Why Are My Apples So Small? Causes and Solutions

As an apple tree owner, your goal is to harvest big, crisp, juicy apples. But despite your best efforts, you end up with fruits that are tiny and underdeveloped. So what causes apples to be so small? Read on to learn the key reasons behind small apples and solutions to help your tree produce larger, tastier fruits

Common Causes of Small Apples

There are several potential factors that can result in disappointingly small apples:

  • Overcrowding – Too many fruits competing for the tree’s resources results in small apples. Apple trees can set more blossoms and fruits than they can support.

  • Biennial Bearing – Apple trees tend to bear heavy crops one year followed by a light crop or no fruit the next. The heavy crop exhausts the tree so fewer resources go to fruit development the following year.

  • Harsh Weather – Extended heat, drought, rain during pollination, late spring frosts, etc. can stress the tree leading to reduced fruit set and small apples.

  • Diseases & Pests – Problems like apple scab, codling moth, brown rot, etc. rob energy, damage fruit, and cause drop. This limits fruit size.

  • Poor Pollination – Inadequate pollen transfer due to lack of pollinators or compatible pollinizer trees results in weak fruit set and stunted growth.

  • Nutrient Deficiencies – Lack of essential nutrients limits the tree’s ability to set and expand fruit. Nitrogen, boron, and calcium are especially important.

  • Root Damage – Restricted roots from girdling, pot-binding, compacted soil, etc. reduces nutrient and water uptake needed for good fruit development.

  • Insufficient Light – Too much shade leads to poor fruit bud formation and small fruits unable to fully mature,

Once you pinpoint the factor(s) involved, take corrective actions to get your apple tree producing the large, high-quality fruits you want next season.

Solutions for Small Apples

Here are some tips to prevent and correct issues with small apples:

Thin Overcrowded Fruit – In early summer, remove small apples to leave one fruit per 6 inches of branch for dessert apples or 8-10 inches for cooking apples. This ensures adequate resources per apple.

Prune for Good Structure – Prune to open up the canopy to light and air. Remove inward facing branches and crowded areas. Promote an open vase shape.

Fertilize Judiciously – Apply a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer in early spring and a nitrogen fertilizer after fruit set. Excess nitrogen leads to more small apples.

Control Pests & Disease – Implement preventive measures like sanitation, dormant oil sprays, etc. If problems arise, use organic pesticides as needed. Get professional help for serious issues.

Select Pollinizers – Plant compatible apple varieties that bloom at the same time nearby for cross-pollination.Include flowering shrubs and herbs to attract pollinators.

Improve Soil & Roots – Amend soil with compost, avoid compaction and girdling, and occasionally rejuvenate potted trees with fresh soil. Address damaged roots.

Choose Less Susceptible Cultivars – When selecting apple tree types, opt for cultivars with disease resistance, late bloom times, and a tendency for large fruit.

Protect from Weather – Use irrigation during droughts. Cover blossoms during rains. Install windbreaks. Cover young trees and blossoms during late frosts.

Monitor Light Levels – Apples need full sun, which means at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. If light is inadequate, prune back competing trees or relocate your apple tree.

With proactive orchard management and care for your apple trees, you can minimize issues with small, underdeveloped apples. Pay close attention in the year after a heavy crop when biennial bearing leads to smaller fruits. A little diligent care goes a long way for mature, robust apples.

What Makes Apples Misshapen or Lumpy + How To Fix It!

FAQ

How do I get my apples to grow bigger?

Thinning apples is the process of removing some of the small apples from the tree early enough in the summer so the remaining ones can grow to a larger and more marketable size.

Why are my apple tree apples so small?

However, not every fruit tree is an efficient fruit shedder and even though they may drop small hard fruit, the remaining fruit stays small because of too much competition for resources.

How do you increase the size of an apple fruit?

KRISS, FOLICIST and NITROCAM increase the size of the fruits without altering their shape, firmness and shelf life. Applied in the early stages of fruit growth, after thinning, they promote cell division and distension in the fruit, while simultaneously providing calcium, responsible of firmness and shelf life.

Can you eat very small apples?

A crab apple’s flesh is perfectly safe for people to eat. But like other apples, the seeds contain a toxic compound that can turn into cyanide when eaten. But don’t worry — these apples are safe as long as you avoid the seeds and core.

Why are my apples getting smaller each year?

The cause of apples getting smaller fruits each year is usually as a result of lack of nutrient – Nitrogen in particular. But the can be other deficiencies. Whilst it is easy to do a localised soil nutrient test, it may not be accurate for the soil region down deeper in the soil where the Apple tree is actually feeding from.

Can apples cause health problems?

In case of suffering from gastritis or ulcer, it is not recommended to consume more than one green apple a day. In this case, it is better to enjoy this fruit one hour after eating well and not fasting. Also, sour apples can damage tooth enamel. Therefore, after consuming them, rinse your mouth with water.

Why are apples thinning out?

Apple crops vary from year to year. In years of plenty, thinning out apples allows the remaining apples to grow larger and healthier. Apple tree thinning removes some of the small apples from the cluster, enabling the tree to expend its energy on the fewer remaining apples.

Why are my apples misshapen?

7. Your apples are misshapen with lumpy indents and insect holes. The likely culprit is the plum curculio. This small weevil can cause serious damage early in the growing season by feeding on the buds, flowers, and early set fruit.

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