Apples falling early

inishindie · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:14 pm Post subject: Apples falling early

Hi

I have a bit of a problem with our apple tree. All was well up until about two days ago then all of a sudden all of the apples fell off. They were coming on well........There doesn't seem to be any pest or disease but the tips of the stems are brown....Any ideas.

Cheers

Sean Ph'lib · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 7:36 am Post subject:

Check for little holes in the apples, they might have been hit by sawfly, which causes them to drop; also, young trees often shed their apples before they're mature; finally, some varieties - Cox is an example - sometimes just shed their crop for no particular reason!

kindredspirit · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 11:18 am Post subject:

That "might" be the little maggots of the small moth that can attack apple trees because the tips of the stalks are brown.

You normally get the June fall but it's way past June now; then sometimes the tree can let go of its apples if it's extremely dry but the opposite is the case with the weather this year; so that leaves just an insect attack of some sort, I would think.

michael brenock · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 7:06 pm Post subject:

the june drop does not always happen in June. It is caused by a physiological settling of the tree for the amount of fruit it can bring to fruition in the current year. it is far more apparent in a year that there has been a huge set of fruit but can occur any year from May to August. Can be very heavy after a very heavy fruit crop.
Better luck for next year.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

inishindie · Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 3:18 pm Post subject: one apple

Thanks for the info....

I had a good look around the tree and did manage to find just one apple left on the tree.........

All is not lost.......

medieval knievel · Sessile Oak Tree Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 318

same happened on one of our trees - of about a dozen apples on it, 10 fell.