The apple tree has flower buds and is not blooming. Rubric: Why does not the apple tree bloom and bear fruit? Let's talk about proper planting and pruning

The apple tree is one of the most common trees in our gardens. Her delicious and healthy fruits everyone loves. And growing this tree is not difficult, the main thing is to properly care for it, and then the apple tree will give you a wonderful harvest.

However, there are apple trees that do not bloom and bear fruit for a long time, so why is this happening? Let's look at this issue, which worries many amateur gardeners.

What to do if the apple tree does not bear fruit?

The reasons for the situation when the apple tree does not bear fruit for a long time can be different:

If you take care of the tree correctly, but it still does not bring a crop, you can use folk ways how to make an apple tree bear fruit. For example, you can bury any metal objects with rust under a tree, or drive a couple of rusty nails into the trunk of an apple tree. It is the intake of iron that sometimes gives impetus to the fruiting of the apple tree.

Surely all gardeners, when planting fruit trees, expect them to have a friendly and fast harvest. but sometimes the waiting process drags on for many years. Why does the apple tree not bloom, what are the reasons? What to do if there is no fruiting? I tested all the conclusions below on my seedlings, not always achieving success.

Why can't bloom

Our fruit care actions may be wrong, starting from the moment of planting and further, when we form a tree in various ways. It depends on these reasons whether flower buds will be laid on it.

Too deep set

Usually a competent seller explains that it is not necessary to deepen the root neck of an apple tree. An inexperienced buyer believes that this place is identical to the graft, which is 7-10 centimeters above the neck, therefore, out of ignorance, the seedling deepens. In this case, the beginning of fruiting is postponed for several years. But apple trees already belong to crops that begin to produce crops for 5-7 years of life, some winter varieties bloom even in the 10th year.

It is necessary, if possible, to dig out the root neck, and when planting, let it be at ground level.

If the apple tree is on a dwarf rootstock, deepening into the soil stimulates the growth of roots on
scion, which will lead to the loss of not only small stature, but also precocity (usually
"dwarfs" bloom earlier).

Flower formations do not ripen

• It happens that you want to buy a variety exotic for our strip, but it is not suitable for our harsh places. Therefore, in early spring, flower buds freeze or they do not have time to pollinate. This happened with the Simirenko variety, I really wanted the apple tree to grow in my garden.
• It rarely happens that there is not enough pollinator, but then there will be flowering, but no fruiting.
• An excess of nitrogen fertilizers leads to this. that vegetative shoots grow, and fruit buds. if they are formed, they do not ripen. The same result is obtained. if groundwater is close, the branches will grow green, and rare flowers will fall off.

Deficiency in shaping

most main reason of why apple trees do not bloom, in my experience is their
wrong formation. In the spring, sap begins to circulate through the tree with
nutrients. When the branches are directed upwards, there is a rapid and strong outflow of them to the root, fruit buds are not formed. You can wait decades for the harvest.

When we carefully begin to bend the branches closer to the horizontal. power outflow
slows down, flower (generative) formations are laid. The result is visible in the photo:

Translation to a horizontal position is done gradually. Starting from the end of June. with soft twine or with a spacer, we wrap a branch with one end, hook the other end to a peg driven into the ground. I tie a brick with a rope, put it on the ground next to the apple tree so that the branch leans a little. Gradually during the summer I begin to adjust the slope, but carefully, without fanaticism. In this state, I leave for the winter. On the next year flowering can be expected. Remove the binding.

However, there are varieties of apple trees that bear fruit on vertical shoots. but their
minority.

If possible, it is necessary not to cut out the skeletal branches, but to reject them within reasonable limits so that the tree has it. than grow.

The error of formation is also that. that an inexperienced gardener, when pruning, removes the organs of a tree. on which there is fruit wood: ringlets, spears - fruits.

nutritional deficiency

Just yesterday, we discussed with a neighbor the delicious fruits of her adult
apple trees. Flowering and fruits on it appeared only last fall. A woman shared a “secret”: a few years ago, she buried old metal forks with spoons and tin can with nails.

Why didn't it bloom before?

Why the apple tree does not bear fruit and how to fix it?

She lacked… iron. You can spray it with a solution twice a season iron sulphate: a teaspoon on a bucket of water.

What to do specifically and what conclusions suggest themselves?

Perform the above activities, preferably in combination. When we eliminate the causes, we will see how dazzlingly beautiful the apple tree blooms and bears fruit. Good luck!

If the apple tree does not bear fruit for a long time, then there may be several reasons.

Winter varieties of apple trees generally begin to bear fruit much later than autumn ones, and, moreover, summer varieties. This can happen even in the seventh year after planting a one-year-old or two-year-old seedling. But, if all the deadlines have passed, and the apple tree does not want to bear fruit, check if you have deepened the trunk too much when planting. The tree will have to be lifted or dug up. root collar when planting apple trees do not bury in the soil at all. Let it be better a little above the surface of the soil.

Another reason is that the branches grow vertically or almost vertically upwards. They must be bent almost to a horizontal position. Only on horizontal branches is fruiting. The branches should be bent gradually, for this they make a cuff of dense material that freely wraps around the branch. Then a rope is tied over the cuff without tightening the cuff. The end of the rope is tied to a peg driven into the soil on the side where you are going to deflect the branch. The peg is driven obliquely from the tree. Now you begin to gradually wind the rope around the stake. During the summer, gradually bend the branch a little and let it winter in this position. The next summer, bend it back to an almost horizontal position. Usually, after the branch is deflected to a horizontal position, so-called tops (young shoots growing vertically upwards) immediately appear on it. They either need to be immediately cut to the very horizontal branch on which they grew, or also gradually deflected to a horizontal position, directing them to where there is no suitable branch.

But sometimes the branches are horizontal and the planting is done correctly, but the apple tree does not bear fruit. This may be caused by iron deficiency. There is an old folk remedy: drive two medium-sized rusty nails into the trunk of an apple tree. You can, of course, act not so radically, just bury a few rusty metal objects under the apple tree or spray 2-3 times during the season with a 0.1% solution of ferrous sulfate (1 teaspoon of vitriol per 8-10 liters of water). There is an excellent preparation "Ferovit". Spray the leaves a couple of times in spring and early summer with a solution of the drug - 4 drops per 1 liter of water. But keep in mind that it stimulates plant growth.

You can simply bury a few metal cans (empty, of course) around the perimeter of the tree crown. Since the cans are now anodized with aluminum that does not rust in the soil, the cans must first be burned in a fire, then flattened, and only then buried.

In addition, one should reduce root system, because it stimulates the growth of the trunk and branches, but inhibits the laying of short fruit branches on them - fruits. To do this, dig the tree with an annular groove 1.5 m from the trunk to the depth of the roots and chop the roots! Do not be afraid, the tree will not die, but it will begin to supply less nutrition to the growing branches, and this will make the buds wake up and begin to grow, giving fruitlets, on which fruits are formed.

In general, the tree has two tasks: the capture of living space and concern for the preservation of the species, that is, the creation of seeds (but not the pulp around them - fruits in which we are interested, and not fruit tree). Roots usually do not extend far beyond the perimeter of the tree crown. The aerial part tends to grow upward to take a place under the sun. While there is an annual large increase (about a meter) at the ends of the branches, the tree spends all the juice from the roots on it and does not lay small overgrowing branches - fruits, because there is no food left to awaken these buds.

If you stop receiving nutrients into vertically growing branches, then something falls for the buds that give fruit, and they wake up.

Gardeners share information why the apple tree does not bloom

For this, it is necessary either to reduce the volume of the root system in order to reduce the nutrition of growth buds, or to cut a narrow, only 2 mm, strip of bark with a cambium about 3-4 cm long under an infertile branch, or to bend the branch to a horizontal position (then the pressure there is less juice, and the growth at the ends of the branches slows down, and the buds of the fruits begin to awaken). But at the same time, tops (growing vertically upward branches) may appear on bent branches. They must either be cut out without leaving stumps, or rejected to a horizontal position if an additional branch is required.

With normal growth (about 45 cm), the growth and laying of fruit buds go evenly, and nothing needs to be done. But, when the tree grows up to 2 m, it should regularly shorten the central trunk, preventing the tree from growing vertically upwards. Pruning is done right above the kidney so that a dry stump does not appear in the future. All other branches should also be shortened about 15 cm less than the center conductor. Pruning should be carried out above the kidney, which "looks" outward of the crown. It is imperative to remove the branches growing inside the crown, and the sooner the better. Branches rubbing against each other, located close to each other, thicken the crown. The thinner the crown, the better it will be illuminated by the sun. There will be fewer apples, but they will be much larger. Fruit enlargement is also facilitated by partial pruning of overgrown fruitlets. These short fruit twigs, on which flower buds develop, grow too large over time. Also, they get old. All this leads first to the grinding of fruits, and then, after 12-15 years, to the cessation of fruiting.

If the growths are small (5-25 cm), then such branches should be greatly shortened or even completely cut out if there are no fruits on them. Usually they are located in the lower tier of old trees.

On a note

Beware of buying columnar apple trees, which are widely and completely unfoundedly advertised in Northwest region, simply because from the more southern regions it is necessary to sell a large and unsold planting material. After all, they manage to sell even five-year-old apple trees with a height of more than 2-3 m with almost no root system, the absence of which is explained by its compactness. There are eccentrics who buy them for a lot of money. The main bet in advertising is that these trees require a small area. But it's not just about lighting, it's also about the area of ​​​​nutrition needed for the root system. Therefore, all the talk about the fact that columnar plants can be planted on one square meter almost four trees, I think it's a big exaggeration. In general, they showed themselves poorly in the North-West, and even more so in dense plantings, which contribute to the appearance of all kinds of fungal diseases on them. Often, in young trees, the apical point of growth freezes, and this ends the growth of the tree. How much fruit can you gather from such a dwarf? So I want to warn you typical mistake. In autumn, planted columnar apple trees and pears should be wrapped with polypropylene burlap from sugar or other products, naturally, without film liners. This is necessary so that the apple tree does not freeze in winter, rodents do not damage the bark, spring sunburn bark. But the top of an apple tree cannot be packed into this sackcloth. The harness should be on top, above the trunk, but remain open, otherwise the apical bud will not get past the decay. Her death causes a strong thickening of the top of the head with overgrown short branches, but there is no fruiting on them. Fruits are located only on the trunk. The point here is something else. The columnar apple tree is just one fruiting branch. Fruits (fruit twigs) on it, like on an ordinary apple tree, live and bear fruit for 12-15 years. In an ordinary apple tree, higher-lying branches gradually grow to replace them, in addition, regular pruning of the ends of old branches causes them to become overgrown with young branches of the second order, and fruiting passes to them. So the harvest from each columnar apple tree corresponds to the harvest from one branch of an ordinary apple tree, that is, very small. But this is a curious thing, so amuse yourself and buy one apple tree, watch it for 5-6 years, and only then decide whether you need to replace your garden with a columnar one. These trees certainly have a future because they tend to bear fruit quickly. If you have sufficient funds, then, of course, you can afford to have such a garden, which will need to be updated every 5-10 years, gradually replacing aging trees.

In our country, it is rare to find a garden plot on which apple trees do not grow. These unpretentious and beloved trees are everywhere and everywhere. But sometimes it happens that a few years after planting, the apple tree has not begun to bear fruit. Or the harvest on an adult and quite prosperous tree disappears.

Why the apple tree does not bloom: reasons

In such a situation, the main thing is to correctly deal with the cause of the absence of fruits. In our article, we will try to consider different cases- why the apple tree does not bloom and does not bear fruit, as well as ways to solve the problem.

The absence of signs of fruiting and flowering indicates a certain physiological state of the tree, in which the laying of flower buds, as well as ordinary growth ones, is suppressed. Any gardener knows that without flowering, you will not wait for any fruits. That is why the correct planting of seedlings in the ground is very important, after which the process of laying flower buds will be monitored.

Regulate the process, resorting to timely and correct pruning and formation, protection from diseases, and sometimes by conducting certain surgical procedures. Sometimes the right care techniques are enough for the apple tree to bloom.

Let's talk about proper planting and pruning

This is one of the primary conditions, without which full and timely flowering of apple trees is impossible. If the planting is too deep, the flowering process will begin much later. Then you should try to "pull" the trees slightly closer to the surface.

If the pruning was carried out untimely or too much, this can dramatically weaken the flowering process. The laying of flower buds occurs on special formations of the fetus, called spears, annelids, fruits, fruit twigs, fruitlets. Strong rejuvenation pruning eliminates most of the fruit wood. With sharp pruning, active growth of vegetative shoots occurs at the expense of rapid flowering.

Improper nutrition of the tree

It may be redundant or unbalanced. This can be determined by the so-called fattening. In trees, this looks like an active growth of vegetative shoots with simultaneous suppression of the laying of generative buds and fruit wood.

Why does this happen? Similar phenomena can be observed in the case of excessive application of relatively fresh compost (manure) or abuse of fertilizers containing nitrogen. The composition of fertilizers for apple trees should be selected, adhering to a strict dosage. Nitrogen is known for its ability to stimulate vegetative growth, but excess nitrogen can delay flower bud formation.

To stimulate it, a diet high in phosphorus is required. In addition, a long delay in flowering can also be caused by a deficiency of certain trace elements, such as iron.

Missing flowering different varieties and species can be caused both by common causes for all, and individual for each variety. That is, the answer to the question, for example, why the white filling apple tree does not bloom, may be completely different in relation to another variety. Almost all apple trees can lose their flowering due to improper harvesting, exposure to frost, a certain frequency of fruiting, or simply insufficient age of the tree. Let's now consider what specific reasons for this phenomenon may be inherent in certain varieties.

Why the columnar apple tree does not bloom: reasons

In a tree of this variety, lateral branches growing in in large numbers. Most of the flower buds in the columnar apple tree are formed on the annulus, the number of which may be limited due to the excessive number of lateral shoots.

Apple tree on a dwarf rootstock

What can become the most probable cause long absence of flowering in this variety? Most often this can happen due to too much deepening of the seedling, which was obtained on a clonal rootstock. If planted too deep, the scion will develop roots and character traits trees are lost.

Other reasons include the appearance of infectious diseases, poor compatibility of the scion with the stock, or unbalanced nutrition.

Pyramidal apple tree

We are talking about the shape that is artificially given to the crown, meaning most often decorative purpose. A small number or complete absence of flowers here may be due to the number and structure of overgrown branches (this is how fruit formations are called in this variety). Why not and how to deal with it in this case? In order for the flowers to be present in sufficient quantities, the forming pruning of such apple trees should be carried out quite thoughtfully, the type of fruiting (along with other varietal features) should be taken into account first of all.

Varieties Simirenko

Why apple trees of these varieties do not bloom (more than correct name- Renet Simerenko)? If the rootstock is vigorous, trees of this variety begin to bear fruit most often in the fifth year from planting. And undersized rootstocks begin to bear fruit earlier - usually in the third year. Therefore, in the case of acquiring a seedling with a vigorous rootstock, you should be patient and do not expect flowers before the age of five. However, single flowers may appear.

At the same time, for pollination of apple trees of this variety, the presence of others is required. We are talking about the varieties Golden Delicious, Idared, Korey, Kuban, Pamyat Sergeev, Spur. If these pollinators are not present near the trees of the Renet variety, even in the case of good flowering, there may be almost no ovaries, that is, the yield will be minimal.

Grushovka

This variety is subdivided into several different types. For example, we can talk about Moscow pear or early pear. Such trees begin to bear fruit most often at the age of 5 years, and why a young apple tree does not bloom, you can not ask for the first four years.

If, however, flowering is not observed in subsequent years, the possible reasons for this are common to any variety (we remind you of improper planting, excess nitrogen with a simultaneous deficiency of phosphorus and trace elements, iron deficiency, the presence of pests and diseases).

Melba

You can expect the first flowers and fruits from this variety already in the third or fourth year. That is, the first three years after planting, the absence of flowering is the norm. But realizing the potential is also possible only with the availability of other varieties for cross-pollination purposes. Without them, the harvest will be purely symbolic. It is better to take the following varieties for pollination - Borovinka, Bellefleur-Kitayka, Quinty.

wild apple trees

The wilds include root shoots or apple trees grown from seeds. It is possible to determine the age of the beginning of their fruiting only approximately and in the case of self-sowing of seeds, as well as when the gardener remembers from which varieties of apples these seeds were taken. In the vast majority of cases, it is impossible to establish even the theoretically required year of flowering for such an apple tree.

If you are interested in getting fruits from a wild game, it is recommended to bend the branches in order to better growth or carrying out certain surgical operations - kerbovki, banding, etc. It is also recommended top dressing with superphosphate or You can also graft a stalk or bud from a varietal apple tree onto a wild game.

Let's talk about ages

Why not apple trees? What to do? Most fruit trees successively go through periods of growth, growth and fruiting, fruiting with growth, and aging. Apple trees with no flowering are a natural phenomenon at a young age, that is, during the first flowering period, as such, they should not be. The exception is varieties that bear fruit already in the second year after planting. But why does not an adult apple tree bloom?

How long the period of apple tree growth without flowering will be depends on the rootstock and variety. Expect flowers to appear three years old it is possible only from trees of early-growing varieties (Wellspur, Narodnoye) or if the stock is dwarf. Other varieties (Antonovka, Grushovka Moskva, Welsey), especially in the case of a dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstock, can bloom and begin to bear fruit at the age of 6-7 years.

Varieties such as Sara Sinap or Red Delicious do not show signs of flowering at this age, which is considered completely normal. You can talk about the problem only when early-growing varieties do not bloom. In such a situation, pay attention to the condition of the crown, especially the angles at which the branches grow. And also check the tree for the presence or absence of diseases and pests, follow a balanced diet.

Why do not apple trees bloom, being already definitely "adult"? If we are talking about ten years of age, the lack of flowering in certain varieties (Red Delicious and Sarah Sinap) also fits into the physiological norm. If this does not happen, then (in addition to an excess of organic matter or a deficiency of useful trace elements), most often you can think about improper planting or unsuccessful crown formation.

If the tree does not bloom every year

Why don't apple trees bloom every year? Flowering of a tree after 1-2 years in some cases (for certain varieties) is a natural phenomenon. The reason for this is the so-called periodicity of fruiting. Varieties with the most pronounced period - Early Grushovka, Babushkino, Early Golden Kitayka, Moscow Grushovka. This happens due to the depletion of the tree due to a rich harvest, the suppression of the laying of flower buds and an excess of certain growth substances (or phytohormones).

To get relatively regular flowering as well as fruiting, choose certain row varieties. For example - Anisovka, Folk, Long, Pepin Saffron, Northern Sinap, Taiga, etc.

In addition, it is important to choose the right time for feeding and pruning procedures. It is best to feed the trees in the harvest year, and prune before it.

Why do trees bloom weakly and badly?

The reasons for this are most often similar to the case with complete and prolonged absence flowering - a disease in the form of a fungus, an imbalance of nutrients, unsuccessful pruning and crown formation. As already mentioned, sometimes weak flowering can indicate the manifestation of the frequency of fruiting (in a certain year).

What if the apple tree does not grow well? Perhaps there is a tree oppression. Most often, the reason for this may be the presence of a close level of groundwater or a serious defeat by a fungal disease, which include milky sheen, scab, black cancer and others.

What should be done to remedy the situation poor flowering? Pay attention to the condition of the crown. If some of the young branches grow at an angle of about 45⁰, try to increase it by bending it to 60-70⁰. You should also look at the condition of the leaves. A number of infectious diseases also prevent flowering.

Other reasons

The tree may be infected with milky sheen (basidial fungus). Affected specimens should be cut down to the root, completely uprooted and burned to avoid infecting other trees. If the apple tree is affected by scab or black cancer, spraying is carried out with the necessary preparation.

Iron deficiency, which also weakens flowering, manifests itself most often in the form of chlorosis. Top dressing of the apple tree is carried out in this case with Uniflor-micro or Ferrovit.

Look also at how the root neck is located. If its location is below the level at which the soil of the site is located, try to raise it if possible.

In the case of periodicity (harvest years alternate with the absence of flowering), some gardeners resort to thinning flowers in case of a large number of them. This is done to prevent severe depletion of the tree by a bountiful harvest.

To speed up the flowering of a single branch, you can apply a number of certain surgical techniques that regulate the development of shoots from the buds. We can talk about the procedures of kerbovka and ringing. The latter refers to a cut of a bark ring 4-10 mm wide. After 20-30 days after flowering, the wound is tied with a film in order to protect against infections and pests.

As a result, due to a temporary cessation of the outflow of substances of an organic nature, the growth of vegetative shoots is weakened and new fruit formations (spears, annelids) are formed.

Another useful tip - when planting seedlings, avoid putting a lot of organic matter in landing pits. This is especially true for fresh (not rotted) compost. This is done in order to avoid fattening trees.

Modern gardeners often resort to planting seedlings on mounds instead of holes. This is especially true for those areas whose soils are quite heavy - clay and loamy.

Summing up

So we briefly reviewed the main questions - why does the apple tree not bloom? What to do? In the most general case, to ensure the early start of flowering and its regularity with abundant subsequent fruiting, it is necessary to pay attention to the competent choice of a place for planting, to consider the selection of preferred varieties, to follow the planting technology, to carefully, timely and correctly carry out formative pruning, taking into account the type of fruiting of a particular variety and not forget about feeding apple trees in the harvest season for a better laying of flower buds for next year.

Surely all gardeners, when planting fruit trees, expect them to have a friendly and fast harvest. but sometimes the waiting process drags on for many years. Why does the apple tree not bloom, what are the reasons? What to do if there is no fruiting? I tested all the conclusions below on my seedlings, not always achieving success.

Why can't bloom

Our fruit care actions may be wrong, starting from the moment of planting and further, when we form a tree in various ways. It depends on these reasons whether flower buds will be laid on it.

Too deep set

Usually a competent seller explains that it is not necessary to deepen the root neck of an apple tree. An inexperienced buyer believes that this place is identical to the graft, which is 7-10 centimeters above the neck, therefore, out of ignorance, the seedling deepens. In this case, the beginning of fruiting is postponed for several years. But apple trees already belong to crops that begin to produce crops for 5-7 years of life, some winter varieties bloom even in the 10th year.

It is necessary, if possible, to dig out the root neck, and when planting, let it be at ground level.

If the apple tree is on a dwarf rootstock, deepening into the soil stimulates the growth of roots on
scion, which will lead to the loss of not only small stature, but also precocity (usually
"dwarfs" bloom earlier).

Flower formations do not ripen

• It happens that you want to buy a variety exotic for our strip, but it is not suitable for our harsh places. Therefore, in early spring, flower buds freeze or they do not have time to pollinate. This happened with the Simirenko variety, I really wanted the apple tree to grow in my garden.
• It rarely happens that there is not enough pollinator, but then there will be flowering, but no fruiting.
• An excess of nitrogen fertilizers leads to this. that vegetative shoots grow, and fruit buds. if they are formed, they do not ripen. The same result is obtained. if groundwater is close, the branches will grow green, and rare flowers will fall off.

Deficiency in shaping

The biggest reason apple trees don't bloom, in my experience, is their
wrong formation. In the spring, sap begins to circulate through the tree with
nutrients. When the branches are directed upwards, there is a rapid and strong outflow of them to the root, fruit buds are not formed. You can wait decades for the harvest.

When we carefully begin to bend the branches closer to the horizontal. power outflow
slows down, flower (generative) formations are laid. The result is visible in the photo:

Translation to a horizontal position is done gradually. Starting from the end of June. with soft twine or with a spacer, we wrap a branch with one end, hook the other end to a peg driven into the ground. I tie a brick with a rope, put it on the ground next to the apple tree so that the branch leans a little. Gradually during the summer I begin to adjust the slope, but carefully, without fanaticism. In this state, I leave for the winter. Flowering can be expected next year. Remove the binding.

However, there are varieties of apple trees that bear fruit on vertical shoots. but their
minority.

If possible, it is necessary not to cut out the skeletal branches, but to reject them within reasonable limits so that the tree has it. than grow.

The error of formation is also that. that an inexperienced gardener, when pruning, removes the organs of a tree. on which there is fruit wood: ringlets, spears - fruits.

nutritional deficiency

Just yesterday, we discussed with a neighbor the delicious fruits of her adult
apple trees. Flowering and fruits on it appeared only last fall. The woman shared a “secret”: a few years ago, she buried old metal forks with spoons and a tin can of nails under an apple tree.

Why didn't it bloom before? She lacked… iron. You can spray it twice a season with a solution of iron sulfate: a teaspoon in a bucket of water.

What to do specifically and what conclusions suggest themselves?

Perform the above activities, preferably in combination. When we eliminate the causes, we will see how dazzlingly beautiful the apple tree blooms and bears fruit. Good luck!

Why is the apple tree not bearing fruit, or is your apple tree bearing fruit, but not abundantly or irregularly? The answers to these and many other questions are in our article.

If you are concerned about these issues, let's try together to figure out the reasons for this situation and find methods for solving problems.

In order for apple trees to bear fruit every year, it is enough to observe some simple rules when planting and caring for them. Let's start from the very beginning.

Reason 1: the apple tree is too young or, conversely, too old

Yes, oddly enough, many novice gardeners do not take into account the simple fact that a young tree just needs to gain strength in order to regularly delight you with a harvest. It must get stronger, form a strong and developed root system and crown, and only then spend energy on the formation of fruits.

Apple trees begin to bear fruit well only from a certain age, and it depends on the variety. Usually, it takes about 4-5 years for a sufficient development of a seedling, but for some varieties 2 is enough, while for others it takes all 6-8 years. There are even apple trees that give a harvest only in the 14-20th year (for example, unvaccinated wild animals)!

It is interesting that early and, conversely, late entry into fruiting are varietal signs, but their manifestation also depends on growing conditions. For example, potential precocity can disappear when trees freeze, and the use of certain agricultural practices (grafting, branch bending, etc.) can accelerate the ripening of fruits in initially late-fruiting varieties.

And vice versa, if your apple tree is already “in years”, it may stop bearing fruit simply because of its venerable age. And there's nothing you can do about it.

What to do?

Be patient and wait until your apple tree enters the fruiting period, or study the catalogs and pick up another, earlier variety.

Wildlings should be re-grafted with buds or cuttings.

Old apple trees can be “rejuvenated” for a while by pruning, but this remedy is conditional and temporary. by the most rational decision in this case, the tree will be uprooted and replaced with a young seedling.

Reason 2: poorly selected apple variety

You should know that some apple trees bear fruit in a year, not because you are doing something wrong, but simply because certain varieties have it genetically. For example, in such familiar varieties as Malinovka, Grushovka and Antonovka.

In addition, out of ignorance, you can simply choose a variety that is not zoned in your area - in other words, which is either too hot or too cold here. In this case, the trees do not tolerate high or low temperatures, susceptible to diseases and attack by pests, the flowers are weak, and there is little time for their pollination.

What to do?

When choosing apple tree seedlings, be sure to ask the seller for the characteristics of the varieties you like, in which regions they are zoned, and also where these plants were grown.

Reason 3: improper planting of an apple tree seedling

To make an apple tree bear fruit in the future, you need to start treating it correctly from its very “childhood”. Correct fit is most directly related to the further prosperous existence of the tree.

Most common mistakes when planting an apple tree

Deepening the root neck of the seedling. This technique is valid for the southern dry latitudes, but in our climatic zone, over time, this leads to decay and death of the bark, and as a result, to slow growth and, in the future, to the drying of the entire tree. Planting a seedling in a northern, heavily shaded or constantly blown area - the apple tree will literally have to fight for existence, there is no question of any quick and rich harvests. Planting an apple tree in unsuitable soil - in heavy, infertile land, the tree often gets sick and develops very poorly. Planting a seedling in a plot with high level groundwater (depth of occurrence - less than 2 m). In such conditions, with a high degree of probability, your young apple tree will rot in the bud. Planting a seedling at an angle. It also hinders the normal development of the tree.

What to do?

Buy healthy, strong seedlings with a developed root system and a straight trunk. Don't make the above mistakes when landing. If you have already done it, if possible, transplant the tree from a shady and blown slope or carefully straighten its shape, taking into account what you already know.

When planting, make sure that the root neck (the place where the aerial part of the trunk goes into the roots) is slightly above the soil surface - plant the tree in a hole with already fertilized, compacted, settled, watered soil, or at least move the soil away from the neck.

To correct the situation with high groundwater, try to do drainage ditch to drain excess water from the roots. The deformation of the trunk can be corrected by tying the tree to a support. Poor soil composition can be changed by timely fertilization.

Reason 4: incorrect formation (pruning) of the tree crown

It is important to monitor the density and location of the branches: an incorrectly formed crown - common cause the formation of too small fruits or their small number. Thickening of the crown (an abundance of branches interfering with each other) at first can even lead to a large number of fruits, but at the same time the tree does not have enough strength to form large juicy apples. Soon they begin to quickly shrink and lose their taste. In addition, the lower branches in such a situation lack nutrients over time, and they dry out.

What to do?

Regularly (once a year, in spring or autumn) competently spend sanitary pruning crowns - remove old, weak, damaged, twisted branches that interfere with others. Place cuts (especially thick branches) with disinfectants, for example, a mixture blue vitriol and lime (1:10), and then cover with garden pitch.

However, you should not get carried away unnecessarily - if you go too far with the number of remote branches, the apple tree can spend the next season on building a full-fledged young crown, without being "distracted" by fruiting. Make sure not to remove the desired fruit branches (“twigs”, “spears” and “rings”). Timely remove vertically growing branches - "tops" or "wen" that do not bear fruit. If possible, gradually move thick vertical branches to a horizontal position with the help of weights or spacers.

Reason 5: lack of pollination

Perhaps you just forgot that apple trees need cross-pollination (self-fertile apple trees that do not need this are still a rarity in our latitudes). That is, for normal fruiting, it is necessary that at least one more (and preferably 2-3) apple trees grow nearby, blooming at the same time.

In general, a variety of apple trees in any of our villages or on garden plots usually many, so there shouldn't be any problems. And such a reason is quite rare, unless, of course, you decide to breed orchard in the depths of the desert or taiga, where the nearest apple trees are kilometers and kilometers away.

What to do?

Give the tree conditions for normal pollination. Plant several trees together, or make sure there are other apple trees nearby. Keep in mind that varieties, even those that ripen at the same time, may differ in flowering time. As an option, additionally grow honey plants in the garden that attract insects (bird cherry, buckthorn, raspberries, asters, dahlias, crocuses, sunflowers, thyme, heather, etc.). IN last resort, you can even graft a branch of a pollinator variety into the crown of a problematic apple tree.

Reason 6: damage to the flower buds of the apple tree

Pictured is an apple flower beetle

Why does the apple tree not bloom and bear fruit? The reason for this may be pests that destroy the emerging flowers. In the vast majority of cases, this is the case of weevil larvae, which, after hibernation, lays eggs in flower buds. They hatch into larvae that eat the inside of the flower. As a result, the buds stop developing and dry up.
Moreover, the percentage of damaged flowers can reach 90% or more, up to the complete destruction of all buds. Of course, it is simply impossible for a tree to bear fruit after this, and an apple tree can bear fruit only at that time. rare year when, for one reason or another, the pest population is greatly reduced.

The cause of damage to flower buds can also be banal spring frosts.

What to do?

To control pests during the beginning of flowering, carefully inspect the buds and flowers - if they have black dry spots, droplets of "sugar" liquid, damage, cobwebs on top. If there is, then with a high degree of probability these are tricks of the flower beetle, and urgent measures must be taken.

First of all, this is the imposition of trapping belts on the lower part of the bole (this is done in early spring before the buds swell). They can be very different: sticky, funnel-shaped or covered with poison. Their main task is to prevent insects from climbing up the tree trunk.

Secondly, these are insecticides, with which the apple trees need to be treated twice - when the buds begin to open and immediately after the garden blooms (at these moments the larvae are more sensitive to the action of chemicals). These, for example, include Benzophosphate, Oleocuprite, Fitosporin-M, Karbofos, Trichlorol-5.

Reason 7: apple tree flower buds do not develop

If the apple tree blooms but does not bear fruit, possible cause may be bad development already hatched buds. As a result, weak flowers are formed from them, which quickly lose their ability to pollinate, ovaries (and, as a result, fruits) practically do not have time to form.

There may be several reasons for this situation. Here are the most frequent ones:

• incorrectly selected variety;
• excess nitrogen fertilizers (excessive application of ammonium sulfate, ammonium, sodium or calcium nitrate, bird droppings, urea, fresh manure).

In the first case, you most likely chose too southern variety for your area, which is not adapted to the available weather conditions. Nitrogen fertilizers, applied in excess or at the wrong time (in the second half of summer or autumn), stimulate the growth of shoots. At the same time, the development of flower buds is inhibited, and they do not have time to mature enough.

This situation is also called "tree fattening" - it simply prolongs the time of "childhood". These apple trees are easily identified by the abundance of long growths, while there are very few short lateral fruit branches.

What to do?

First, check if the selected apple variety is suitable for growing in your area, if not, replace it with a more suitable one.

Secondly, check the composition and amount of fertilizers applied: fertilize with nitrogen before the young tree enters the fruiting season, after that it is advisable to apply fertilizers containing more potassium and phosphorus. For adult apple trees, nitrogen fertilizers should also be applied only in spring and in small quantities, and not in autumn, when all forces must go to prepare for winter and lay flower buds for the harvest next year.

Reason 8: Too many flower buds on a tree

This reason for crop failure is primarily characteristic of young trees, which, with an abundance of ovaries, may not physically cope with the development of all of them into full-fledged fruits. As a result, most of them simply do not ripen and fall off.

If the situation is not dealt with, it will repeat year after year, the fruiting will worsen, and the fruits will shrink.

What to do?

If you want to harvest a full-fledged crop every year, start rationing - artificial regulation of the number of ovaries. In this case, cut off excess ovaries in the first 2-3 weeks after flowering. Usually left central flower inflorescences as the strongest, and the lateral, damaged and smallest, are removed. On average, about 10 flowers are left on one medium-sized branch (or no more than 2/3 of the original number).

A separate question for amateur gardeners should be the following: why do columnar apple trees not bear fruit? For those who don't know, this is special kind fruit trees, which are characterized by low growth and the almost complete absence of lateral branches. The fruits on such an apple tree are formed very densely and in large quantities on the main branches growing upwards - as a result, from such a very compact tree with ideal conditions you can get several kilograms of large apples at once. Agree, it is especially insulting, having paid a lot of money for such a miracle, to be left without a harvest.

Why does the columnar apple tree not bear fruit? Firstly, all the above reasons are true for such trees (they tolerate frosts and drying out of the soil especially badly). Secondly, columnar apple trees have a rather weak root system, which may “not cope” with excess mineral fertilizers. Thirdly, you yourself understand what kind of load goes on the tree at the time of full ripening of the crop - such a number of fruits makes the apple tree extremely fragile to external physical and climatic influences. And, fourthly, the "shelf life" of such trees, alas, is no more than 15 years - they, of course, can live for decades, but you will not wait for apples, you will have to completely renew the entire garden.

The apple tree is one of the most common trees in our gardens. Everyone loves its tasty and healthy fruits. And growing this tree is not difficult, the main thing is to properly care for it, and then the apple tree will give you a wonderful harvest.

However, there are apple trees that do not bloom and bear fruit for a long time, so why is this happening? Let's look at this issue, which worries many amateur gardeners.

What to do if the apple tree does not bear fruit?

The reasons for the situation when the apple tree does not bear fruit for a long time can be different:

If you take care of the tree correctly, but it still does not bear fruit, you can use folk methods to make the apple tree bear fruit. For example, you can bury any metal objects with rust under a tree, or drive a couple of rusty nails into the trunk of an apple tree. It is the intake of iron that sometimes gives impetus to the fruiting of the apple tree.

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If the apple tree does not bear fruit for a long time, then there may be several reasons.

Winter varieties of apple trees generally begin to bear fruit much later than autumn and, especially, summer varieties. This can happen even in the seventh year after planting a one-year-old or two-year-old seedling. But, if all the deadlines have passed, and the apple tree does not want to bear fruit, check if you have deepened the trunk too much when planting. The tree will have to be lifted or dug up. The root neck when planting apple trees is not buried in the soil at all. Let it be better a little above the surface of the soil.

Another reason is that the branches grow vertically or almost vertically upwards. They must be bent almost to a horizontal position. Only on horizontal branches is fruiting. The branches should be bent gradually, for this they make a cuff of dense material that freely wraps around the branch. Then a rope is tied over the cuff without tightening the cuff. The end of the rope is tied to a peg driven into the soil on the side where you are going to deflect the branch. The peg is driven obliquely from the tree. Now you begin to gradually wind the rope around the stake. During the summer, gradually bend the branch a little and let it winter in this position. The next summer, bend it back to an almost horizontal position. Usually, after the branch is deflected to a horizontal position, so-called tops (young shoots growing vertically upwards) immediately appear on it. They either need to be immediately cut to the very horizontal branch on which they grew, or also gradually deflected to a horizontal position, directing them to where there is no suitable branch.

But sometimes the branches are horizontal and the planting is done correctly, but the apple tree does not bear fruit. This may be caused by iron deficiency. There is an old folk remedy: drive two medium-sized rusty nails into the trunk of an apple tree. You can, of course, act not so radically, just bury a few rusty metal objects under the apple tree or spray 2-3 times during the season with a 0.1% solution of ferrous sulfate (1 teaspoon of vitriol per 8-10 liters of water). There is an excellent preparation "Ferovit". Spray the leaves a couple of times in spring and early summer with a solution of the drug - 4 drops per 1 liter of water. But keep in mind that it stimulates plant growth.

You can simply bury a few metal cans (empty, of course) around the perimeter of the tree crown. Since the cans are now anodized with aluminum that does not rust in the soil, the cans must first be burned in a fire, then flattened, and only then buried.

In addition, the root system should be shortened, because it stimulates the growth of the trunk and branches, but inhibits the laying of short fruit branches on them - fruits. To do this, dig the tree with an annular groove 1.5 m from the trunk to the depth of the roots and chop the roots! Do not be afraid, the tree will not die, but it will begin to supply less nutrition to the growing branches, and this will make the buds wake up and begin to grow, giving fruitlets, on which fruits are formed.

In general, the tree has two tasks: the capture of living space and concern for the preservation of the species, that is, the creation of seeds (but not the pulp around them - the fruits in which we are interested, not the fruit tree). Roots usually do not extend far beyond the perimeter of the tree crown. The aerial part tends to grow upward to take a place under the sun. While there is an annual large increase (about a meter) at the ends of the branches, the tree spends all the juice from the roots on it and does not lay small overgrowing branches - fruits, because there is no food left to awaken these buds.

If you stop the supply of nutrients to vertically growing branches, then something falls off for the buds that give fruit, and they wake up. For this, it is necessary either to reduce the volume of the root system in order to reduce the nutrition of growth buds, or to cut a narrow, only 2 mm, strip of bark with a cambium about 3-4 cm long under an infertile branch, or to bend the branch to a horizontal position (then the pressure there is less juice, and the growth at the ends of the branches slows down, and the buds of the fruits begin to awaken). But at the same time, tops (growing vertically upward branches) may appear on bent branches. They must either be cut out without leaving stumps, or rejected to a horizontal position if an additional branch is required.

With normal growth (about 45 cm), the growth and laying of fruit buds go evenly, and nothing needs to be done. But, when the tree grows up to 2 m, it should regularly shorten the central trunk, preventing the tree from growing vertically upwards. Pruning is done right above the kidney so that a dry stump does not appear in the future. All other branches should also be shortened about 15 cm less than the center conductor. Pruning should be carried out above the kidney, which "looks" outward of the crown. It is imperative to remove the branches growing inside the crown, and the sooner the better. Branches rubbing against each other, located close to each other, thicken the crown. The thinner the crown, the better it will be illuminated by the sun. There will be fewer apples, but they will be much larger. Fruit enlargement is also facilitated by partial pruning of overgrown fruitlets. These short fruit twigs, on which flower buds develop, grow too large over time. Also, they get old. All this leads first to the grinding of fruits, and then, after 12-15 years, to the cessation of fruiting.

Apple trees. Varieties with early fruiting

These varieties of apple trees are distinguished by early fruiting, rapid increase in yields, their abundance and regularity. In the full complex, all these properties are found only in some varieties, individually - in a large number.

For example, while most varieties come into fruition in the fourth or sixth year after planting in the garden and even later, some - Narodnoye, Winner, Student, Melba, Lobo, Welsey, Dessert Isaeva, Mekanis, Young naturalist, Orlik, Zhigulevskoye - begin to bear fruit in the first three (and even earlier) years after planting.

By ability

Varieties differ in the ability to regularly bear fruit. Some - regularly fruiting, or regulars - produce crops annually, others - periodically fruiting, or periodicals - bear fruit in a year. Many varieties are characterized by an average frequency of fruiting: high yields they alternate with small ones, and in some years even a complete absence of fruits is possible. The frequency of fruiting in these varieties is usually associated with the conditions of their cultivation: with careful care, they bear fruit annually, with poor care - after a year.

The main reason for the periodicity of fruiting is excessive yields. In this case, the trees are not able to "feed" a huge mass of fruits at the same time, and provide nutrition for the laying of flower buds for the next year's harvest. There is a "failure" in fruiting. In addition, in periodicals, due to excessive yield, the size of fruits decreases, and winter hardiness decreases. That is why varieties with a fairly high, but at the same time regular fruiting, are especially valued, for example, Narodnoye, Autumn Joy, Zhigulevskoye, Northern Sinap, Pepin Saffron. Trees of such varieties are distinguished by moderate flowering, while those of periodically fruiting varieties are completely covered with flowers.

By concepts

The concept of "intense type variety" also includes restrained growth, which determines the small size of the tree. This makes it possible to plant more densely, which means it increases the yield per unit area and facilitates tree care: pruning, pest control, harvesting. These qualities are especially valuable for family gardens - after all, elderly gardeners often take care of trees. Relatively small size trees stand out varieties Narodnoe, Brusnichnoe, Young naturalist, Zhigulevskoe.

Of course, there is a whole arsenal of agricultural techniques that allow you to enhance any of these properties separately. Fruiting can be accelerated by tilting the branches, moderation in pruning young trees, sometimes by banding and furrowing the trunk and branches. The frequency of fruiting is softened by a combination of pruning with manual removal of some of the flowers and young fruitlets. Systematic pruning also restrains the growth of the tree. In combination, all these properties can also be obtained by growing varieties on low-growing rootstocks. In this case, varieties are usually successful, which in themselves are approaching an intensive type, that is, in this case, as it were, the realization of their potential occurs. That is why the concept of "intensive type variety" also includes the suitability of growing it on low-growing rootstocks, on which not all varieties succeed equally well. But all these are just improvements, “finishing” that require additional costs labor and time. The success of the business, as always, decides the grade.

And one more feature: just like with intensive cultivation on low-growing rootstocks, intensive-type varieties require careful care and, above all, mandatory pruning, combined with careful soil care, fertilization and watering.

The essence of the spur

But the so-called spur varieties are really intense. Their main difference is the shortened (very close) internodes, due to which the tree turns out to be undersized and literally completely covered with fruiting points (ringlets). Most of them come from American varieties, grown in our south - Delicious, Golden Delicious, Mekintosh.

Get acquainted with the three varieties closest to the intensive type for central Russia.

Folk. The variety was bred by S.I.

What to do if your favorite apple tree does not bear fruit

Isaev in Michurinsk from crossing Chinese Bellefleur with Papirovka. The fruits ripen in late August - early September, differing in an unusually long storage period for an early ripening variety - up to 140 days in the refrigerator, that is, almost a month more than Antonovka ordinary. Medium-sized apples (90-100 g), round, beautiful golden-yellow color, excellent dessert taste: sweet and sour, with a spicy aroma.

The variety is quite winter-hardy. It begins to bear fruit very early - the first fruits appear already in the first or second year, the economic harvest - in the third. Fruiting is regular. The peculiarity of growth is partial self-fertility, which provides it with good fruit set even in unfavorable weather during flowering.

The tree is undersized, up to 4-4.5 m, so a more compacted planting than usual for an apple tree is quite acceptable. It is recommended for sites located in conditions that are quite favorable for gardening, starting from the Moscow region. Promising for the formation of the "Taganrog boat", and in the northern regions - in the form of a creeping culture.

Zhigulevskoe. The variety was bred by S.P. Kedrin from crossing Borovinka with the Wagner variety. The fruits are harvested in early September, but they are stored as in winter varieties until January and beyond. Large apples - 170 g, flat-round, golden yellow with a bright red blurred blush. The taste is sweet and sour, pleasant. Winter hardiness is average. Productivity is plentiful, often periodic. The variety is relatively resistant to fruit scab and moderately resistant to leaf scab. The first fruits appear in the fourth or fifth year, by the age of 7-8 years, 17-18 kg are obtained from the tree. The tree is medium-sized, with a rounded crown.

lingonberry. The variety was bred in Moscow by A. V. Petrov. Ripening time is autumn. Fruits are stored for no more than two to three weeks. They are of medium size - up to 100 g, barrel-shaped, with a bright cherry blurred blush on most of the fruit, very elegant. The taste is sweet and sour, pleasant. It enters fruiting early - in the second or third year after planting in the garden. Harvests are plentiful and regular. The tree is undersized.

As a highly winter-resistant variety, Brusnichnoye is zoned even in places that are not very favorable for apple trees, such as the Yaroslavl, Tver, Vladimir, Ivanovo regions, but as a variety closest to the intensive type, it is also interesting for more southern regions.