Thinning apples

[binley100]

Usually the June drop sorts it but this year there are way too many . How best to decide which one are for the chop please?

[orangepippin]

Start with any that look infected with codling moth or are too small.

Then any that drop-off if you flick them gently.

Then thin each cluster, depending on the age and capacity of the tree. Some people like to remove the "king" fruit (the central one of the cluster) although there is also an argument for leaving that one and removing all the ones around it.

[FB.]

Some people like to remove the "king" fruit (the central one of the cluster) although there is also an argument for leaving that one and removing all the ones around it.

Slightly off-topic, but fascinating, because I recall possibly Yummersetter was finding that "Newton Wonder" often didn't look the way it was supposed to.
Apparently - according to something I read a year or so ago and forwarded to Yummersetter - Newton Wonder only looks typical if the King fruit is retained and all the others removed.

But, as you say: King fruit are normally a bit quirky and often recommended to be some of the first to be removed when thinning.

[orangepippin]

I think removing the king fruit is an English tradition. Books in other countries often say to retain it. Just goes to show there is no right or wrong!

[FB.]

I think it's a case of if the King fruit is left it will outcompete all the others in the cluster and make them small and worthless.
So either retain the cluster without the King so that each in the cluster has its fair chance at getting adequate water and nutrients, or retain the King without the others in the cluster which it will stunt the growth of - this will often result in a particularly large "King" fruit.

Whether removing or keeping King fruit affects the outcome of bitter pit I'm not sure, but could imagine that it might.

[boundtothesoil]

Some people like to remove the "king" fruit (the central one of the cluster) although there is also an argument for leaving that one and removing all the ones around it.

I tend to remove the 'king' fruit on those varieties which regularly produce a 'deformed' stalk area (i.e. thickened/stunted/non-existent) on the king fruit, and sometimes an oddly shaped fruit altogether, unlike the surrounding fruitlets. I find this happens with almost 100% of fruit clusters on George Cave, and Winston, and about 50% on Grenadier, Emneth Early and Bramley's. It seems like a variety-specific characteristic, and not a very attractive one in my opinion. Most of the other varieties I grow are not affected in this way.

[binley100]

Haven't a clue what sort of tree it is as we inherited it. All I know is that the fruit is ripe early September and they are really crisp and juicy
Think I'll probably try removing the king fruit ......I can always cook them to get some pectin stock

[yummersetter]

Can you repost the Newton Wonder advice next year please - I've only got half a dozen single, isolated fruits this year An experiment would be interesting.

I think the most important thing to avoid is leaving two apples touching each other - when you have that, earwigs will often bore from one to the other where they meet, ruining both..