Apples falling allready

[A Johnson]

I have a yellow delicious apple tree that is dropping hundreds of apples already. Is there a way to keep them on the tree longer, they are only about the size of golf balls.



I realize it is probably too late to help it this year, but is there something I can apply to it for next year?



The good news is the deer come right up (5 feet) from my picture window at times.



Thanks

A Johnson

 

[illflem]

Barring major insect damage to the fruit it sounds like not enough water, is the tree irrigated? Hot spell right now? If water isn't the problem the fruit should be sizing rapidly right now and if it wasn't thinned adequately (4-5" apart) they actually can push each other off the tree. Next year at about 14 - 28 days after full bloom spray the tree with Sevin per the label instructions for chemical fruit thinning or do it by hand. There are also stop-drop chemicals but they normally wouldn't be used until first couple weeks of Sept.



ex-commercial WA apple grower

 

[Doc Tinker]

The orchard where I get all my apples, peaches and pears tells me that there will be some slim pickings this year, due to the weather.



Doc

 

[EMDDIESEL]

I thought Apples were not supposed to be ready till the fall?. Allt ehfruit farms out here (In the NE) dont usually open till late september. There is usually tons of fruit then. Is this a Northwest problem??

 

[A Johnson]

Illflem, thanks for the info, will do something next year.



Doc, I can't believe how many apples there are on all of my trees.



Em, I think the problem is me, not pruning and taking care of these as illflem suggested. The apples will eventually get to the size of baseballs, they even grow so fast they split apart and rot on the tree, just this tree, and they do it every year.

 

[Jammar9082]

I would have thought the problem was also related to water but if the apples are splitting it would almost indicate too much water. I have had problems with vegetables splitting because I over irrigated.



I have lost a yellow delicious tree this year ( one of four) and I think it was the lack of water last year as it was quite dry and I did not water as I should have. I think drought damage usually takes one to two years to appear.



Our climate almost always has a dry hot July, August and September. I have never been able to get away from watering if I want good production. I wish I had watered last year as the loss of a tree is expensive.

 

[illflem]

Apples crack when the inside grows faster than the skin. It most often happens when the temps go from very hot to cool for a few days then hot again.

 

[A Johnson]

This tree has probably been in the ground for over fifty years. I have seen thirty five of those years and we never water, just let nature do it. I'm in the Northwest corner of Oregon which is normally considered wet but the summers seem pretty dry to me.

What you say Illflem about the hot then cool then hot seems to make sense as this seems to happen around here.



This tree has always dropped apples eirlier than the red apple trees I assume its just the nature of the yellow apple.



By the way do any of you know where a fella could buy a cider press? What do they cost? Or maybe there is a web sight where they have good discriptions and pictures. I suppose a fella could build one but its easier for me to buy if the price is reasonable.

Thanks- A Johnson

 

[illflem]

Smaller cider presses are out there but not very many, seems to be a fast jump to commercial sized ones. Good Nature is a company that makes smaller ones, don't think they have a website. You can make your own, here's plans http://web.bham.ac.uk/GraftonG/cider/press3.htm it will double as a bearing press. You can get all the parts you need from a scraped forklift mast. You will need a way to grind the apples also, a cheap way to go is with a high hp garbage disposal mounted in an bar sink over a bucket. Sometimes you can find the old type crank grinders and screw type presses on ebay. If you freeze the cider it will last till the next season easily.

 

[RHARVEY]

How about one of those Kitchen Aid(Hobart) mixers with the grinding attachment????



Rick



It always amazes me at the knowledge that is on this website

 

[M Barnett]

Try an outfit called Lehmans, I think. They have all sorts of stuff for the do-it- yourselfer.

Michael

 

[QRTRHRS]

Originally posted by RHARVEY

How about one of those Kitchen Aid(Hobart) mixers with the grinding attachment????



Rick



It always amazes me at the knowledge that is on this website

If your talking about the models geared towards the home, let me tell you about their one shortcoming. They don't have a seal for the shaft that you hook your grinder up to. I don't know about apples but tomato juice will get in there and mess things up. Don't load it up too much at one time.

 

[A Johnson]

Thanks to all. A Johnson