Topic: Apple tree sprouting!

[tricia]

I bought a Golden Delicious Apple tree from Lidl last week. It had a few yellowish buds here and there, but now it has been in the ground for a week those buds have turned into green leaves - probably due to the very mild weather. It looks very pretty but my question is - should I rub them all off or leave them to mother nature?

Tricia

[chriscross1966]

Dunno, but it was part of the reason I didn't buy any trees except a Stella Cherry....

[Duke Ellington]

I would leave them alone ....when the colder weather comes along again they will drop off. The same happened to my Lidl trees in 2009 and they have all survived

Duke :)

[cornykev]

I planted my pear tree last week and it had the green leaves on already when I planted out.    :-\ :-\ :-\

[goodlife]

I would definately leave them be..if you rub them off you might damage the growing points and/or leave it open to infection as the buds are sort of soft tissue. When they wither and die naturally off, they will  self seal and over winter with harder tissue.

[tricia]

Thanks everyone - will leave things to mother nature then.

Tricia

[TrikiDiki]

I had one flowering in October just before the cold snap.

I was going to ask if anyone could recommend a pollinator.

[goodlife]

That would be because the changes in the weather may have trickered the buds to develop and open in wrong time of the year..this occur regularly in nature..I've seen odd magnolia flower as well few weeks ago ::)
Even if there would be any pollinators about, flowers would not be able to develop into fruits..winter is ahead and all early flowers will just drop off.
Your tree will sort itself out and all should be back to normal when spring arrives ;) ;D

[TrikiDiki]

                                         :P

Sorry should have made it clear that tongue was firmly in cheek.

[PurpleHeather]

I would certainly leave the poor confused thing to sort it's self out.

If any interfearing is needed perhaps restrict it's fruiting next year by taking off the little apples to let the strength go back into the tree.  But then then nature may also take care of that too.

Should we get a dry spell in Spring/Summer next year it will probably appreciate some water whilst establishing it's roots. Just for the first year.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Even if it set fruit in autumn, there's no way it could mature in midwinter!