Q.
Hi, I have a Ballerina apple tree that is 4 years old and it hasn't produced any flowers. It had three fruit on it when we purchased it but it hasn't had one blossom on it since. Can you suggest a reason for this? Thanks Vivienne.
A.
Apple trees need a few things - full sun, good drainage and a fertile soil. If the trees dry out they will not produce any flowers or fruit. Suggest if your plant is in full sun that you drench it with Seasol seaweed based plant tonic to give it a boost, and give it a side dressing of Tui NovaTec Premium Fertiliser. If it hasn't grown much at all, you may have a root problem. If this is the case, dig it up and move it to a spot where it will get all the things it needs.
If you do decide to move your tree to a different spot, move the tree when it has gone dormant and all of the leaves have fallen off which will be now (June/July). Give the tree a dose of Seasol to prevent transplant shock. You can also use this as an opportunity to give it a prune as well before replanting. Cut away any dead, dying or diseased wood and any branches that are crossing over each other. You want to open up the canopy to allow good air circulation to reduce the incidence of disease and also this allows fruit to ripen.
Ballerina is a brilliant apple and a good choice for smaller gardens, so do persevere with it.
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Why hasn't my apple tree produced any flowers? Comments
I too have experienced a Ballerina apple tree not fruiting in spite of my feeding it with fruit fertiliser and am very disappointed when you buy small fruit trees for small gardens. Can you help please?
Angela
Hi Angela, thank you for getting in touch. Apple trees need a few things - full sun, good drainage and a fertile soil. How old is your tree? Where is your tree situated? If the tree drys out it will not produce any flowers or fruit. If your plant is in full sun we suggest a drench of Seasol seaweed based plant tonic to give it a boost. If it hasn't grown much at all, you may have a root problem. If this is the case, dig it up and move it to a spot where it will get all the things it needs. If you do decide to move your tree to a different spot, move the tree when it has gone dormant and all of the leaves have fallen off which will be now (June/July). Give the tree a dose of Seasol to prevent transplant shock. Thanks, Tui Team
jenna
Our 15 year apple tree produces 100s of buds and in spite of us leaving only 3 or 4 on each branch, they ALL drop off with no fruit maturing, it get plenty of water, sunshine and love!!
Jil Reynolds
You have a possum problem, they eat the flower buds, and leave the "lead buds" alone.
Kevin
Hi Jil, apple trees abort fruit when the tree is under some sort of stress. If it isn?t water stress the tree could have mildew, you will spot this mould like fungal problem near the base of the stem. If that is what it is, you need to spray with a fungal spray registered to treat mildew. Regular applications of Tui Organic Seaweed Plant Tonic will help give your tree an overall boost and promote healthy growth. All the best, ^Tui Team
jenna
Hi, my apple tree is about 15/16 years old and blossomed and fruited every year but this one, it's been pruned as it was getting too tall could that be the problem.
Dawn
Hi Dawn, apples fruit on 2 year old wood, the fruiting spurs can fruit for many years. It may be that when the tree was pruned the fruiting wood was removed. Do not prune your tree this winter, if there are vigorous water shoots prune them back by about one third, remove dead branches and branches that are criss-crossing over, otherwise leave the tree and hopefully in spring you will have flowers and fruit. Feed your tree with an all purpose fertiliser such as Tui General Garden fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. Make sure the tree is regularly watered during the growing season, mulch around it to conserve soil moisture and to replenish the soil. Sometimes to bring the tree back to a manageable size fruiting needs to be sacrificed for a season.
Lianne, Tui Team