Reasons why a columnar apple tree does not bear fruit and what to do to get a harvest

The apple tree is a frequent visitor to our site. It is grown to please the family with fresh fruits and to make delicious jam, jam or compote. Those gardeners who do not have as much space on their plot as they would like grow columnar trees. They are no different in the quantity and quality of fruits, but they are much more compact.

Columnar apple tree.

However, sometimes a problem arises that columnar trees stop blooming and bearing fruit. Why the columnar apple tree does not bear fruit and what to do about it will be discussed below. Careful consideration of this issue will help to find the causes and, accordingly, determine ways to prevent them.

Features of growing a columnar apple tree

Columnar apple trees seem to be created for amateur gardens, because they allow rational use of space - many trees of various varieties can be planted in a small area.
The frequency of fruiting in this type of tree is not clearly expressed, since fruiting alternates on individual ringlets. In a columnar garden, it is unacceptable to skip any generally accepted care measures; In the absence of opportunities to strictly adhere to agricultural technology, it is better not to start columns. For planting in the garden, it is better to use one-year-old seedlings - if all the rules are followed, they can tolerate replanting more easily than older seedlings, which often get sick after planting. When transporting seedlings and during planting, the root system should not be allowed to dry out and the soil in planting holes or furrows should not dry out; after planting, abundant watering is necessary.

Columnar apple trees are planted densely - every 30-40 cm in a row with row spacing 1-2.5 m wide. Despite the high cost of seedlings, planting and maintenance costs, such a garden pays for all expenses already in the 3rd year of life. In the first year, when planting annuals on the MM 106 rootstock, only 1 kg of apples are harvested from one tree; in the 2nd year with 100 m2 - 2 centners, and in the 3rd year - more than 5 centners. The wood of columnar apple trees is stronger than that of conventional varieties and can withstand significant loads (up to 6-12 kg of fruit or more).

During the growing season, plants are fed with urea three times: 50 g per 10 liters of water with a solution consumption of 2 liters per tree. The first feeding is carried out after the leaves bloom, the second - 2 weeks after the first, the third - 2 weeks after the second. The soil between the rows is kept under black fallow; however, if the row spacing is more than 2 m and regular watering is possible, they can be sodded.

Trimming on columns is almost never used. With a healthy apical bud, only 1 main shoot of the conductor continuation develops each year. If the apical bud is damaged (freezing in winter, damage by pests, etc.), then 2-3 strong competing shoots of continuation appear on the tree. Of these, only the most developed one is left. Shoots are cut at length. 15-20 cm; It is advisable to use cut shoots for grafting.

Among the columnar apple trees there are varieties that have no side shoots at all. This creates a problem with cuttings when propagating them. Seedlings of similar varieties in the nursery are cut back to their growth to awaken dormant buds and form new shoots. Amateur gardeners often graft columnar varieties into the crowns of regular varieties.

Column trees can live for more than 50 years, but the ringlets of the lower part of the trunk begin to dry out naturally over these 15 years, they cannot be restored, so the tree’s yield drops sharply, and the garden requires replacement.

Columnar varieties belong to the intensive type varieties, and, therefore, are characterized by extreme precocity. Often, seedlings planted in early spring begin to bloom in the same year. For the plant itself, this situation is still stressful, since, without having time to properly take root in a new place and without forming a sufficiently powerful root system, the tree is forced to bear a huge burden of providing flowers, ovaries and fruits with nutrients. Therefore, in order not to lose a year of fruiting and not to tear off the blossoming buds, as is often recommended, you should carefully prepare the soil in advance and fill it with fertilizer of organic origin - compost or humus in an amount of 3-4 kg per planting hole.

Features of varieties

Simerenko

It would be more correct to call her Renet Simerenko. On vigorous rootstocks, fruiting in trees of this variety usually begins in the fifth year after planting, and on weakly growing ones - in the third.

Therefore, if you purchased a seedling with a vigorous rootstock, then you should not expect flowers before the age of five, although single flowers may appear.

At the same time, apple trees of this variety are considered almost self-sterile, that is, they require the presence of pollinator varieties:

• Idared,
• Golden Delicious,
• Korea,
• Memory to Sergeev,
• Kuban Spur.

That is, it is believed that in the absence of trees of these varieties, Renet Simirenko trees may bear almost no fruit, even if they bloom, or rather, the yield will be minimal.

Grushovka

This variety has several varieties, including Grushovka Moscow and Grushovka early.

Fruiting in pear trees usually begins at the age of five. Therefore, you should not expect flowers in the first four years.

The absence of flowers in subsequent years is possible for reasons common to apple trees of all varieties, including:

• Incorrect landing;
• Excess nitrogen;
• Phosphorus deficiency;
• Deficiency of microelements, for example, boron, iron;
• Presence of pests and diseases.

Melba

The first flowers and fruits on trees of this variety may appear in the third or fourth year. Therefore, in the first three years after planting, the absence of flowers should be considered the norm.

However, to realize the variety's potential, other varieties are needed for cross-pollination.

Variety Melba.

In the absence of trees of other varieties, the harvest will be minimal.

The following varieties are best suited for pollination:

• Borovinka,
• Quinty,
• Bellefleur-Chinese.

The absence of flowers in the Melba apple tree is possible for the above reasons.

Wild apple trees

An apple tree grown from a seed or root shoot can be considered wild.

The age at which fruiting begins can be approximately determined only if you sowed the seeds yourself and remember what variety the apples from which the seeds were taken belong to.

In most cases, it is unrealistic to determine from what year of life an apple tree should begin to bloom.

If you really want to get fruits from a wild apple tree, then we can recommend bending the branches in order to increase the fruit branches, and performing some local surgical operations, for example:

• Banding;
• Kerbovka and others;
• Feed with superphosphate or AVA fertilizer;
• Graft a bud or cutting from a varietal apple tree onto it.

Columnar apple trees do not bear fruit, what to do?

Proper pruning of columnar apple trees.
Recommendations from professional gardeners Why the columnar apple tree does not bear fruit: reasons, measures

Columnar apple trees do not require global pruning. When you remove a large number of branches and cut off the top heavily, the plant directs the juices into growth - there is almost none left for fruit ripening. Rough pruning is fraught with long-term infertility of apple trees.

Intensive growth

Intensive plant growth should also not be allowed: some dwarf plants grow up to 2.5 meters. As it grows, the number of fruits on the tree also increases.

This does not always happen: gardeners often complain that apple trees aged 5 years and older continue to grow tall, but the yield remains the same or decreases.

In such situations, it is advisable to cut the top of the tree to 2-2.5 meters and thin out the crown annually. To do this, carefully cut off the shoots that grow towards the center of the apple tree crown.

frosts

Fruit trees do not bear fruit after prolonged frosts or severe frosts. The columnar variety has limited frost resistance - it is advisable to insulate the heat-loving plant before the onset of cold weather. To do this, the root zone is wrapped in straw or other warm organic substances and tied with rags and burlap.

For a fruit plant, spring frosts are especially dangerous when buds or flowers have already appeared on the branches. Frostbitten ovaries die and fall off.

To avoid frostbite, the plant must be protected from the cold - wrap the branches with burlap or other material.

When choosing a method of insulation, do not forget that the plant must breathe, so use fabric that allows air to pass through normally.

Large amount of fertilizers

An excess of fertilizers is no less dangerous for fruit plants and yields than their deficiency. The reason for the lack of fruits is often an increased concentration of nitrogen in the soil - the apple tree forms ovaries, blooms, but does not produce fruits.

To correct the situation, feed the tree with fertilizers that contain a lot of potassium

Before purchasing ready-made fertilizers, pay attention to their composition

Dwarf apple trees love balanced feeding, which contains enough minerals and vitamins.

The plant is fed twice a year - according to the same scheme as other fruit trees. Now you know the main reasons for the infertility of columnar apple trees, their signs and methods of treating the plant. Following the recommendations listed above will ensure you a stable harvest.

Why doesn't the columnar apple tree bear fruit? - the magic of plants

This is the most common reason for the lack of fruit in a columnar apple tree. After planting, the seedling needs time so that it can grow stronger and develop a strong root system.

This requires an average of 5 years. Therefore, do not despair if in the second year of planting the tree does not bear fruit. You just need to be patient and wait a little.

The more side branches a columnar apple tree has, the more modest its harvest will be. Most of the flower buds of this fruit tree are formed on small overgrowing branches (rings). For this reason, it is recommended to purchase columnar apple tree seedlings on dwarf rootstocks, on which the least amount of branching occurs.

A columnar apple tree, as a rule, produces a huge number of ovaries, so in the first years of the tree’s life it is recommended to thin out the flowers

It is important to increase the crop load gradually

Very often, when picking apples carelessly, short fruit branches break off, on which flower buds of the next year's harvest are laid. Long-term infertility can also be caused by improper pruning.

As already mentioned, a columnar apple tree needs minimal pruning, and therefore, if you cut off many of its branches at once, then this garden crop will direct all its energy to increasing green mass, and not to laying flower buds.

The winter hardiness of columnar apple trees is of great importance. So, if a variety is not frost-resistant, then you should not expect good fruiting from it. The situation can be corrected by covering such trees for the winter.

Frosts that occur during the flowering period of a columnar apple tree, as a rule, lead to the fact that the tree is left without ovaries - it either does not form them at all or discards them.

An excessive concentration of nitrogen-containing fertilizers in the soil can also provoke a lack of harvest of a columnar apple tree. In this case, flowering of this garden crop may not be observed. In order to correct the situation, it is necessary to feed the tree with potassium.

Knowing the main reasons for the failure of a columnar apple tree to bear fruit, you can take timely measures aimed at eliminating them and get a good harvest.

What to do?

The first thing you can do is water the plants in a timely manner and abundantly in dry weather.
Water is necessary not only to enhance the movement of juices inside the plant, but also to allow the absorption of nutrients from the soil. It is best to minimize the use of various pesticides on the plant. They should only be used as a last resort. Strawberries are very sensitive to such drugs, and the result can sometimes be unpredictable. And this despite the high quality of modern pest control products. When deciding on treatment, do not forget about helper insects that can die from poison.

A small number of berries is rather uncharacteristic for strawberries. Most often, it blooms wildly and bears, albeit not always juicy, but numerous fruits.

The most important thing in this matter is the correctly selected variety and timely watering.

To learn why strawberries bloom but there are no berries, see below.

At the beginning of summer you are so happy - the strawberries are all white with flowers. But the petals have fallen, the time comes to harvest, but there are no berries! What kind of nightmare is this? Strawberries may not bear fruit for several reasons.

The most common one is that the strawberries are too old. If the strawberry bushes were planted more than 5 years ago, then the ovaries may become less and less, the fruits become smaller, and sometimes the plants may simply stop blooming. In this case, it is necessary to remove the old strawberries and plant new ones. Old strawberries should be burned or thrown out of the area. If you leave it on humus, it will simply sprout and run wild.

Another reason for the lack of fruit is that the plant is too young. Well, yes, strawberries will not bear fruit in the first year, and there is nothing to worry about. By the way, if you planted a plant in the previous year at the end of summer or early autumn, then such plants will not bear fruit either. The fact is that after planting the plant must take root. This is what your strawberries have been doing throughout the fall - forming their root system. Therefore, it did not have time to produce ovaries and, therefore, it will not bear fruit. But if you plant it in early or mid-summer, then next year you will be able to enjoy the berries. True, the harvest will not be too abundant.

Perhaps you have not “fed and watered” your plant enough. Like any other fruit-bearing plant, strawberries need constant feeding and watering. Even if strawberries have already stopped bearing fruit, they should be watered and fed, otherwise, if August is dry, you risk being left without berries next year.

It is not uncommon for strawberries to simply freeze. Many gardeners know that snow is a coat for the earth. If the winter was frosty and there was little snow, then the ground froze and, consequently, the roots of the strawberries died. Therefore, for the winter, it is good to cover the plantings with spruce branches or other covering materials.

Some varieties of strawberries produce barren flowers, and if the fruits do appear, the berries will be small and hard. After all, on the “mustaches” sold on the market it is not written what type they belong to. So it is best to buy ovaries in a greenhouse.

Another reason could be that the soil is simply not suitable for the variety.

Blooming strawberries may not bear fruit if bees and other insects were unable to pollinate them during flowering, for example, there was a rainy period. In addition, bumblebees will not be able to pollinate plants if during this period they were sick with something or their nests were destroyed during plowing. True, in these cases, there will be no fruit on other plants - cherries, plums and even cucumbers. You can try to attract insects by spraying the bushes with warm water and a few drops of anise oil.

If the strawberry blooms, but the flowers dry out and the stalks fall off, then the strawberry has been attacked by the strawberry weevil. This is the biggest problem. Your strawberries will have to be destroyed in the fall. All plant residues must be collected and burned, and the soil must be thoroughly loosened. And new plantings must be treated with pest control agents.

Why doesn't the apple tree bear fruit?

Details Category: Wood Published: March 21, 2013
Columnar apple tree care and pruning

The apple tree seems to be growing well, it may even bloom, but it never produces fruit. Gardeners encounter similar phenomena from time to time. But are these phenomena? Perhaps there are quite objective reasons for the lack of fruiting?

First of all, we must remember that ordinary apple trees begin to bear fruit only from a certain age - about 5 - 7 years. This does not apply to columnar specimens and trees of special early-fruiting varieties.

The second, most common cause of infertility is the lack of necessary pollinators. The fact is that many varieties are naturally self-sterile. They can bloom profusely every year and grow and develop beautifully. But no matter how hard the gardener tries, without cross-pollination he will not be able to get a single apple from them. There are many ways to solve this problem, but the best way is to supplement your garden with pollinating varieties that bloom at the same time as your apple trees.

Another possible reason for the lack of fruiting is a lack of iron in the soil on which the garden is planted. Apple trees react very painfully to a deficiency of this element in their diet. Even our ancestors, the Slavs, knew about this feature of apple trees, and in villages even now, when planting these fruit trees, they pour a handful of rusty nails or flattened tin cans under the roots.

Another feature that affects the delay in the beginning of fruiting of young trees is vertically growing branches. If you look closely at any well-bearing apple tree, it is easy to notice that all its fruits are located on horizontal branches. Therefore, if a tree’s branches grow at too large an angle, then measures must be taken to correct their position, to make it closer to horizontal. This is done using bending, pulling and other special techniques known to experienced gardeners.

The absence of fruits on abundantly flowering apple trees can also be caused by freezing of the buds during returning spring frosts. The likelihood of this is greater, the earlier your apple trees bloom, and the further north your garden is located. It is quite difficult to combat this phenomenon, so in the northern regions varieties that bloom later should be planted.

If the tree blooms, but the buds do not open, it may be infected with pests that eat away these buds even before opening. This is how, for example, the flower beetle larva behaves. If it turns out that this is the reason, then it is unlikely that you will be able to get the fruits this season. But in the future, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatment against such pests in advance.

An obstacle to the start of fruiting can also be a rather banal reason, popularly called obesity. The tree develops well, gives abundant growth, but does not bloom. This happens when the soil is too “fat” - it contains an excess amount of nitrogen, most often applied in the form of manure or other organic fertilizers. Treatment, in this case, is very simple - the use of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to compensate for the existing imbalance.

Incorrect planting can also delay the onset of fruiting of an apple tree.

When choosing a place for a future fruit tree, it is necessary to pay attention to ensuring that there is no stagnation of water in its root system, that the soil is sufficiently fertile, and that the crown is often illuminated by the sun rather than remaining in the shadow of tall neighboring buildings. Apple trees also do not like places constantly blown by cold northern winds.

The apple tree is a fairly unpretentious crop. But in order to get good harvests, you need to take care of it, especially since this does not require special time and material costs.

Back

How long does it take for an apple tree to grow?

Many people do not know how long apple trees grow. This tree is the most durable fruit-bearing tree, which in natural conditions can live on average from 80 to 100 years. If a tree grows in a garden where it is cared for, it can live 2 times longer.

Lifespan is determined by a number of factors:

• region of growth (in the southern regions this tree grows better and longer than in the northern);
• proper care (formation of the tree crown and timely treatment against parasites and pests will help the tree live much longer);
• life form (the later the harvest begins, the longer the apple tree will live).

When apples ripen, this can be determined by a number of signs:

• firstly, ripe fruits acquire a beautiful appearance - the skin is red, yellow-scarlet or yellow-green;
• apples can be easily removed from the tree;
• soft white or creamy flesh;
• the apples begin to fall without outside help.

According to the period of ripening, trees are divided into three groups:

• Summer varieties. Apples begin to be picked in the second half of August. They are stored for a long time - about a month.
• Autumn varieties. Fruits from the trees are collected from the end of August. They can be stored for up to 4 months.
• Winter varieties. Harvesting begins at the end of September. Properly grown apples can last until spring without losing their taste.

Apple tree

For a good harvest, you need to normalize the number of apples on the tree, that is, remove unnecessary flowers and ovaries. The first procedure is carried out when most of the flowers open (4-5 days). Then in June you need to normalize the ovary itself. This happens 3-4 days after the entire ovary falls off. Preferably the one that is insufficiently developed and formed, and damaged by insects, is removed. To do this, the ovary is carefully cut off with scissors, leaving no more than one small apple in the inflorescence.

Rationing may seem like too complicated and difficult a procedure, so there is a much easier way. After the tree sheds its excess ovary, it should be shaken vigorously several times, after which the weak inflorescences will fall off.

Important! Rationing can also be carried out in July. But you need to do it very carefully so as not to shake off anything unnecessary.

We tell you why the columnar apple tree does not bear fruit and what to do

Blooming apple tree 4 photos

Columnar apple trees, in common parlance simply columns, are apple trees that do not form side branches.

Their trunk and skeletal branches are simply overgrown with short fruiting branches.

Very often, gardeners, after purchasing seedlings of columnar apple trees, are faced with a lack of fruiting.

This phenomenon can be explained by several main reasons.

Causes

Among the main reasons for the lack of flowering and, as a consequence, fruiting, the following should be noted:

low quality planting material. Very often, under the guise of columnar apple tree seedlings, they sell anything

These can be either unknown varieties from the vastness of Ukraine or Moldova, or wild ones; Attention! You need to purchase seedlings of columnar apple trees only in specialized shopping centers and nurseries; only in this case can you guarantee their compliance with the declared variety and quality

Excessive branching is another fairly common reason for lack of fruiting. Most often this happens in the absence of proper pruning. In ordinary varieties, the side branches extend to the sides and form a spreading crown; in columnar varieties they rise upward at an acute angle. If the columns are not pruned in a timely manner, then in the 5-6th year of cultivation they form a massive crown with a diameter of up to 1.5 meters. Now there are varieties in which lateral branches are not laid at all, and these are the ones that should be given preference when choosing seedlings;

• freezing. Freezing of the apical bud can also be the reason for the lack of fruiting. In this case, the main trunk stops growing upward, and the side shoots of the continuation begin to develop;
• insufficient winter hardiness of seedlings. If the winter hardiness indicators are quite low and the variety is not zoned for the growing region, then you can’t expect abundant fruiting.

Solution

Knowing why there are no fruits on a columnar apple tree, you can apply several basic measures to eliminate this problem:

Top dressing

Lack of nutrients can also cause lack of fruit. To prevent this, apple trees must be fed according to the following scheme:

1. In the spring, before the buds open, urea is added to the root zone, followed by incorporation. It can be replaced with a layer of well-rotted compost or manure;
2. At the beginning of summer, at the time of formation of the ovaries. At this time, apple trees are fed with complex mineral fertilizer;
3. At the end of summer - beginning of autumn, trees are fed with potassium fertilizers. They contribute to better ripening of shoots and significantly increase winter hardiness.

Types of potash fertilizers.

Conclusion

It is not difficult to achieve full fruiting of a columnar apple tree on your site. You just need to carefully monitor the condition of the tree and carry out all necessary care measures in a timely manner.

How to overcome fruiting problems

To correct the situation and achieve fruiting, you can take several measures, depending on the identified cause.

1. If groundwater is close to the ground or water stagnates after snow melts, you can try to install a drainage system on the site. This will eliminate oversaturation of the soil with moisture.
2. If there is a lack of nutrients in the soil, it is necessary to carry out regular balanced fertilizing with organic matter and mineral fertilizers. It is imperative to monitor the frequency of application of nitrogenous fertilizers, the excess of which provokes the tree to become fattened.
3. If there is a violation during planting of the seedling and the root collar is too deep, you can simply wait another year or two. Such trees subsequently become stronger than their counterparts planted according to the rules. Although later than others, the apple tree will bear fruit.

Replant an apple tree

Replanting an apple tree. Many varieties need pollinators. If possible, when planting apple trees, you need to select varieties so that they are suitable cross-pollinators for each other. To do this, they must have the same flowering time.

If it is not possible to plant several apple trees, then you will have to get out of the situation in other ways:

• you can graft a branch of a variety suitable for the role of a pollinator into the crown;
• During flowering, bring flowering twigs of a suitable variety to the site and leave them for several days next to the flowering apple tree, having previously provided the cut branches with moisture.

The site must have honey plants that will attract the attention of pollinating insects.

Why doesn't the apple tree bear fruit?

As experts emphasize, one of the possible reasons for the late entry of an apple tree into the fruiting season is its varietal characteristics. Most plants of currently cultivated apple tree varieties on seed rootstocks produce their first fruits in the fourth to sixth year, and on clonal rootstocks in the third to fifth year after planting.

But there are also those for whom fruiting occurs in the seventh, eighth, and ninth years. Moreover, in the specialized literature there are indications of varieties that were grown in leisurely and measured times - they began to bear fruit at 12-15 and even 25 years. Given today’s pace of life, this is completely unacceptable for us and, I hope, does not apply to your apple tree: plants of such varieties simply do not reproduce now.

The second, most likely reason why the apple tree does not bear fruit is that a wild seedling is growing in your garden, i.e. a plant obtained from sowing a seed. Such plants usually begin to bear fruit at 15-20 years of age, or even later.

Wild animals can get into gardens through oversight, even from a nursery. But sometimes in the markets, some so-called gardeners deliberately sell plants that are not grafted or have not accepted the graft.

Wild growth can also form in your garden if the grafted part of the plant died for some reason and the tree recovered from the growth coming from the rootstock. Of course, you can wait for fruiting: what if the tree produces apples that surpass all known varieties in all their qualities. But the likelihood of this is negligible.

Most likely, the fruits will be inedible or unsuitable for fresh consumption (small, sour, tart, inconspicuous). Of course, there is a way out. The easiest thing is to part with such a tree. But if all its branches, trunk and trunk are strong, this is unreasonable.

It is better to regraft it: now with buds, and in the spring with cuttings of one or several varieties, preferably of the same ripening period. Experts advise: if a wild bird ends its growing season early, it should be vaccinated with summer varieties, if it is late, with any variety.

— My apple tree is five years old. It bears fruit, but every year it bears only 8 apples, and only on the lower branches. Why are there no apples in the middle of the crown and at the top?

The apple tree does not bear fruit because it is too young and has not yet reached the period of full fruiting. It is still in the period of growth and entry into fruiting. It is believed that by the end of the growth period, the formation of overgrowing wood begins in the inner part of the crown and there is no ovary at all or single fruits are set.

In addition, most large-fruited varieties of apple trees have fruiting characteristics. They form a harvest on wood of older ages, at least on a two-year growth. Your apple tree produces large fruits, perhaps it has this type of fruiting. So you have no reason to worry.

At the same time, a young apple tree needs special care. It is necessary to ensure rapid growth of its leaf surface

After all, the more leaves, the more they will produce the nutrients necessary for the ripening of the current year’s crop and the laying of fruit buds for next year. It is very important that the crown has good illumination; annual growth reaches a length of 40-50 centimeters. The crown can be shaped by moderate shortening pruning and bending of branches.

Don’t forget about feeding the tree, adding nutrients in a balanced manner and avoiding an excess of nitrogen fertilizers, which can ultimately lead to reduced winter hardiness of the tree.

Lack of flowering in different species and varieties

The lack of flowering in various species and varieties of apple trees is influenced by specific situations, depending on their characteristics.

Columnar apple tree

• young age of the tree;
• the tendency of the variety to bear fruit periodically;
• errors during harvesting;
• unprepared for frost.

But there are also those that are characteristic only of the columnar type. For example, the presence of a large number of lateral branches growing on the trunk to the detriment of the number of ringlets on which flower buds are usually laid.

Apple trees on a dwarf rootstock

The most common reasons for the lack of apple blossoms in this variety of fruit trees are:

• excessive deepening of the seedling, leading to loss of precociousness;
• incompatibility of rootstock and scion;
• infectious diseases;
• pest attack;
• imbalance of nutritional components.

The main problem that causes a lack of flowering in an apple tree on a dwarf rootstock is an error when grafting.

Lack of flowering in the pyramidal apple tree

In this situation, the problem of lack of flowering is directly related to improper crown pruning, carried out for decorative purposes. To ensure the formation of a sufficient number of buds, it is necessary to carefully carry out the crowning procedure, taking into account the varietal characteristics.

Slate apple tree

• violations of disembarkation technology;
• improperly formed crown;
• violations of care rules;
• freezing of the crop.

Representatives

The columnar apple tree has many varieties and with each year their number only grows. Below are the most characteristic, bright and sought-after representatives in various regions.

The president

President is a semi-dwarf tree, its height does not exceed 2 meters, and the fruits begin to form on the trunk 30 cm from the ground. The variety also has the following features:

• early ripening of apples;
• solid, upright trunk with strong wood;
• shortened internodes and high frequency of rings at the base;
• reproductive life of the plant is up to 15 years, no more;
• The root system is dense, so the apple tree takes root well in new conditions.

Orlik

Orlik is popular among gardeners thanks to:

• intensive growth;
• precocity;
• long fruiting period;
• unpretentiousness in care;
• resistance to viruses;
• height about 5 meters.

The appearance of the variety occurred in 1959, in the Oryol region. Breeders bred the gene mutation of Bessemyanka and the ancestor of the columnar variety - McIntosh. This was another successful experiment, since the resulting variety has a rich taste of summer apples, while the tree tolerates low temperatures, and the fruits last well all winter. Orlik easily tolerates even snowless winters with temperatures below -30˚C.

Prevention of parasitic diseases is important. Treatment is carried out in early spring with a chemical compound, karbofos, before the flowers appear, and the trunk is whitened to 110 cm in height.

Currency

Currency is an incredible miniature and graceful variety. Their height does not exceed 2 meters, and the crown diameter is 20 cm. Apple trees have beautiful decorative, exterior properties and high resistance to diseases. There are no black spots or rot on their fruits, the trunk is smooth with even wood.

Description of the fruit:

• round shape;
• yellow with a red side;
• weight from 100 to 250 grams;
• sweet taste with barely noticeable sourness.

The variety belongs to the winter category, so harvesting is scheduled for the end of October. In terms of resistance to frost, it is comparable to Antonovka and Melba. The peculiarity of Currency is that the apples do not fall off, but sit tightly on the tree.

The apple tree blooms already in the first year; at 4-5 years the highest peak of yield is observed.

From one tree you get 5 kg of apples, and with fertilization - 7-9 kg. Despite the fact that the columnar apple tree lives for more than 50 years, its productivity decreases and is reduced to zero after 12-15 years.

Ostankino

Before being included in the state register, the Ostankino variety underwent 6 years of testing and improvement. The distinctive characteristics of the columnar apple tree are as follows:

• refers to autumn varieties;
• precocity;
• the fruits are already set at a distance of 30 cm from the ground;
• height is small, about 2 meters with a compact crown;
• bears fruit for approximately 14 years.

Description of the fruit:

• the stalk is short, firmly attached to the trunk;
• the size of the apples is medium and the same, weighing 140-160 grams;
• color greenish-yellow with a characteristic red-violet tint;
• sweet fruits classified as dessert.

From 3-4 years of life, the apple tree produces 7-9 kg annually. Experts also note high resistance to diseases.

Malyukha

Malyukha is a variety that is popular in the middle zone. In addition to aesthetic pleasure, the columnar apple tree has a number of characteristics that distinguish it from others:

• short height up to 2 meters;
• compactness, allowing you to plant a large garden;
• the fruits do not fall;
• winter hardiness;
• Large yield up to 15 kg per unit.

The weight of the fruit of the Malyukha variety reaches 250 grams, and the apple tree begins to bear fruit already from the 2nd year of life. The keeping quality of the fruit is high. Therefore, having harvested in September, you can easily save it until January-February.

The taste of apples is rich, starchy, with a slight sourness.

To ensure that the yield does not decrease, it is recommended to gradually renew the garden after 10 years by planting young specimens.

Prevention measures

High-quality prevention does not always guarantee the presence of fruits in the fall, but significantly increases the chances of success.

In this case, the set of necessary measures consists of:

1. correct crown trimming. During the procedure, no more than a third of the length of the branches is cut off, while damaged specimens are necessarily removed, as well as branches growing inside the crown are eliminated. After pruning, do not forget to treat the tree with garden varnish to avoid infection through the cuts.
2. timely watering.

Liquid application rates are given in the table:

Video: features of autumn watering of fruit trees

Watering is carried out in 4 stages:

• before buds open;
• 20 days after the flowers fall;
• 2 decades before harvest ripening;
• in October to prepare the tree for winter.
• rational feeding. In addition to nitrogen (for young) and potassium-phosphorus (for adult specimens) fertilizers, the tree will also be grateful for watering with a solution of potassium permanganate 3-4 times a season.

This procedure will stimulate the growth of the root system and also provide disinfection.

Did you know? Archaeologists claim that the apple tree was the first tree that humans began to cultivate. This happened back 6.5 thousand years BC.

How to bring the fruiting age of an apple tree closer

I don’t want to spend years waiting for the fruitfulness of the apple orchard, especially not for young people. There are methods tested by many plant growers. With persistent pursuit of results and careful care of the trees, it is possible to bring the harvest period closer. Methods of intensive agricultural technology contribute to accelerating the formation of the first fruits:

1. Biological. This is cultivation, breeding new varieties. A tall apple tree, the scion from which is grown on a columnar, dwarf, spur tree that enters the fruiting phase at an earlier date, will bear fruit 2-3 years faster. Painstaking, labor-intensive agricultural technology of such plants leads to a good harvest.
2. Chemical. Drugs that stimulate maturation have been used for a long time and successfully. Their principle is to slow down upward growth, thicken the branches and develop flower buds.
3. Spraying with DNOC fungicide diluted in water (1 g / 1 l) kills the formation of the ovary in the flower. The effect of its use is visible only on fully blossomed buds, in the first couple of days of flowering. The chemical does not bother the bees.

Spraying an apple tree with a fungicide diluted in water kills the formation of the ovary in the flower

An aqueous solution of the drug Sevin (2 g / 1 l) is used a week to a week and a half after flowering. The use of insecticide kills the embryos in the fruit buds. Growth-regulating KANU (25 mg/1l) has the same effect. On an industrial scale they are justified. For a small personal household, it is better to do without chemicals.

Bending a branch is the simplest technique. The awakening of the buds depends on the angle of departure of the skeletal branches; it should tend to 90°. In this position, growth is weakened and the onset of fruiting accelerates. The number of ovaries is determined by the length of the branch. The angle of departure is expanded by retracting the branch and securing it to a support or neighboring branches.

Banding. The bark (0.8–1.2 cm) is removed from the branch, turned over with the reverse side and secured in the form of a hoop in the same place. This procedure limits the movement of photosynthetic products to the root system from the leaves; they are sent to create buds. The wound is coated with garden varnish and bandaged with tape or thin film. The bark incision can be spiral or semicircular. The circles are made parallel to the tree, maintaining 1 cm between them. On the crown, the skeletal branches are not touched, because the entire apple tree slows down its growth. The procedure is carried out 3–4 weeks from the moment of flowering.

Padding. Slowing down the outflow of juices downward, the trunk is tightly bent with wire. It is left to grow in or removed in the fall. They pull fattening branches. This technique should not be used for thin shoots (up to 10 mm).

Kerbovka. Performed in early spring. The effect of it is weakening, when an incision is made under a bud or shoot. Accelerates fruiting if the cut is made above the branch. The cortex is cut 3–4 mm above the kidney, as if covering it with a crescent. With little skill, you can make rectangular marks. Cross-shaped nicks are considered gentle, heal well, and give quick results.

Mechanical techniques are carried out only on some branches, redistributing energy. It is impossible to involve the entire tree in the manipulation, otherwise the roots will not have enough nutrition.

Furrowing can be used at the beginning of the growing season

At the beginning of the growing season, furrowing can be carried out, in which the bark is cut into living wood. The method accelerates the onset of fruiting and leads to a bountiful harvest. In addition, the apple tree rejuvenates and tolerates frost better.

Causes of poor growth of apple tree seedlings

When purchasing seedlings, you need to ask the seller where they were supplied from.
For cultivation, it is necessary to take seedlings that were grown in the region where planting is planned. In this case, the plant will be resistant to regional climatic conditions. The best option is to buy a seedling that is 1-3 years old. In this case, the plant must have well-developed roots.

First year

If the seedling does not grow in the first year, it is necessary to check whether an apple tree previously grew in this place and died. If there are other mature plantings nearby, they should be freed from dry branches and old bark, and then whitened. After planting the seedlings, their trunks should also be whitened.

Second year

When the planting does not grow for the second year, it is necessary to check the soil on the site

Particular attention must be paid to the depth of groundwater. Another reason is damage to the tree by diseases or pests.

Third year

When an apple tree does not grow even for the third year after planting, it means that the soil or climatic conditions are not suitable for it. This situation can also arise if there are remains of an old tree in the soil.

Reproduction of columnar apple trees

To propagate columnar apple trees, the method of grafting a varietal cutting onto the rootstock that is most suitable is used. However, in order to successfully perform such a procedure, experience is required. You can also propagate by seeds, but this will take too much time and require a lot of effort. And not all apple trees that grow from seed are columnar. Experts advise propagating such a plant by air layering. Select a branch at the very beginning of spring, the thickness of which should be similar to a pencil. Then a circular cut of the bark is made at the base, the width of which should be 5 mm. After this, you need to moisten the cotton wool in Heteroauxin and wrap it around this incision for 24 hours. Next, moistened peat should be used to wrap the incision, while this place is covered with a black polyethylene bag, it is fixed so that no air gets under it. Do not let the peat dry out completely. In autumn, roots should grow at the site of the cut. After this, the branch is separated from the parent plant and planted in the soil. The probability of success of such reproduction is 50:50.

Growing seedlings of this type of apple tree is not an easy task. In this regard, it is recommended to buy them from trusted nurseries, and the seedlings must be transported correctly.

Answers to frequently asked questions

How to speed up fruiting of apple trees?

The most popular way to make a tree bloom is to bend its branches. They need to be tied to a support, installed in a horizontal position.

The second method is to add fertilizers, but do not overuse them, as large amounts of manure or nitrogen harm the trees, leading to loss of fruit.

How to get rid of apple tree growth?

Important! This problem must be taken very seriously, since if the growth is not removed, it can soon destroy the parent tree.

The growth must be carefully cut out, otherwise the situation can worsen. Stumps cannot be left, as they also cause harm to the apple tree.

If the tree is heavily attacked by shoots, then it is dug up at the base and uprooted from its parent roots. After the procedure, the roots should be covered with soil.

Why is there no ovary on the apple tree?

Mostly, experienced gardeners attribute the lack of ovary to the wrong planting location. The tree can grow in the shade and in a place inaccessible to bees. Therefore, you should dissolve 1 tbsp in 1 liter of water. a spoonful of natural honey and spray the tree with this solution. You should not get on the flowers, the main thing is to smell the honey that the bees will fly to.

If an apple tree does not bloom or bear fruit, this may be due to various reasons. But don’t despair and think that the apple tree is now just a beautiful tree. You should use all the tips and methods, and then the tree will definitely bloom and bring the gardener a good harvest of apples.

2 1 vote

Article rating

The beginning of fruiting of the apple tree

Each crop enters the period of fruiting differently. Some berries produce a harvest faster than others, already in the 1st or 2nd year. Stone fruits: cherries, cherries, apricots need from three to six years. Apple trees are pome crops that bear fruit quite late, after 5–7 years. With dwarf breeds, you can try apples a little earlier, at 3–4 years.

The characteristics of rootstocks and varieties are of great importance. Some names even on a vigorous rootstock produce the first fruits after three years. Examples of trees with early fruiting are the following varieties:

1. Wellspur. Apples with excellent taste grow in the third year. Tree of medium height.
2. Folk. The variety was developed by breeder S.I. Isaev, winter-hardy, with golden-yellow, spicy-fragrant, medium-sized apples. Fruits can be seen in the first two years, economic harvest - in the third year. The variety does not grow too large up to 4.5 m.
3. Welsey. It grows quite tall, the apples are bright, red or crimson, appearing in the 4th year.
4. Goldspur bears fruit in the third year; when overloaded, they become smaller.
5. Student. A bountiful harvest is harvested from this medium-sized variety already in the fifth year.
6. Mekanis, Starkrimson et al.

The Welsey apple tree is an example of an early fruiting tree.

This category of apple trees is characterized by regularity, a stable increase in yield each time. Dwarfs also bear fruit early. Dry, hot weather during the entire growing season of the young seedling can contribute to rapid fruiting. It can be slowed down by wet, gray weather two summers in a row.

Classic, tall varieties delight with the first fruits at 6-8 years. Some: Red Delicious, Sary-Sinap only after 10-12 years they enter the period of fruit formation.

Pest treatment

Apple trees protected from pests and infections bear fruit more consistently and the quality of the harvest is high. But for this, the gardener requires regular treatments:

• in early spring and at the end of the season, treatment with Bordeaux mixture will prevent the spread of weevils, aphids, moths, and fungal diseases;
• in summer, if necessary, use non-toxic drugs - folk remedies;
• in the fall, if pests are noticed during the season, spray with insecticides, acaricides (for spider mites), but only after harvesting.

Pest larvae and fungal spores remain overwintering on trees affected by pests, so finishing treatment is mandatory to prevent the problems of the current year from affecting the next year.

Pests of columnar apple trees

Most often, columnar apple trees, like ordinary apple trees, are affected by green and plantain aphids, sawfly, glassfly, red mite, codling moth, moth, leaf roller, copperhead, comma scale, currant, fruit and subbark leaf rollers, fruit and fruit moths, various cutworms, rowan moth, gypsy, oakleaf and ringed silkworms, blood and red gall aphids, goose weevil, western gypsy bark beetle, sapwood, pear worm and sawfly and other numerous insects. Pests can be controlled with insecticides and trapping belts made of corrugated paper, which do not allow insects to climb up the trunk to the crown.

Find the cause of poor growth

Slow growth is most often caused by one of the following factors:

If a tree is affected by diseases or pests, then it will grow and develop much worse

1. Unregistered variety. Very often, markets sell varieties that are not intended for the region in which the gardener lives. Because of this, the plant tolerates winters very poorly and develops slowly, since warmer conditions and a longer warm period are most often required. You need to find out whether the variety you have chosen is zoned in your area; if possible, you should buy proven options.

Southern varieties take root very poorly in mid-latitudes and often die

1. Incorrect landing. There are a number of requirements for planting apple trees, violation of which leads to slower development or even death of seedlings. It is necessary to study the information on this type of work and strictly follow all the recommendations that are set out in the next section of this article.

Violating the landing rules leads to very bad consequences

1. Incorrect tree formation. If the branches are directed upwards, then the ovaries are poorly formed on them and there is no increase in width. In this case, small weights are tied to the skeletal branches of the seedling so that they diverge to the sides and the crown becomes spreading and tiered.

The crown needs to be formed starting from the youngest age of the tree.

1. Too much pruning. If, when forming an apple tree, you greatly shortened the skeletal branches, then the plant will need some time to adapt and strengthen. In this case, growth usually slows down for one season, in the next all processes go well, sometimes even the growth rate is such that the previous year is compensated.

If severe pruning occurs, growth may slow down in the first year after work.

1. Plant adaptation. After planting, a seedling can adapt to a new location for almost the entire season. Therefore, slow growth in the first year is not a violation. Most often, the tree begins to develop normally the very next season, if there are no problems described in other paragraphs of this section.

In the first year after planting, the apple tree adapts to the new location and grows more slowly than usual

1. Unsuitable soil or high groundwater level. In the first case, the roots are poorly provided with moisture or suffer from increased acidity. In the second, they get wet due to the proximity of moisture. You need to plant an apple tree in places where there is water no closer than one and a half meters. If you have clay on your site, select a large hole and fill it with nutritious sandy soil.

You should select a place with deep groundwater; the easiest way is to plant an apple tree on a small hill

1. Lack or excess of microelements. In both cases, the plant suffers and the processes of normal growth and development are disrupted. Therefore, it is necessary to apply fertilizers on poor soils according to the norms, and on nutrient-rich soils it is better to use organic matter, and then in moderation.

It is advisable to pre-fertilize poor soils and sow them with green manure

1. Damage by diseases and pests. Any problems of this kind lead to a slowdown in growth rates, since the plant uses all its resources not for development, but for fighting the disease or the consequences of pest activity. You should periodically inspect the apple tree and carry out treatments if necessary.

If diseases are not dealt with, the tree may die

1. Damage to the apical bud of a columnar apple tree. If this bud is damaged, the apple tree will not grow in height. What should I do to eliminate this problem? Select the seedling very carefully and transport it in such a way as to prevent damage to the top.

The apical bud on a columnar rootstock is very important, choose a seedling carefully

Reasons for the lack of apple fruits - a practical guide to solving the problem

When planting young seedlings, you want to get a harvest as soon as possible. Unfortunately, in most cases you will have to show sufficient patience, because each plant requires a certain time to gain strength and please the owner with its fruits. However, there are situations when even after a sufficient period of time the expectations are not justified. In this article, we will analyze all the possible reasons why an apple tree does not bear fruit, and also provide ways to solve them.

Tree age

First of all, do not forget about such a banal reason as the age of the plant. Young seedlings take at least 2-3 years to start bearing fruit. The average period is 4-5 years, and some varieties produce the first apples only after 6-8 years.

When purchasing a cutting, you should immediately ask the seller about the approximate period of first fruiting. This will allow you to select a variety based on your goals.

The time of first fruiting may be affected by third-party factors. Thus, freezing of a tree in winter will delay the harvest, but grafting or bending branches, on the contrary, can bring it closer.

And of course you shouldn’t expect eternal fruiting from an old tree. An apple tree “in years” stops producing fruit at a certain time. Her rejuvenation may be a temporary measure, but you should not expect a miracle. It is best to uproot the old plant and plant a new cutting in its place.

The solution to the problem here is to choose the right variety. The following varieties have early fruiting: Brusnichnoe, Cellini, Mantet, Melba Krasnoe early and others. If the variety Babushkino, Osennye Polosatoe, Solnyshko and the like are planted on the plot, then you won’t have to wait for a quick harvest.

Wrong variety

Zoning plays an important role when it comes to yield. Thus, varieties that are not intended to grow in a certain area will produce few fruits or will not please them at all with the presence of their owner.

In this case, the answer to the question why apple trees do not bear fruit at all is simple: the planting area is not suitable for them. Plants overheat excessively or, on the contrary, freeze. As a result, their immunity weakens, which leads to the appearance of pests and various diseases. The flower stalks of such trees are weak and there is little time left for pollination.

The solution lies in initially choosing the right variety.

Incorrect landing

Compliance with the basic planting rules ensures the normal development of the apple tree. If they were violated, then you will have to forget about the imminent harvest. When planting, you need to pay attention to the following aspects:

The root neck of the cutting should not be buried. This is allowed only in southern latitudes with a dry climate. On our lands, this leads to rotting of the base of the trunk: the bark dies, the tree develops slowly, and eventually dries out completely.

• The landing site must be selected correctly. If you plant a tree on the north side, which is windy and does not have enough sun, then it will be forced to survive. The accumulated forces will be enough only for growth; there can be no talk of fruits.
• The quality and composition of the soil also play an important role. If the site has heavy, infertile soil, the plant will not receive a sufficient amount of useful components, and the root system will not be able to develop well. What to do when the apple tree does not bear fruit for this reason? Introduce nutrients into the soil, loosen the soil, and install a wind barrier.

• High groundwater levels lead to rotting of roots.
• Sloping terrain is not an ideal place for planting.

If one of these problems is initially known, it is necessary to select resistant varieties with a well-developed root system.

Under or over pruning

Fruit tree pruning should be done annually, in spring or autumn. It involves freeing the crown from tops and small branches that thicken it but do not give a beneficial effect.

Insufficient pruning or its complete absence will initially have no effect on the fruits, but after 2-3 years they may decrease in size or disappear altogether. Conversely, a large number of removed branches will signal active growth to the tree. All his strength will be spent on the formation of new shoots.

It is necessary to carefully trim the branches, leaving “twigs”, “spears” and “rings”. Tops and wen must be removed; they do not produce fruit, but only stimulate the growth of the tree. Powerful branches must be weighted with weights so that they grow horizontally.

Pollinator shortage

The success of fruit formation depends on pollination, which occurs during the flowering stage. Apple trees require cross-pollination, which means that in addition to the tree in question, there must be other apple trees in the same or neighboring area. Bad weather can have a negative impact on the number of ovaries: strong winds, rain, frosts prevent the bees from performing their task, as a result of which pollination does not occur.

This answers the question why the apple tree bloomed but no apples. Fortunately, our gardeners rarely encounter this problem, because the apple tree is very common and there is no shortage of specimens for cross-pollination.

Influence of pests

A pest such as the apple blossom beetle destroys the inside of the flower. As a result, the tree simply has nothing to bloom with and the formation of fruits becomes completely impossible. The larvae are deposited in flower buds shortly after the pest emerges from hibernation. The percentage of damage is high, from 90% to 100%. The formation of ovaries is possible only in rare cases when the number of pests is significantly reduced.

Another reason for flower damage can be spring frosts. The petals fall off, and their core loses the necessary properties.

The presence of an insect can be determined by visual inspection. If sticky liquid, black spots or cobwebs are present on flowers or buds, emergency measures must be taken.

What to do when the apple tree does not bloom or bear fruit due to pests? Spray with special preparations: Benzophosphate, Oleocuprit, Fitosporin-M, Karbofos, Trichlorol-5. The operation is performed twice, immediately after the bud opens and after the end of flowering. In addition, traps or trapping belts should be installed on the tree trunk. They can be of various types of action, but must cope with the main task - to prevent insects from entering the crown.

Excess nitrogen fertilizers

Nitrogen fertilizers include ammonium sulfate, nitrate (ammonium, sodium, calcium), bird droppings, urea, and fresh manure. Even placing a large amount of mowed grass around the trunk can increase the content of this element excessively.

The application of nitrogen substances should not be carried out in mid-summer or autumn, as they stimulate the active growth of young shoots. The tree seems to return to childhood and begins to produce many vertical shoots, increasing the size of the crown.

Nitrogen fertilizers are applied only in spring and in small doses. Adding them in the fall prevents the plant from preparing for winter and putting aside energy for flowering.

A large number of flower buds

Young seedlings can produce an excessive number of ovaries, which ultimately cannot be fully grown. The fruits will fall without ripening to the desired condition.

What to do if the apple tree does not bear fruit normally for this reason? Artificially regulate the number of inflorescences on a branch. The average for an escape is about 10 pieces. The correct calculation can also be made by leaving 2/3 of the original number of flowers.

These reasons are also relevant for columnar apple trees. They do not tolerate severe frosts well, have an underdeveloped root system and experience heavy stress during fruit ripening. In addition, columnar varieties have a limited fruiting period, which is usually about 15 years. After this period, the tree will remain green, but will not bear fruit.

The recommendations presented will help you understand the main reasons and understand how to make an apple tree bear fruit. The lack of harvest can be affected by the age of the tree, an incorrectly selected variety, the presence of pests, unfavorable weather conditions, improper pruning of the crown, or an excess of applied fertilizers.

Properly care for an apple tree

How to plant an apple tree so that it grows well