Hello!
I have a really pretty 4 or 5 year old semi-dwarf Liberty apple tree. We planted it on August 24th, 2007 over my daughter's placenta. The tree must have liked that and the next year, last year, we had 35+ apples! This year however, we have exactly 5. I would like to know what to do now, if anything. Should I let it grow and build up its branch/root systems? Should I prune now it so it doesn't get into a on/off alternating year cycle? Any suggestions on ways to prune it so we can maximize yield year over year? Or so we don't create unforeseen problems? I'm new at this but have recently become a member of HOS and have three baby trees from this year's scion exchange so I want to learn more.
THanks!
Tim
PDX
Hey tim!
Im by no means an expert, but do have a few possible explanations that i have come across for you to consider, while you await someones reply whos a bit more clued up 
Could it be that you let it produce to much fruit in its first productive year? Many people recommend that after planting a fruit tree in its first year, or sometimes a few, of being able to produce it should bear minimal fruit, if none at all. Im sure i dont need to elaborate that the purpose of this is to allow the tree to focus on growing and 'settling in'. With regards to my limited experience, my semi dwarf Apple Scrumptious only provided 1 large big edible apple in its first year, many fruitlets fell off in the short period after planting, most likely a sign that it was disturbed, and most others were eaten by squirrels! Back to the point, this time around i have what must be close to 80 fruitlets already! I am in the process of 'thinning' however and the outcome will be much less
Another point to note is the lack of bees most likely due to the crappy spring this year! Well, thats the case for me in North west England, but im unsure of your location
As i said, just my experience, sorry if i seem a little patronising on any information which is general knowledge to all those other than the most begginer of fruit gardeners
Thanks Chris! I am in Portland, OR, USA. We had a cold but not too rainy spring this year. It definitely had fewer blossoms, and lack of pollenators could also be the case, though that's just a guess. I am pretty sure it was because of the large (for its age) harvest the year before that I only have a handful this year. What I want to avoid is getting into the alternating year thing that I've heard about, where the tree only produces every other year. And, should I tip prune it now, or thin the lower branches that will eventually come off anyway for shaping? I don't have a strategy for pruning, and I hope people can suggest different approaches.
Thanks!
Tim
The wise old geezers say that you can throw a cat through a properly pruned apple tree.
And the best time to prune is only when you clippers are sharp! 
" title="Laughing" /> Which means anyoldtime.
Thinning fruit early on prevents alternate bearing. Branch pruning has nothing at all to do with alternate bearing as far as I know.
Go ahead and shape it now, then feed it some ferts and water. You won't hurt it.
Good luck, remember to have fun.
A book I was reading online called the Apple Grower by Michael Phillips said that if it is alternate bearing, you should prune it hard in the off year, then tie down the branches in the overbearing year. I didn't really understand the tying down part. However, I will be hard pruning my trees that didn't bear anything this year after overbearing last year. I will also thin the fruit next year while the apples are really young. I think Ted Swensen said within 40 days of pollination.
My two cents.
JOhn S
PDX OR
I wonder if the high yield the year after you planted the tree is a result of the optimal growing condition that the potted tree was living in at the nursery in 2007? (frequent water and fertilizer). The high yield of 35 apples in 2008 would have been a result of the stored energy from the previous growing season. Its being in a new growing environment of (possibly) un-remediated soil could have stressed it to the point it was unable to bear the second year. In subsequent years I would expect the tree to establish itself and become a regular producer.
My two apples (Fuji and Braeburn approx 8 - 10 yrs old) also had heavy fruit loads last year, and nothing (literally) this year. I thought I was thinning, but I guess I left way too many apples on the trees last year. So based on what I've read here, my plan is to do some heavy pruning this summer, and heavy thinning next spring. Sound about right?
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