Apple trees not producing - Ask Extension
I have 3 apple trees, 2 different varieties, that I planted 4 years ago. When I bought them, they had over 2 dozen small apples on them in the spring....
Knowledgebase
Apple trees not producing #876113
Asked July 06, 2024, 2:09 PM EDT
I have 3 apple trees, 2 different varieties, that I planted 4 years ago. When I bought them, they had over 2 dozen small apples on them in the spring. I didn't get a fence around them and get eaten. Not only the apples, but the branches also. Now 4 years later the trees look great, but no apples. I read online that they need to be trimmed. I remember as a kid that my uncle once told me to get an apple tree to produce apples, you need to hit the base of the trunk with a hammer. I haven't done either.
What do you suggest?
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
According to experts at the University of Minnesota, "dwarf apple trees will start bearing fruit 2 to 3 years after planting. Standard size trees can take up to 8 years to bear fruit."
It's possible the trees aren't bearing fruit because they are still recovering from transplant shock and the setback related to deer damage.
If the trees bear flowers, but no fruit develops, weather conditions and/or other factors may be inhibiting pollination.
Learn more here:
https://extension.psu.edu/home-orchards-why-is-there-no-fruit-on-my-tree
Apple trees need to be pruned to achieve and maintain the form needed to optimize fruit production and quality. Depending upon the age of the transplant, pruning may begin before sale and continue until the tree's useful life ends.
This publication explains how to prune and train a young apple tree:
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-prune-and-train-young-apple-trees
These videos tell the rest of the story:
