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Apple Tree Katja
diggitBenji
Posts: 25
in Fruit & veg
Hi there.
I have a katja (katy) apple tree now approx 7 years old. It has not fruited for a fair few years and wanted a little advice as to how to prune and when im order encourage it to fruit. The last few years I have obviously cut back to hard and it has taken offence! Any ideas greatly appreciated!
0
Posts
Has your tree produced plenty of blossom? If so it's unlikely to be a pruning problem. Is there a suitable pollination partner nearby?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
No flowers at all over last 3 years. It has healthy and vigorous growth which lends me to believe i have cut it back too much. Its a standalone fruit tree....the grower told me it would self pollinate and it did for a couple of years....prob yr 3 and 4 but not since....!
I have a Katja (I only realised it was Katy a couple of years ago!)
Mine is on an M9 dwarfing root stock.
I've not pruned mine in many years and every year it's laden with fine fruit. It is also the only apple tree in my garden (although plenty more in neighboring gardens).
It was about 9-10ft high, but had to be severely reduced in height and width a couple of months ago, so I'm not expecting much next year.
I think the key to pruning is to leave the little stubs (?) where the flowers and fruit will form.
Maybe you've over-pruned
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I'm afraid the grower told porkies
Katy is self-sterile
http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/fruit-trees/apple/early-season-eating-apple/katy
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks for that.....so whats the best course of action....planting something else as a companion pollinator? I just bought a dwarf vic plum and pear (cant remember variety) ....will that do the trick or recommend sthing else?
Apples have to be pollinated by other apples - and they must be from the right group - if you have a look at the link I posted, there's a button to click to give you a list of suitable pollinators.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Crab apples are excellent pollinators for apples too.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Agreed Pete8
The Orangepippin website suggests that most white-blossomed crabs are suitable for Katy http://www.orangepippintrees.co.uk/pollinationchecker.aspx?v=1036
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.