Apple tree in leaf??

[cheops]

Hi,
Recently bought and received from Dobie's nursery Cooking Apple Howgate Wonder. It was a good size and branches were well balanced. Next spring's leaf buds looked very well developed but I thought mothing more about it. I planted it within hours of its delivery which was about 2 weeks ago. It is now bursting into leaf and what looks like to me several blossom buds. Should I be alarmed/worried. What will happen when a frost inevitably comes and next Spring what will the tree be doing?? Please help and advise. Thanks.

[FB.]

Interesting.
The first of my apple trees lost the last of it's leaves just last week, whereas most of mine still have some leaves. My Howgate wonder is only just beginning to yellow some of it's leaves; none have even dropped yet!
My D'Arcy Spice are still in full green leaf.

I guess that the nursery artificailly defoliated the tree before shipping out to you. I hate it when they do that because it can stunt the tree for a couple of seasons due to the almost-total loss of the energy and nutrients that were in the prematurely defoliated leaves. It's yet one more reason why I dislike mail-order.

The premature defoliation, coupled with cold-storage for a few weeks, followed by the warmth of a warehouse/delivery van while in transit will have confused the poor tree. It thinks that winter is over and spring has arrived.
Frosts will kill the blossom soon, or the tree may go back into dormancy in a few weeks. Unfortunately, it's resources put into leaves and blossom will have been wasted.
Occasionally, some of my trees start to open flower buds in late autumn in a mild spell. Since we haven't had a frost here (yet), I regard this autumn as exceptionally mild.
The tree will have reduced or no blossom next year, but that's not a bad thing for a newly planted tree, since over-cropping of young trees can lead to small/useless fruit, weak root systems, leaning of the trunk (due to poor anchorage), poor drought tolerance (due to inadequate root growth at the expense of fruit) and stunted overall growth for it's age.

Fortunately, Howgate wonder is a strong grower and an incredible survivor that's capable of overcoming massive damage.
How do I know? Because I once experimented.
I got a 8ft, several-year-old Howgate Wonder and waited until the peak of the growing season (July) to hit it right when and where it hurts most.
I cut the whole tree down to just a 2-3ft trunk and a few stubs of side branches. Not a leaf remained. But after several weeks, new leaves began to appear. I still have the tree; it is alive and well, having grown about 18" this season.

So, to summarise; I am disappointed for you, but don't worry about it. Howgate Wonder is a survivor.

[cheops]

Hey FB thx a lot for all that information and thx for taking up so much of your time. I take comfort that it appears the worst that can/will happen is a setback. Quote -The tree will have reduced or no blossom next year unquote tells me [i think] the tree will be in leaf next spring and summer as either it will either go into dormancy again or it will grow new leaf buds next spring. I agree with you that little or no blossom next year is no bad thing. I'm in Surrey aand like you there is yet to be a frost so my tree is likely to continue to be fooled for quite a while yet. Thx again for your help/advice/information.

[FB.]

Trees can form leaf buds out of nothing in a few weeks.
It takes two seasons for fruit buds to form; the fruit bud spends it's first season as a leaf bud and then - if conditions are right during the year after it originally formed - it transforms into a fatter, protruding and more furry bud that will flower the following season.
Loss of fruit buds is no big deal in a young tree because fruiting draws too much energy from a tree that should be growing.
Loss of leaf buds doesn't matter too much because it can quickly grow more, although there may be some loss of vigour for that season due to reduced and delayed leafing-out. Occasionally, in certain situations, trees will convert fruit spurs into new shoots and leaves.

[Banana]

I was getting a bit confused that the high winds that we've had recently didnt seem to want to blow off the dead leaves from my Apple trees. On investigation this weekend, they are not old leaves at all, but new leaves from next years buds that seem to have come out early.
The trees arent new. They are around 7 years old and well established now. This cant be good though. Particularly as I'm expecting the first frost tonight.

[northepaul]

Here too, might take mine into garage overnight (they're in containers)