Author Topic: My apple tree  (Read 1057 times)

Busby

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My apple tree
« on: September 27, 2009, 19:36:37 »
I'm fed up! I have an apple tree - Cox's Orange Pippin - which I planted about 16 years ago to accompany the same tree of my neighbour. Over the years I've had very few apples because the tree seems more interested in growing water shoots than anything else. Last year I cut 360 of them out...

I've had all sorts of advice: leave the tree in peace, cut it right back; only cut the tips; don't use any fertiliser; cut it in summer; cut it in winter, etc., but nothing works - it's full of shoots again and there isn't one apple.

has anyone had this problem and also the solution?

ceres

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Re: My apple tree
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2009, 21:01:03 »
I wonder if maybe cutting off all the new growth is stopping fruiting spurs/tips developing?

jennym

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Re: My apple tree
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2009, 00:06:59 »
A few things to think about that may help. After 16 years, you should expect fruit.
Assuming that it has a good structure of main branches, you will need at least some shoots coming from the main branches, to form fruiting spurs. So some need to be left.
How are you cutting them? If you cut them right off, there will be no chance for fruiting spurs to develop, try cutting them down to 3 buds, and do this again if they regrow.
When are you cutting? If you cut in the winter, you will encourage more vegetative growth, and you want fruiting growth. Cut around late August, and you won't get so much unwanted growth. 360 is an awful lot to cut out of a tree.
Do you get any flowers at all on it? If you don't get many, it's almost certain that you are cutting off the potential fruiting points as ceres says. If you do get flowers, is it flowering at the same time as the other tree? If it isn't, then pollination would be difficult. 
Are the flowers particularly early, if so, they may be being affected by frost. Assuming your neighbour's tree fruits well, it's possible that yours needs more shelter if frost could be the problem.
You may find it helpful to leave these shoots alone this year. See what happens next year, see how many flowers form, and where they are. If few flowers show,  then leave it another year and more flowers should form the next year, and you will be able to see clearly the fruiting spurs that have developed. At theat stage you could loosely tie string around shoots that you feel are unwanted, then you could cut those around end of August.

calendula

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Re: My apple tree
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2009, 10:26:35 »
one question would be - does it blossom, if so you have fruiting spurs that aren't developing, if no blossom then as suggested you might be pruning them off = no apples

if it were me, I'd leave it alone for at least 3 years with no pruning and get another apple - Cox range of apples are not the easiest I have always been told and that's why there are so many hybrid versions

Busby

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Re: My apple tree
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2009, 12:46:53 »
Thanks for your replies. After so many years of disappointment - and I have another apple tree that makes no bother - I'm going to do exactly that: not touch it and let's see what happens in spring.

Maybe I'll be able to get back with something positive.

Robert_Brenchley

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Re: My apple tree
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2009, 22:11:56 »
I'm not sure where you are, but Cox's only does well in the south. How does your neighbour's tree fruit? I think you should stop hacking it, leave it alone, and see how it does after a couple of years.

 

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