June drop

[Gardenwitch]

Just curious why do fruit trees go through a June drop? I have a lovely minnnerette apple and it was full of lil apples then June came and I think I only have about 6 left! What happened there?

[FB.]

Why the June drop?

If the tree is to small to support the crop, it often drops the excess - or if it feels too stressed, it drops them all!
If the flowers were not well pollinated, or too many were self-pollinated, the tree sees little point in producing fruits that won't have many seeds, or seeds that are inbred.
If the fruits are pest-damaged (especially Codling maggots), they are more likely to drop early.

Some varieties suffer from a serious drop of fruit and a low yield as a result. Some varieties will hold onto their fruit, but then the fruits compete for water and nutrients and end up being small. Some varieties will carry their whole crop, but they're so exhausted by the burden that they won't flower at all the following year (biennial).

[rana]

If it is a new tree it may well be under stress from lack of water. Until the root network is established it will need watering in dry spells.

[Gardenwitch]

wow, cool info thanks for that makes sense now Thank you and cheers x

[TonyF]

It's very strange down here this year, there's loads of fruit on the trees and I expected a huge June drop but virtually nothing, my fruit trees are absolutely heaving as are those of my chums. Last year was very bad so the trees seem to be compensating for it somehow.

[FB.]

Tony, it sounds as if your trees have gone into biennial bearing. I wouldn't be surprised if you don't get fruit next year (autumn 2010), but then another huge crop the following year (autumn 2011).

[terrier]

Me too. I've been waiting for the 'June drop' that hasn't happened this year. Not that I'm complaining

[TonyF]

Biennial seems to be the norm here, happens in many domestic gardens. The reason for last year's loss of fruit - across the area - was a very late frost which knocked most of the blossom off the fruit trees and damaged the growing tips of the soft fruit bushes. All the fruit crop across the Departement was badly damaged, even for the commercials.

[SueA]

My fruit trees in pots have suffered from June drop this year, there was a lot of fruit on them but now I have about 7 or 8 on one & only one single fruit on the other. I think when they're in pots you have to keep a close eye on the feeding & watering which I hadn't been doing very well & they do drop some fruit naturally & if they don't you should thin them out to only a few per branch or it puts the tree under too much strain & leads to biennial fruiting anyway.

[Bren In Pots]

We've got a couple of Worcester Pearmain trees and this year they've hardly dropped at all, been wondering if its a weather thing and they will drop in July instead.