The number of floral buds initiated can be significantly influenced by the crop load set on the trees at the time of initiation and in the few weeks following. Flower quality, as well as flower abundance, in the subsequent season is strongly influenced by …
Research conducted largely at HRI-East Malling in the 1980s showed the importance of planting high quality trees in increasing flowering in the first few years following planting. A well feathered two-year old Bramley tree Tree quality is generally …
Some apple varieties, such as Spartan and Bramley’s Seedling, are inherently poor in branching and often produce no feathers in the nursery when grown as ‘maiden trees’ but with the use of special techniques to promote branching can produce a …
Precocity of flowering is greatly influenced by choice of rootstock or interstock. Irrespective of the vigour of tree desired, the apple grower should always choose the rootstock, or rootstock/interstock combination, which is likely to induce precocious …
Flower quality on mature trees and its improvement The Effective Pollination Period or EPP The importance of planting well-feathered trees Nursery and other techniques aimed at improving young tree quality The influence of rootstock or interstock …
Trees planted as two-year-olds generally come into flowering quicker than trees planted as one-year-old maidens. Part of this effect is explained by the increased branching (feathering) that is commonly found on two-year-old trees . However, a recent …
Soils rich in nitrogen and with copious supplies of water induce strong shoot growth and reduced numbers of flowers per metre of shoot length. These flowers are often initiated late in the summer season on account of the prolonged period of extension …
Shoot pruning Ideally newly planted trees should fill their allotted space at planting and, where this is the case, very little pruning is required. If trees are much smaller than the space allowed, early yields will be compromised as growth will need to …
Flowering on newly planted apple trees can be increased indirectly by using plant growth regulator sprays in the nursery year(s), in order to induce improved feathering on the trees. Once the young trees begin to establish and fill their allotted space in …
Techniques for collecting a sample of buds and dissecting them to assess flower numbers have been developed. The time in the season when the dissections are made will determine how difficult it is to see the flower primordia and how powerful a microscope …
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