Ask John Negus
John has been answering reader queries for 50 years
How can we encourage our apple to fruit?
Q We have a small apple tree but it hardly has any blossom, and last year produced just two apples. How can we help it produce more fruit?
Gareth Kinsley, Salisbury, Wiltshire
A Apple fruit buds appear on wood that is two or more years old, and the most productive wood is 2-5 years old.
However, young trees tend not to be very productive (and it is wise to prevent them producing too much fruit) because they are putting their energy into making a strong and extensive root system. Only when this is in place will the tree be able to support the energy-consuming activities of flowering and fruiting.
It isn’t unusual for a young tree to produce only a few flowers. The branch that flowered last year must have wood old enough to
