Apple Tree

[Johntaylor]

Hey, this is all new to me, recently bought a house with an old apple tree in it. Can someone advise me what type of apples theses are?

Also i have noticed a large amount of the apples have holes in them, looks like something have crawled in but when i cut it open there is nothing there. What is this? Can i purchase a pesticide? If so, recommendations?

i have attached a couple of pics.

Appreciate any help here.

[yummersetter]

They look like small Bramleys to me. Have you a photo of the tree? Where do you live?

[Kleftiwallah]

I believe the beastie that crawled in has had a nibble and then crawled out again. I suspect it is wasps, as wasps do a lot of good in the garden, I hope you refrain from using chemicals.

Cheers, Tony.

[Johntaylor]

Hi, i live in Hull, i can get a picture of the tree up 2moro. Is there anything i can to stop them nibbling my apples?

[orangepippin]

I agree it could be wasps, but that sort of damage is also what you would get with earwigs, particularly if there is a leaf or branch covering the upperside of the apple which they can live under. By far the easiest way to prevent this is to check your trees regularly and blow them off if you see any.

[FB.]

The fourth picture could be a manifestation of bitter pit, to which Bramley is very prone. It might also be a bruise.

A picture of the overall tree - and some pics of its leaves and shoots would easily confirm if it was a Bramley.
Also any information at all - which town is the tree, how old, how big, anything interesting about the soil or climate which might require a special variety? Absolutely any pieces of information, no matter how silly, could be a valuable clue to its identity.
An example of what many might regard as trivial little things and how it can give a presumed identification is on the following topics:


http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ml#post1027414

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ple_67397.html

[Johntaylor]

Hi
I have attached a few more pics.
Live in Hull Yorkshire. I guess the tree is at least 15 years old. Since i have lived there 3years i have really trimmed it back this year. (Was advised to cut off branches what pointed down and to thin it out to help sun light)
Not sure what else i can say?

[rustylady]

John, if you add your location to your profile it will show up on your posts. Welcome to the Vine by the way.

[yummersetter]

When you have apples back-to-back like that, you can almost guarantee there'll be earwigs hidden where they join and damage to both fruits.
I've had a lot of apples pecked by birds this year leaving marks like some on your apples. Whether the earwigs and birds are eating the apple, or eating whatever insect is eating the apple, I'm not sure.
What do the apples taste like?

[Johntaylor]

The apples taste nice, no complaints there just wish they would grow bigger but suppose that is down to the summer we have had and also wish i had less damaged or eaten ones.
If it earwigs what can i do to stop them? When is the best time to prune it? i am sure i have read somehwere to make sure branches do not overlap and that there is spaces between branches? i cut all the bracnhes poting down this year and removed some apples when i could see that they was 5 or 6 on the same branch.

[FB.]

"Taste nice" isn't what everyone would say about Bramley straight off the tree.
The apples also look too red and too small for Bramley.
The leaves look more like a diploid than a triploid (Bramley is triploid).

The tree structure, the branching habit and the fruit remind me of Worcester Pearmain - which is sought-after by many who remember the period between and just after the World Wars. Worcester is also fairly common in the UK and recommended for areas prone to cold conditions or late frosts.

So I'd say a 50% chance of Worcester Pearmain.

If you told me that it produced very white blossom with only slight hints of colour in the form of an extremely pale pink or salmon-pink, and that it produced blossom significantly on the tips of branches, then I'd be even more inclined to think Worcester Pearmain.

Also "lots of damaged and eaten ones" also sounds like Worcester Pearmain.

[Johntaylor]

Hey FB, reading your post and searching for Worcester Peamain this sounds very likely, the blossom is very white, (ill have to have a closer look next year) the apples have no bitter or sour taste and can be picked and eaten straight off. It is about 10f at the highest point, i can’t even get close to reaching the highest branch and i am 6.7.

So now that we roughly know what tree it is, what can i do to stop the damage in your opinion?
can you give any tips on how to prune it. I have some other bushes close by which i have to chop/hack back as if not they grow to high and wide and block the sun light onto my apple tree. is this right?

[rustylady]

John, could you take a picture from further back, to show the whole tree and where it is situated?

[FB.]

So now that we roughly know what tree it is, what can i do to stop the damage in your opinion?
can you give any tips on how to prune it. I have some other bushes close by which i have to chop/hack back as if not they grow to high and wide and block the sun light onto my apple tree. is this right?

Pest damage is difficult to prevent. The summer and early autumn eating apples tend to suffer - and being red-coloured, sweet and tasty adds to the attraction of insects.
Since Worcester Pearmain apples don't keep more than a month or two, I'd be inclined to just cut out the damaged bits and avoid going too close to the core where maggots may be hiding.
The other option is spraying insecticide, but this can affect beneficial insects (including the bees which pollinate your flowers and the insect predators which eat some of the pests - such as ladybirds, hoverflies, lacewings - and even earwigs can be allies).
If you cut off the four "sides" of the apple, leaving about an inch thickness of core, you'll avoid disturbing possible bugs and grubs living in the cavity where the pips are found.

As for pruning: Worcester Pearmain produces a considerable amount of blossom and fruit on the ends of the previous years new shoots. This is known as a tip-bearer - you should be able to find recommendations for pruning tip bearers.
If these are pruned off in winter, the following season's blossom buds will also be cut off, with a large decrease in crop. Using shears or hedge trimmers will remove most of the new shoots and most of the following season's blossom buds.
This may be why you're having problems with pests; a tree with a light crop usually loses them all to pests. A mature tree with a normal or heavy crop tends to have plenty left after the pests have taken their share.

Regarding pruning the nearby trees: your apple tree will produce more and better apples the more sun it gets, although Worcester Pearmain is more tolerant than many of cool, dull conditions.

[Johntaylor]

I have attached some more pics, one is of a damaged apple, can you advise what may have caused this, also there is some pics of a bush next to it with black berrys on, i have no idea what this is? hoping someone may know and the other pics are showing how close the bushes are and if this is to close. kind regards