Question about apple tree

My anna and dorset apple trees have a few small developing apples. The trees were planted last year and I'm wondering if I should just let them grow or trim them off so that the trees will have a better chance to get stronger.

TIA
Mimi

Mimi, I find the tree is pretty good about deciding itself - they will usually drop on their own. If not, it won't hurt to leave a couple on.

Scott

Take them off.

Depending on the rootstock your apple is on, allowing your tree to fruit early can severely stunt it. The first few years of a tree's growth is critical to future yields and the tree's energy is better directed towards growing vegetatively rather than fruiting.

Thank you both for the reply... hmmmm....

That's very interesting. My tree is a dwarf Fuji. How many years should I wait before allowing it to fruit? I was going to ask about spraying, but is that necessary if no fruit will be grown? I was thinking tent caterpillars and apple maggot. When does one apply the spray to the tree? Directly on the fruit, on the new buds, or what?

I agree with amanda. I've always let my fruit trees get to be at least 4 years old before allowing them to bear any fruit. It is critical to the overall health of the tree to put down a real strong root system before it tries to support fruit.

Usually, the tree will fruit when it is ready. As scott said, a young tree may flower and possibly a few apples may start, but they will probably just drop if the tree is too young to sustain them.

In your area, apple trees have fewer natural pests - you aren't afflicted with the plum curculio, for example. WA takes its apple crop very seriously.

You should consider pests as two sorts - pests that attack the fruit, like the apple maggot and the coddling moth - and pests that attack the tree. You don't need to worry about the first kind of pest now, and unless they show up. There are traps you can put in your tree to tell you if these pests are present, so you don't need to spray unnecessarily.

For each kind of pest there is a preferred time to spray, but NEVER spray any insecticide when the trees are in bloom, as this will kill the bees you need to pollinate the fruit.

With a dwarf tree, you can use a hand-held pump tank sprayer and spray a mist that covers the entire tree.

You should always watch out for the second kind of pest, just as you watch out for any pests that can harm your trees and plants.

Velveteena,

Normally I'll keep fruit removed for at least four years, even if the tree is grafted on a precocious rootstock.

Tent caterpillars can be controlled with Bacillus thuringiensis, though do not spray until you start to see minor leaf damage since the caterpillars need to ingest the bacteria.

Apple maggots are a very serious threat in this state - to the point that entire counties are quarantined (the famed "do not transport home grown fruit" signs on the Cascade passes) and in the apple producing regions, yes the counties even have the right to remove your trees if you don't maintain them (King isn't one of them)

I implore you to control apple maggots and other tree fruit insects if you plan on growing fruit at home. There are organic options available if you are uncomfortable using traditional pesticides. Call WSU's Master Gardener program for your county, they can offer advise on spray schedules and what pesticides to use, both traditional and organic - your tax dollars go for that service, do avail yourself of their resources. WSU has a site here for fruit tree care in Western Washington http://gardening.wsu.edu/text/treef.htm

And even if its tempting to share the wealth of your tree with friends and relatives, please don't send fruit out of your county. Those apple quarantine signs on the highways are there for a reason.

Mimi, as you can see things are "clear as mud" here. The state extension services recommend to take them off because that is what commercial growers should do for overall maximum yield, but people I know with years of backyard fruit growing experience think they are barking up the wrong tree -- the difference in yield is too small to matter for backyard growers. If these are your first apple trees I think it is important to leave a few fruit on so you can watch them grow and learn about what kind of pests will show up. Each year you learn a little more, and if you pull off the fruit you are pulling off your free fruit growing lessons.

Scott

Every tree(species) is unique in it's growth habits. Read up on the tree you have and what may be the pros and cons of that particuliar species you are trying to grow in your area of the country. Next get a local extension book for fruit tree care to get a good overview about care and potential problems( such as disease, insects, pruning, etc.) that might effect your specific species of tree in your nich of the country. Growing fruit trees is fun and you learn something new about them all the time. We have a home orchard with a variety of fruit trees and I have learned a lot about them from reading articles, talking to other growers, and simply checking on the trees to see how they are looking.
Cuckoo