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What to do with my precocious apple tree?

josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
in Fruit & veg
A maiden apple I planted only this year first astonished me by blossoming, and now it has knocked me for six by setting eleven fruits. Nine more than my egremont russet managed in three years (but that might do better now I've given it a pollinator). My question is, should I remove the fruitlets so the tree can put its energy into growing roots and trunk?  Or just thin them, and if so, by how many? They are in two clusters of five and six.  It's a cooking apple, a Welsh heritage variety by the name, excuse me, "Goose's Arse".  The grower assures me this is a reference to the shape of the fruit, not the flavour.  (Though how he knows?  better not go there.)

Posts

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Gooses's arse apple?



    I'm glad I'm not the only one having problems with Egremont Russet. I've had one apple so far and the tree keeps insisting on flowering in the winter (before xmas).

    Was it a bare root or potted tree? If potted I'd thin both clusters down to 2 apples after the June drop and then keep an eye on the weight to make sure they aren't stressing the branches. If bare root I'd remove them all.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I'd remove them all ... I don't let fruit trees produce until their fourth year.   o:);)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    Thank you, that's the answer I expected.  But I was loth to postpone the opportunity to serve them up to a visitor and then ask how they enjoyed the goose's arse.   I've just checked the egremont and it has about five fruitlets, widely distributed, and about the size of a broad bean.
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