General Chat

Two years ago we lost our lemon, peach and apricot trees -- possibly due to a mushroom fungus. Our remaining tree (apple) now has some yellowing leaves (resembles an iron deficiency). I don't remember seeing this in previous years, but perhaps I'm just scrutinizing the tree too closely? The yellowing leaves are only on three small branches. Would anyone know if this is "normal"? This tree produces a LOT of apples and they ripen around mid-July.....Our lemon tree had similar yellowing leaves and three weeks later the entire tree was dead. :~( Appreciate any suggestions; thank you.

If your fruit is on the tree and is heavy again this year it could very well be the tree trying to divert all it,s resorces to the fruit itself. You could try a good fertilizer applied round the roots and water well in .It,s a good idea in a good year to limit the fruit by pinching out some of the buds as they start forming .Best of luck.Fred.

Hi Fred: My hubby always thinks I'm strange when I "thin" the fruit and count how many I take off, but I'm just curious: about three weeks ago I removed 150 apples (thumbnail size). The tree is only about 7 feet tall and just about as wide, but it is still covered in fruit. I will be sure to remove more apples and will definitely try the fertilizer; a gardening friend called a little while ago and she recommended exactly the same process with the fertilizer. Thank you so much for your help; I'll keep my fingers crossed. Sure wish I could send you some apples (although they aren't especially tasty, but they do make fine applesauce).

Glad to be of assistance, please keep me informed.i do know my grandad used to make me remove half of the fruit from an apple tree in a good season ,and a third off the plum,and as he had a fair sized orchard it used to take me best part of a week to complete the chore.I never complained though ,i loved him to bits ,and still miss him terribly after fourty years and we used to get all the spare fruit,pies ,tarts stuffed apple on a sunday,and the jam grandma and my mum used to make mmmmmmmmmm.Fred.