Apple tree not blooming

garroff

All of my apple trees are in blossom except I tree that has very little. The tree is 5 years old and about 12 ft tall. I did some pruning last autumn but still no improvement.
Any recommendations.
Many thanks

Northumbria

Give it a while longer, it might just be delayed or be a later bloomer anyway. I have a peach tree that hasn't shown any signs of life yet, I'm quite alarmed really but I live in hope.

garroff

Thanks Northumbria, If I don't get some fruit this year I'll prune it severely in the Autumn. Possibly remove 1/3 of it to see it there is any improvement next year.
Thanks again

lottpaul

Your pruning, or the timing of it, may be the problem itself.
If it was too severe the tree may be trying to grow rather than flower. The best time to prune apples for fruit is winter/early spring. Pruning in summer/autumn encourages lots of foliage growth but less flowering.
Still -- it should have some flowers,,,,,,,

I'd leave it alone completely for at least a year and then maybe more - and see what happens. Just keep weeds and grass away from around the trunk.

garroff

Lottpaul
thanks for your help. Thats next Winter taken care of!!!!

inocybe

It might be a tip-bearer and you pruned off all the fruit buds?

garroff

maybe, but the years I did not prune I still got no blossom/fruit.......So should I prune
this Winter?

lottpaul

garroff wrote: »

maybe, but the years I did not prune I still got no blossom/fruit.......So should I prune
this Winter?

It depends on how straggly the tree is. It's probably "compact" enough after your pruning and I'd only prune if necessary - for crossing branches etc.

garroff

must take a photo and figure out how to get it up on this site.

hairynipple

Northumbria wrote: »

Give it a while longer, it might just be delayed or be a later bloomer anyway. I have a peach tree that hasn't shown any signs of life yet, I'm quite alarmed really but I live in hope.

I'm in the same situation with a peach tree. Bought it in Homebase. It looks like its trying to bud but has just stopped. I scratched the branches and its still alive so I'm hoping for the best

garroff

I've got 3 pear trees also that I have given up on.

garroff

garroff

Northumbria

garroff wrote: »

Judging by those patches on the trunk, it looks diseased.

lottpaul

Just a quick recap-- this is 5 years old?
Seems huge for that age. The patches on the trunk -- are they moss?
Is this the tree that you pruned back -- because it seems to have an awful lot of small branches. Fruit trees need to be more open, letting plenty of air circulate around it.

The best thing would be to clear out a lot of those small branches and leave yourself with a more open tree shape.

The pears -- have they fruited in the past? What age are they? Our pears are very erratic - they flower early and if there are no insects to pollinate them then the fruit yield will be low.

Final question -- are the trees under stress at present -- is the site very dry/wet/exposed?

Gatling

Was told by an orchard owner it can take up to 15 years for an apple tree to produce edible fruit ,

garroff

The patches on the truck are moss.
Yes this tree needs adequate pruning...that I will do this Winter.
How much should I cut back?
Can you prune too much?
Trees should not be stressed...site is in good condition and well sheltered but with adequate light.
Pears.....2 trees never fruited...1 tree gave 4 small pears last year...this year (last 2 weeks) got small amount of blossom on 1 tree.
Many thanks to everyone for your suggestions....keep them coming...they are appreciated.

mitosis

Apples fruit on last years new wood. Bear that in mind when pruning.

Northumbria

Looking at the bark again, it doesn't even look like an apple tree. What makes you think it is? The bark looks like some sort of cherry, if you can post a larger, better quality picture and one of some leaves it would help.

lottpaul

Northumbria wrote: »

Looking at the bark again, it doesn't even look like an apple tree. What makes you think it is? The bark looks like some sort of cherry, if you can post a larger, better quality picture and one of some leaves it would help.

Agreed. Similar thoughts had crossed my mind - the striping on the bark looks very like what you'd see on a wild cherry. You'd almost certainly get blossoms though, and some tiny fruit. OP says there are no blossoms

Northumbria

lottpaul wrote: »

Agreed. Similar thoughts had crossed my mind - the striping on the bark looks very like what you'd see on a wild cherry. You'd almost certainly get blossoms though, and some tiny fruit. OP says there are no blossoms

Might just be too old I guess.

The pictures then:


Looks like some sort of apple. not a pear. Pear blossom is usually white, apple blossom can be white, pink and red. Blossom and bark isn't right for a cherry.


And this one is either a cherry or Rowan, I need to see a leaf. And are you sure that's moss on the trunk?

garroff

garroff

Apple tree....definitely