Topic: how many should I thin?

[adrianhumph]

Hi all, :)
              Here are 2 pics, one of my apple tree, & one of my peach. They are about 5 years old, approx 7 feet 6 ins tall, I think the apple is Cox`s orange pippen, no idea about the peach(supposed to be a nectarine, thats ALDI for you ::)) also no idea what the rootstock is. Any way what amount of thinning is required? so far none have dropped naturally.

                                                  Thanks Adrian.

[goodlife]

Ohh..you crop is looking good.. ;D But..looks like your peaches are gone too big for thinning. Usually you would thin them when they are about mable size. Peaches don't do 'natural' drop like apples. You just have to be ruthless and thin them so that there is about 5" space betweet each fruit. It is difficult to judge the real size from the photo..but if they are about golf ball size, like they look to me..then I'm afraid thinning now won't make any difference anymore. Next year bit earlier... ;)
As for apples..If it looks like the tree is REALLY heavy with fruit..then I thin mine to 1 fruit per 'clump' otherwise I might leave 2. But it all depends what you prefer..more of smaller fruit of slightly less of larger. Not everybody want to eat big'n.