I have a huge Arkansas black apple tree close to my house and the last time it produced any fruit was 3 years ago and it was a bumper crop then. My apple tree had just a few small quarter size apples over the last 2 years that only helped out the bees and insects. Anyone have any ideas on why it is not producing?
Arkansas Black apple tree did not produce last year
- Thread starter jkk
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dave1949
Super Star Member
Apple trees can be fickle. Bad weather when they need to be pollinated. Lack of pollinators. Too wet, too dry, too hot, too cold. And that's before the bugs and diseases come into play.
Did the tree have a good blossom count in spring? Did it set little apples after the blossoms lost their petals? At what stage did the failure occur?
Did the tree have a good blossom count in spring? Did it set little apples after the blossoms lost their petals? At what stage did the failure occur?
JimRB
Veteran Member
Freezing snaps after flowers can wipe out the crop. My Granny Smith was not very productive last year but did well the year before. My Jonathan seemed to do fair last year but I am a bit more south than you. It was also a bit dry last year with a a month or more between rains.
As Dave mentioned I watch the pollinators working the trees. I see a few honey bees, some bumble bees, wasp or other insects working. Too early for apple blossoms but I guess the bees will have something to work on in the next month.
As Dave mentioned I watch the pollinators working the trees. I see a few honey bees, some bumble bees, wasp or other insects working. Too early for apple blossoms but I guess the bees will have something to work on in the next month.
Ken
Veteran Member
Maybe a freeze during the time buds are formering or at flower time .
We had a heavy rains and cool temp. no pear or apples . Thought the grapes would also be effected only excelent crop then the dry weather kept the bugs away.
Also do you used a spray to block the bugs from getting into the bark on truck of tree.
Hope this year is another bumper crop. ken
It was loaded with blooms and there was small apples on it after the blooms feel off. All I can really say is the apples grew to about quarter size and fell off and what did not fall off the insects got the rest.
My father-in-law also has a tree like mine and it has done the same thing- 3yrs. ago apples and the last 2 nothing.
Do I need to spray the tree, and if so what with?
My father-in-law also has a tree like mine and it has done the same thing- 3yrs. ago apples and the last 2 nothing.
Do I need to spray the tree, and if so what with?
Gordo 56
Silver Member
The Arkansas Black apple tree needs a pollinator to get apples, Granny smith, Jonathan, red delicious and Jon-A-red are good pollinators for the Arkansas Black. Also crab apple might do it as well. Did you cut down a crab apple near by or another apple tree? Last year was a bad year for apples because of the 80 degree days we had in march caused all the apple trees to bloom way to early, then we had a frost in April.
dave1949
Super Star Member
Probably. I have no clue personally, but now that you described what happened, somebody will know. It doesn't sound like pollination failure.
No , I have cut nothing around me. Maybe someone close by might have and affected the apple tree. I guess it is like you say about the warm weather early. I will wait and see what happens this year, keeping my fingers crossed. I sure am missing my apples.
dave1949
Super Star Member
I have 30 or so apple trees that are the remnants and their volunteers from back when somebody planted a small orchard. I don't do anything to them other than pruning some, and keep cutting back the trees around them that were choking them out. I try to keep them going for wildlife food sources, deer, moose, turkeys and grouse love them.
I have noticed that maybe one in year in four I get a good number of apples to ripen. Year before last was a bumper crop, last year hardly anything. Last year was messed up buy the three 80 degree days we had in mid-March and too warm, too early in general. The blossoms were out of sync with the pollinating bugs, plus heat stress.
They tend to be wormy and I think spraying is the only consistent way to get apples that don't have some worms. The volunteers are no particular apple of course, and most aren't good eating for people. Spraying them would sort of defeat my purposes, so the critters get about what nature provides on its own.
I have noticed that maybe one in year in four I get a good number of apples to ripen. Year before last was a bumper crop, last year hardly anything. Last year was messed up buy the three 80 degree days we had in mid-March and too warm, too early in general. The blossoms were out of sync with the pollinating bugs, plus heat stress.
They tend to be wormy and I think spraying is the only consistent way to get apples that don't have some worms. The volunteers are no particular apple of course, and most aren't good eating for people. Spraying them would sort of defeat my purposes, so the critters get about what nature provides on its own.
