Harvesting Thinning of Fruit Drapes on Fall and Winter Apples is Beneficial Now
In the world of apple growing, autumn and winter apples take centre stage. Harvested in October, these apples store best for months, with examples like Ontario, Goldparmene, or Topaz being popular choices. Similarly, summer and fall apples, such as Gala, Elstar, or Santana, ripen earlier.
However, these bountiful harvests can sometimes lead to challenges. For instance, small drill holes and droppings on apples may indicate the presence of apple maggot larvae. This pest can cause significant damage to ripening fruit, especially late in the summer.
To effectively thin summer apples, it's best to thin the fruit early, ideally before each apple reaches the size of a dime (within about 20 days after petal fall). Removing small fruit by hand helps conserve the tree’s energy for remaining fruits and future buds. Be careful to avoid breaking spurs, as they produce flowers and fruit for many years. If branches begin to bow from the weight of fruit, either remove more fruit or use supports to prevent branch breakage.
To control apple maggot, several strategies can be employed. Using red sphere sticky traps hung near fruiting trees can catch adult flies. Regularly clearing fallen fruit and harvesting promptly reduces breeding grounds. Encouraging natural predators by mulching and planting insectary flowers is also beneficial. If needed, insecticides timed to larvae hatching can help, but natural and cultural controls are recommended first.
Supporting heavy branches on fruit trees is crucial for a better harvest. Poles or props can be used to hold up branches burdened with fruit to prevent breakage, especially in young trees. Maintaining the tree through summer pruning can also help control vigor and size, making branches easier to support and harvest.
In summary, thinning summer apples, controlling apple maggot, and supporting heavy branches are key strategies for a healthier tree and improved apple quality and quantity. Thinning the fruit on autumn and winter varieties is also recommended. Removing some fruit now can promote larger apples, ensuring a bountiful harvest in the coming months.
For more information, tune into Thuringia Radio for an audio on autumn and winter apple thinning and controlling apple maggot. Garden expert Brigitte Goss also shares tips on supporting heavy branches on fruit trees to prevent damage. Remember, don't put affected apples in the compost to help eliminate a generation of apple maggot from your garden. The ideal space between apples should be about the width of a hand, and affected apples should be removed by cutting and gently twisting them out, and disposed of in the organic waste bin.
[1] Thuringia Radio [2] Garden expert Brigitte Goss [3] Summer pruning guide
- To ensure a bountiful harvest of autumn and winter apples in the coming months, it's advisable to thin some fruit now, promoting larger apples with an ideal space between them being about the width of a hand.
- Beyond apple growing, adopting a lifestyle that incorporates home-and-garden activities like gardening can provide numerous benefits, such as controlling pests like apple maggot by using red sphere sticky traps and encouraging natural predators through the planting of insectary flowers.
