Subject: Apple trees
From: (Kevin Clark)
Date: Wed, Apr 14, 2004 7:03 PM

I have a small apple orchard with 9 trees. This is the third year for
the orchard, which I planted with trees that were about 6 feet when I
planted them.

Four of the trees are red delicious and they have never had blossoms.
(The other trees have blossomed and produced some fruit.) The red
delicious don't look like they will have blossoms this year either. I
am beginning to wonder if there is something wrong with them and they
won't ever blossom. How long should one wait for trees like this to
blossom?

Kevin Clark


Much depends on what rootstock these trees are on. Were they bought as Dwarf,
Semidwarf, or standard trees? A secondary factor is whether the strain of
Delicious is a "spur type" or standard. (BTW, the cultivar name is 'Delicious',
not red delicous - this info is for the horticultural sticklers out there G)

I would expect dwarf Delicious trees to bloom by now, semidwarf trees should
probably show some bloom this year; standards, perhaps not. Spur types
typically bloom a year earlier than standards.

To encourage bloom next year:

1. Scoring - cut a continuous circle around the trunk about 2-3 weeks after
bloom, usually last week in May to first week in June in Ohio.

2. spread limbs to about a 60 degree angle with the trunk. Do this ASAP.

Hope this is helpful






BRBR

John C. Schmid