Getting Your Apple Tree to Produce Again

Getting Your Apple Tree to Produce Again

Getting Your Apple Tree to Produce Again

We have an apple tree which stopped producing apples, is there anything that we can do to start apple producing again?

It is unusual for an apple tree to suddenly stop producing apples, but there are several reasons why this might happen.

The past two springs throughout New Zealand have been particularly wet and windy, making it difficult for bees to pollinate the flowers. Note that most apple varieties will set fruit without being pollinated by another variety.

Is it possible that you are pruning the apple tree too hard? Blossoms on apple trees usually appear on branches that are older than two years. Try removing surplus new growth where it is overlapping with older, potentially fruiting wood.

Keep the tree in good health by feeding with Garden Time Fruit & Citrus Fertiliser or Daltons Premium Fruit & Citrus Fertiliser every 4-6 weeks from September to mid-December (do not fertilise during summer), recommencing in February till April. 

Do not despair. Usually, with most fruit trees, as they mature, they become more prolific bearers of fruit. This applies to apples as well as other fruit trees.

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