In our country, you can rarely find a garden plot on which apple trees do not grow. These unpretentious and beloved by all trees - everywhere and everywhere. But sometimes it happens that a few years after planting the apple tree did not start to bear fruit. Or the crop disappears on an adult and quite up to that prosperous tree.
Why the apple tree does not bloom: reasons
In such a situation, the main thing is to correctly deal with the cause of the lack of fruit. In our article we will try to consider different cases - why the apple tree does not bloom and does not bear fruit, as well as ways to solve the problem.
The absence of signs of fruiting and flowering indicates a certain physiological state of the tree, in which the laying of flower buds, as well as ordinary growth ones, is suppressed. Any gardener knows that without flowering you will not wait for any fruit. That is why the correct planting of seedlings in the soil is very important, after which it will be necessary to observe the process of laying flower buds.
They regulate the process, resorting to timely and correct pruning and shaping, protection against diseases, and sometimes performing certain surgical procedures. Sometimes the right care methods are enough for the apple tree to bloom.
Let's talk about proper landing and pruning
This is one of the primary conditions without which the full and timely flowering of apple trees is impossible. If the planting is too deep, the flowering process will begin much later. Then you should try to slightly extend the tree closer to the surface.
If pruning was done out of time or too much, this can dramatically weaken the flowering process. The laying of flower buds takes place on special formations of the fetus, called spears, gloves, fruit sticks, fruit twigs, and cocks. Strong anti-aging pruning eliminates most of the fruit wood. With sharp pruning, there is an active growth of vegetative shoots to the detriment of rapid flowering.
Improper tree nutrition
It may be redundant or unbalanced. This can be determined by the so-called fatliquoring. In trees, it looks like an active growth of vegetative shoots while suppressing the laying of generative buds and fruit wood.
Why does this happen? Similar phenomena can be observed in the case of excessive application of relatively fresh compost (manure) or abuse of fertilizers with nitrogen content. Choose the composition of fertilizers for apple trees should be, adhering to a strict dosage. Nitrogen is known for its ability to stimulate vegetative growth, but with its excess, the laying of flower buds may be delayed.
To stimulate it, a diet high in phosphorus is required. In addition, a short delay in flowering can cause a deficiency of certain trace elements, such as iron.
The absence of flowering in different varieties and species can be caused both by common causes for all, and individual for each variety. That is, the answer to the question, for example, why the apple-tree is not blooming in white, can be completely different in relation to another variety. Almost all apple trees can lose flowering due to improper harvest, exposure to frost, a certain frequency of fruiting, or simply insufficient tree age. Let us now consider what specific causes of this phenomenon may be inherent in certain varieties.
Why does the columnar apple tree not bloom: reasons
A tree of this variety can interfere with flowering lateral branches, growing in large numbers. Most flower buds in the colon-shaped apple tree form on the glove, the number of which may be impaired due to the excessive number of lateral shoots.
Apple tree on a dwarf rootstock
What could be the most likely cause of a long lack of flowering in this variety? Most often this can happen due to too deep penetration of the seedling, which was obtained on a clonal stock. If you plant it too deep, roots appear at the scion, and the characteristics of the tree are lost.
Other causes include the emergence of infectious diseases, poor compatibility of the scion with stock, or an unbalanced diet.
Pyramidal apple tree
We are talking about the form that is artificially given to the crown, referring most often to the decorative purpose. A small amount or complete absence of flowers here may be due to the number and structure of fouling branches (the fruit formations in this variety are called). Why do not apple trees bloom and how to deal with this in this case? In order for the flowers to be present in sufficient quantities, the pruning pruning of such apple trees should be carried out quite thoughtfully, the type of fruiting should be taken into account first of all (along with other varietal features).
Varieties Simirenko
Why do not the apple trees of these varieties bloom (the more correct name is Renet Simerenko)? If the stock is overgrown, trees of this variety begin to bear fruit most often in the fifth year from planting. And dwarf rootstocks begin to bear fruit earlier - usually in the third year. Therefore, in the case of the acquisition of seedlings with vigorous stock, one should be patient and not expect flowers before the age of five. However, the appearance of single flowers may be observed.
At the same time, the pollination of apple trees of this variety requires the presence of others. We are talking about the varieties Golden Delishes, Idared, Korey, Kuban, Pamyat Sergeyev, Spur. If these pollinators are not present near the trees of the Renet variety, there will be almost no ovaries even in the case of good flowering, that is, the yield will be minimal.
Grushovka
This variety is divided into several different types. For example, we can talk about Moscow pear or early pear. Such trees begin to bear fruit most often at the age of 5 years, and why the young apple tree does not bloom, the first four years can not be asked.
If flowering is not observed in subsequent years, the possible reasons for this are common for any variety (recall the improper planting, an excess of nitrogen with a simultaneous deficiency of phosphorus and trace elements, iron deficiency, the presence of pests and diseases).
Melba
You can expect the first flowers and fruits from this variety already in the third or fourth year. That is, the first three years after planting, the absence of flowering is the norm. But to realize the potential is also possible only with the presence of other varieties for the purpose of cross pollination. Without them, the harvest will be purely symbolic. It is better to take the following pollination varieties - Borovinka, Belfler-Kitayka, Quinti.
Wild apple trees
Root shoots or apple trees grown from seeds are referred to wild animals. It is possible to determine the age of onset of fruiting only approximately in the case of independent sowing of seeds, as well as when the gardener remembers from which varieties of apples these seeds were taken. In the vast majority of cases, it is impossible to establish even the theoretically required flowering year of such an apple tree.
If you are interested in obtaining fruits from the wild, it is recommended to bend the branches in order to grow them better or to carry out certain surgical operations - kerbovki, banding, etc. It is also recommended to top them with superphosphate or AVA fertilizer. You can also plant a stalk or kidney from a varietal apple tree on a wild bird.
Talk about age periods
Why do not young apple trees bloom ? What to do? Most fruit trees successively go through periods of growth, growth and fruiting, fruiting with growth, aging. Apple trees with no flowering are a natural phenomenon at a young age, that is, during the first flowering period, as such, should not be. The exception is varieties that bear fruit in the second year after planting. But why does not the adult apple tree bloom?
How long the growth period of an apple tree without flowering will be depends on the stock and variety. You can expect the appearance of flowers at the age of three only from trees of early-growing varieties (Wellspur, Narodnoe) or, if the stock, is dwarf. Other varieties (Antonovka, Grushovka Moscow, Welsey), especially in the case of dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstock, can bloom and begin to bear fruit at the age of 6-7 years.
Varieties such as Sarah Sinap or Red Delicious do not show signs of flowering at this age, which is considered completely normal. One can speak about a problem only when early varieties do not bloom. In such a situation, pay attention to the state of the crown, especially the angles under which the branches grow. And also check the tree for the presence or absence of diseases and pests, follow a balanced diet.
Why do not apple trees bloom, being clearly “adults” already? If we are talking about a ten-year-old, the absence of flowering in certain varieties (Red Deliches and Sarah Sinap) also fits into the variant of the physiological norm. If this does not happen, then (in addition to an excess of organic matter or a deficiency of useful trace elements), one can often think of improper planting or unsuccessful formation of the crown.
If the tree does not bloom every year
Why don't apple trees bloom every year? Flowering in 1-2 years in some cases (for certain varieties) is a natural phenomenon. The reason for this is the so-called periodicity of fruiting. Varieties with the most pronounced period are Grushovka early, Grandma’s, Kitayka golden early, Grushovka Moscow. This happens due to the depletion of the tree due to a rich harvest, suppression of the laying of flower buds and an excess of certain growth substances (or phytohormones).
To obtain relatively regular flowering, as well as fruiting, choose a certain number of varieties. For example - Anisovka, Narodnoye, Long, Pepin Saffron, Northern Sinap, Taiga, etc.
In addition, it is important to choose the right time for feeding and trimming. Feeding trees is best in the harvest year, and pruning in front of it.
Why do trees bloom weakly and poorly?
The reasons for this are most often similar to the case with a complete and prolonged absence of flowering - a disease in the form of a fungus, an imbalance of nutrients, unsuccessful pruning and crown formation. As already mentioned, sometimes weak flowering can indicate the manifestation of the frequency of fruiting (in a certain year).
What if the apple tree grows poorly? Perhaps there is oppression of the tree. Most often, the cause of this may be the presence of a close level of groundwater or a serious defeat of a fungal disease, which include milky gloss, scab, black cancer and others.
What to do to correct the situation with poor flowering? Pay attention to the condition of the crown. If some of the young branches grow at an angle of about 45⁰, try to increase it by bending to 60-70⁰. You should also look at the condition in which the leaves are. A number of infectious diseases also inhibit flowering.
Other reasons
The tree may be infected with a milky sheen (basidiomycete). Affected specimens should be cut down under the root, completely uprooted and burned to avoid infection of other trees. If the apple tree is affected by scab or black cancer, the desired drug is sprayed.
Iron deficiency, also weakening flowering, manifests itself most often in the form of chlorosis. In this case, the apple tree is fed with Uniflor-micro or Ferrovit.
Take a look at how the root neck is located. If its location is below the level at which the site’s soil is located, try raising it if possible.
In the event of periodicity (the harvest years alternate with the absence of flowering), some gardeners resort to thinning out the flowers in case of a large number of them. This is done to prevent severe depletion of the tree with a plentiful harvest.
Additional tips
To speed up the flowering of a single branch, a number of certain surgical techniques can be used to regulate the development of shoots from the buds. We can talk about the procedures of kerbovka and banding. The latter refers to a section of the bark ring 4-10 mm wide. After 20-30 days after flowering, the wound is tied with a film in order to protect against infections and pests.
As a result, due to the temporary cessation of the outflow of substances of an organic nature, the growth of vegetative shoots is weakened and new fruit formations are formed (spear, ringworm).
Another useful tip - when planting seedlings, avoid placing large amounts of organic matter in the planting pits. This is especially true for fresh (not overripe) compost. This is done in order to avoid the fatliquoring of trees.
Modern gardeners often resort to planting seedlings on mounds instead of pits. This is especially true for those areas whose soils are quite heavy - clay and loamy.
To summarize
So we briefly examined the main questions - why the apple tree does not bloom? What to do? In the most general case, to ensure the early onset of flowering and its regularity with abundant subsequent fruiting, it is necessary to pay attention to the competent choice of a place for planting, to consider the selection of preferred varieties, to observe the technology of planting, to accurately, timely and correctly carry out the pruning, taking into account the type of fruiting of a particular variety and not forget about feeding apple trees in the harvest season for the best laying of flower buds for next year.