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dropping apples

maggie-1maggie-1 Posts: 97
in Fruit & veg
The apples on my Bramley are dropping off, about a dozen today. There is some damage up to now, orange/brown bruises but the recent drop seem ok.  Could it be the dry weather and, if so, is there anything that I can do about it? Thanks.
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  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    July drop of small or deformed apples is normal as pansyface has mentioned.  I haven't watered any of our apples trees so far this year - I never do.  Somehow I have faith that we will have a supply of good apples in the autumn (or earlier) although I don't think we will have the usual big crop that we normally get here.
  • maggie-1maggie-1 Posts: 97
    Ah, shame, it just seems that so many are falling, more than usual, although the poor tree did need a good pruning last winter/spring.
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    The dry weather won't help either maggie.  I am fairly competent that you will get a crop of mature apples, but don't hold me to that, as I am hoping the same for our trees this year too!
    We have a fairly large garden and I am concentrating my watering on recently planted  trees , shrubs, the pond and the veg.   Our privet hedge and lawn are looking very sorry for themselves, but I am hopeful they will revive when the rains eventually arrive.

    If you do water them maggie - give them a huge amount of water, then cover around the trunk with grass clippings, mulch or manure to help to shade the trees roots and keep the  moisture in. We save buckets and bowls of water from the house for some of our plants.
  • maggie-1maggie-1 Posts: 97
    The apples that have fallen are quite big so I assumed that they would survive, that's why I hoped we were past the dropping period. Never mind, we'll see how many more I lose!!
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    We had the June drop, but most have fallen off now, guessing its the drought, hardly any left on the tree
  • maggie-1maggie-1 Posts: 97
    That's what I'm expecting, shame really but I think the birds have been pecking at them and then they become too damaged to keep. Better luck next year I hope.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Nice and sharp ... perfect to use for making mint jelly  :)

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





  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    I have 2  fairly young apple trees which this year both have, for the first time, really good crops. I was rather over enthusiastic with my thinning out of the fruit in early June. Instead of leaving 2 apples per cluster I reduced mine down to 1 apple. This left them looking rather sparse but I am hoping with the weather conditions we have I may have saved my crop. No June/July  drop and ever growing apples. My quince tree also has its first proper crop, more than 2 fruit this year. I have my fingers and everything else crossed I will have enough to make some jelly. I always give my trees a good shower over the whole tree when watering the veg. patch and also give the trees a good drink as well. So far no hose pipe ban thank goodness, no water meter either.
  • maggie-1maggie-1 Posts: 97
    Good luck, my apples are still dropping and the fruit does have bruises on them, although another apple tree looks better I'm not expecting much this year.
  • TraTra Posts: 38
    The apples on all of my trees expect from the bramley, are falling before they have matured! It's a shame - last year we had such a bountiful crop of mature apples. This year they're all small and on the ground! I have been watering them - they're quite mature trees. It must be the weather. Bramley is doing well though as are both pear trees. The pears are staying on the trees which is great so I think I might start thinning them
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