Why apples fall from trees before they ripen: causes and solutions

If apple trees begin to shed fruit before they're ripe, it could be not only a natural process but also the result of a tree disease. Furthermore, this phenomenon could be due to improper care.

Why does an apple tree shed its apples prematurely?

The premature drop of unripe apples is a source of great distress for gardeners. There are many possible causes, including inadequate garden maintenance, varietal characteristics, insect attacks, and improper fertilization.

Natural regulation of fruit number

On a pome fruit tree, many more fruit buds are typically set and open than the number of apples that subsequently ripen. No more than 10% of the blossoms develop into juicy fruits. This occurs because the tree itself regulates the number of fruits it can provide with adequate nutrition. The apple tree discards what it considers to be excess fruit.

Lack of moisture

The apple tree's life cycle considers growth and development as the organism's primary function. This is why, in the absence of regular abundant water during dry summer seasons, the tree glaze It begins to redistribute moisture within itself. It draws it from the fruit and directs it to the green mass. This causes the apples to shrivel, dry out, and fall off the stems before they're ripe.

Throughout the growing season, a mature tree requires at least 1,000 liters of water. Just three heavy waterings per season are enough to saturate the soil to a depth of approximately 0.4–0.6 m. Never pour water directly onto the trunk or too close to it. It is recommended to dig shallow grooves or holes around the crown and direct the water through them.

Excess water in the soil negatively impacts the tree's health because less oxygen reaches the root system, disrupting metabolic processes and slowing down the movement of moisture throughout the plant. This also leads to water stress and fruit drop.

Nutrient deficiencies

Dropping fruit that has formed but not yet fully ripened can be a sign of fruit tree starvation. This phenomenon is typically observed when orchards are established on soils with nutrient deficiencies.

To avoid losing the harvest, apple trees should be fed during the fruit formation period. humus and nitrogen fertilizers, and in the middle of the season with fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus.

To do this, granulated fertilizers are dissolved in liquid and added during watering at a rate of 10 liters per 1 m²They can also be evenly scattered over the surface of the soil in a rootstock circle. Afterwards, the soil must be loosened and fertilized generously. water her.

Insect pests

Another very common cause of unwanted fallen fruit is infestation by the codling moth. Fruits infested with small insects caterpillars, naturally fall off.

Methods of combating codling moth include:

• chemical – treatment with insecticides, which are permitted to be used only at early stages of ripening (a month before the start of harvest);
• mechanical - installation hunting belts;
• folk - treating trees with plant infusions; this method can be carried out up to 4 times from the time of flowering, with a frequency of 2-3 weeks.

Technical ripeness of fruits

Technical ripeness refers to the ripening of the seeds within the fruit, which change color from light to brown. Although the fruit pulp itself is of no nutritional value at this point, the tree begins to shed its apples. At this point, the apples should be allowed to ripen further by moving them to a cool, dark place.

Consequences of late return frosts

A temporary drop in temperature below freezing at night or early in the morning can damage the tree, slowing growth and fruit development. The foliage is unable to support the large number of apples, and they begin to fall before they have time to ripen. In this situation, proper care will help ensure normal fruiting.

Why apples fall: the stage of crop development

Another significant reason for fruit drop before ripening is the natural biological processes of the apple tree. Only a small portion of the tree's blossoms reach full maturity, and the remaining blossoms act as insurance against unforeseen events that could negatively impact the yield. These include mechanical damage, such as frost.

June apple shedding is often a natural process of self-regulation: only the number of fruits that the fruit tree can provide with sufficient nutrition remain on the tree.

The same reason can explain why apple trees shed their ovaries at later stages. This phenomenon does not reach alarming proportions.

Why does an apple tree drop apples? A characteristic of the variety.

Another important factor in understanding apple drop is the specificity of the crop. Some varieties retain their fruit on the branches for a long time, while others shed their fruit unripe. This isn't a particular problem for gardeners, as harvested apples can easily store until they reach technical ripeness.

To diagnose the fallen fruit, simply cut it open. If it has juicy flesh and is free of any pests, it's time to harvest both under and on the trees.

Optimizing care

To preserve the future harvest, when the first instances of premature fruit and ovary drop are detected, it's important to analyze the causes and take appropriate measures. In most cases, optimizing garden maintenance can help.

Watering

To eliminate the problem of apples falling prematurely, you need to organize a competent watering For garden plants, moisture should penetrate the soil to a depth of half a meter. Experienced specialists recommend watering in five stages:

1. After flowering is complete.
2. During the first shedding of ovaries (15–20 days after flowering).
3. During fruit formation (mid-summer).
4. 14 days before harvest.
5. During the period of preparing the tree for cold weather.

The exception is the dry season, when supplemental irrigation may be required. To prevent the soil from drying out, alternate irrigation should be performed. Otherwise, the soil will crack and the apples will fall. After irrigation, the soil under the trees should be thoroughly watered. mulch.

Top dressing

The nutritional deficiency of pome crops is compensated for as follows:

1. At the stage of bud formation, top dressing fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus. For this purpose, plants are fed with potassium salt, urea and superphosphate.
2. During the stage of intensive apple ripening, the orchard should be fertilized with sodium humate and nitrophoska.
3. After harvesting, the garden's vitality is restored with superphosphate and potassium sulfate.

Trimming

To prevent an apple tree from dropping fruit prematurely, it's necessary to reduce the load. This requires proper and timely pruning. This procedure is especially necessary for older apple trees, which are much more likely to drop unripe fruit.

On mature trees, 5-year-old branches are pruned to the ring. All damaged shoots are also removed. On young saplings, the crown is thinned at the beginning of each season, shortening the shoots by one-third.

Pest control

If the leaf drop is due to pest infestation, insecticide treatments are used. Mixing must be done strictly according to the instructions. Repeat the procedure at least three times, every 10 days.

Folk remedies can be used as a supplement. Infusions with hot pepper, crushed tobacco, garlic, or wormwood are excellent. These should be applied to the garden at the beginning of the growing season, before flower buds form, and after the leaves have fallen.

Fighting diseases

If an apple orchard is infected, it must be sprayed with copper-containing agents. Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfateFungicides, available at garden supply stores, can help get rid of the fungus.