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Help with identifying fruit trees
jackie.lyall
Posts: 14
in Fruit & veg
I planted some fruit trees 4 years ago and as I've had no fruit am having trouble now identifying them. I have different problems with all of them.
One which I know is s pear has ants all over - will this do any harm?
Also not getting fruit after all this time. 
They were very small when I put them in but I haven't pruned at all, but have fed ame 
watered well. Could it be I need others in there to cross-pollinate? If I find out what they are could I have suggestions as what to put with them to ensue pollination?
0
Posts
photo 1: Are there suckers coming up?
Yes from the tree in the third pic.
Some fruit trees, especially apples, need a pollinator for fertilisation and fruit. Can you remember what you ordered so you can check if they were suitable? Another problem may be late frosts killing blossom before it is pollinated or strong winds and cold weather preventing pollinating insects such as bees from flying.
Ants farm aphids which suck sap and produce honeydew which the ants then feed to to their young. Not good for the plants affected. Blast the aphids off with a spray from a hosepipe and put down poison for the ants or else drive them off with a solution of 5 litres of water mixed with one small bottle of essential oil of cloves (health shop) watered all over the base and roots of the tree.
Remove the suckers as they are coming from the root stock and will reduce the supply of nutrients going to the desired grafted tree.
Remove all grass and other plants form around the base of the tree to a diametre of 1 metre. Loosen the exposed soil with a hand fork and apply a generous dollop of slow release fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone then water well and cover with a mulch of well rotted leaf mold or chipped bark. This will remove competition for nutrients and help the tree produce flwoering spurs for next year.
Great advice thank you.
I cannot remember what I ordered at the time so not sure if the trees are self-pollinating or not. Funnily enough the apple seems to be producing fruit for the first time this year. It's the other trees that I am struggling with.
I will do as you suggest with the others and see if that makes any difference. They are in quite an exposed position but I know that there were a number of fruit trees here for years before we moved in. We are right out in the country so loads of bees etc for pollination.