produced a few apples - but very small ones, and the bramleys are spotty and unhealthy looking. 

I attach photo.  What should we do to get more and bigger apples?

What rootstock are these trees on? Time to fruit is based on rootstock, the more dwarfing, the earlier to fruit. However, the more dwarfing, the less competition the tree can cope with. If you get fruit setting in the first couple of years, be patient and take it off. Let the tree put it's energy into growth. Those top branches are very short, even for a single year's growth, so I'd suggest the tree is struggling to both grow and produce fruit. Let it do the former for a couple of years and then it'll rewards you with the later in abundance.

[4 Seasons]

Hmmm...  Thanks 4 seasons.  The RHS site says remove topmost shoot and all lower branches.  And it says do it now.  So I think I will.

I would wait to prune it until mid winter but avoid frosty weather. If you have read that it's ok to do it now then go ahead. My trees get pruned in December when the weather is not too severe but the trees are well dormant by then. Don't forget to put some pruning balm on the cuts to seal them from any canker spores and suchlike.  Good luck with it.

[muddled]

No advice I'm afraid (I came in to get advice myself) but would just like to say that James Grieve is my favourite tasting apple in the world, perfect for eating straight off the tree.
I guess taste is subjective

[Kristen]

I would wait for the leaves to drop, so that the plant is dormant - but I have no idea if that is necessary or whether "now" (i.e. leaves will be dropping very soon) is just fine too.