[aelf]

Hi all
I have plum, cherry and pear trees on my plot, all heavily laden with baby fruit! This is the best start to the season that I have had so far. I put it down to the (generally) fine weather we had here when the blossom was out, the bees did the rest. My apple is blossoming now (in the rain) so a bit worrried about that .

How is everyone else doing?

Aelf

[p00rstudent]

the apple trees i planted this time last year have mases of budding apples, the pear only has two on it, the orchard i planted during the winter hasnt got much on it yet, but then its only a coulpe of months old and i wasnt expecting anything for a couple of years.

[vortex444]

my two plum trees are really top heavy with baby fruit maybe to many

and the apple trees are looking good too...

[barney rubble]

My apples are coming on a treat - at least the eating ones which flower early are. the Bramleys are just in blossom now, and I'm a bit worried they may be a bit far behind for pollination from the others - guess I'll find out by summer...

[Patricia]

My apple tree has a few fruits on it It is it's second year.  And the plum tree is just growing as this is it's first year.

[cawdor2001]

Don't worry too much about too much fruit as a lot will be lost in the 'June drop' and then you can review it after that and remove excessive fruit esp for plums so you get decent size fruit rather than lots of stuff that is too small.


Cawdor

[sunshineband]

Cherries got a bit withered in the short drought but the remaining ones are looking fat and juicy 

[Babstreefern]

Cherry tree doing well, but I can't see any apples as yet.  I had some last year, but I've moved the trees (in November), so whether that put the apple tree back, I don't know, but am keeping my eye open on my little babies

[Roll Roll]

The apple trees are doing just fine, but the pear I will have to remove some soon I think as the branches just wont take the weight as the tree is only young, and the main branches are just like twigs at the moment. I will give it another month and see what develops

[Wombat18]

The only thing I had on my allotment when I started (apart from thistles) was a 30-40 year old apple tree which was loaded with fruit.  I have no idea what type, but they're small, very sweet eating apples.  I pruned it back quite heavily since it hadn't been done for a few years and it looks as though there's going to be another heavy crop this year.   :happy:

[TheModfather]

My apple trees were only planted last year. This year, to hopefully improve growth, I have taken the majority of fruit off each tree so as it can focus more of its energy in actually growing. Was this a wise move?

Many thanks.

[aelf]

My apple trees were only planted last year. This year, to hopefully improve growth, I have taken the majority of fruit off each tree so as it can focus more of its energy in actually growing. Was this a wise move?

Many thanks.

the books say so, but I could never bring myself to do it. 

[Wombat18]

Don't start thinning out for a bit, I think there is a natural drop of excess fruit in June, at least for apple trees.  I'm waiting until after that before I thin my crop out any more.

[Paul Plots]

I have two plum trees - one on dwarfing stock the other a cheap version from a super-market. Both had flower earlier on... Now the dwarf plum is fairly plastered with fruit - had some drop but not surprised by that.

Larger plum seems to have no fruit at all (no specs on and not very much time to look very closely) but as it is its first year perhaps this is to be expected? 

A neighbour had an un-netted plum and the birds appeared to leave it alone.

Should I attempt to protect my dwarf plum tree? Any advice would be welcome - really looking forward to a few juicy plums  so hoping the birds aren't feeling the same way!

[oldbean]

Don't start thinning out for a bit, I think there is a natural drop of excess fruit in June, at least for apple trees.  I'm waiting until after that before I thin my crop out any more.

I'm thinning as fast as I can. Every year barrow loads of apples go to "waste", or perhaps "feed the birds", but every year you see signs up saying "pick your own free apples". It gives you fewer, larger fruit, and you can pick off the damaged ones so the tree can develop the good ones.

Wombat, if the apples go over very quickly, it may be "Beauty of Bath". We have one, I can't stand the apples, but I have a friend who loves them.