Getting to the Root of an Apple Production Problem

Q. My Fuji apple tree is six years old and has never had any flowers. Is it still maturing, or should I get rid of it?

A. Most of what you're talking about depends on whether your apple tree was grafted or not and which type of Fuji apple tree you have. If you bought a tree grafted onto a dwarfing rootstock, you should see spur and flower development by the third to fifth year after planting. If it is not grafted but growing on its own roots, then it could take 6 or more years before it starts flowering.

            Try reducing the amount of fertilizer applied to this tree by half. If the tree is growing well, then don’t fertilize it again. A young apple tree like yours should grow about 18 inches a year. If the average new growth is more than this, reduce or eliminate the fertilizer applied next spring by at least half.

            Fruit trees that were planted in soil amended with a good quality compost may not need a fertilizer application for 2 years after planting. It depends on the amount of new growth each year. The high nitrogen content of fertilizers, and some types of rich compost, may push new growth excessively at the expense of making flowers.

            When winter pruning apple trees, prune back last year’s growth to no more than 18 inches. Pruning back excessively long growth encourages fruit production closer to the trunk.