I was wondering how developed people's apples are. I have Lodi which are full size but my Gravenstein, Liberty, Gala, Goldrush and a few others are just at golfball stage. I have gotten full size Liberty and a few gravensteins before, but it seems like the fruit size is small. I have had some strange weather this month. 3 times I have gone out to move the sprinkler just before sunrise and found ICE on the garden hose. The thermometer said 35 but my tomato leaves have shown the cold results too. My pears seem small too. The plums seem nice sized. I have used a regular watering schedule of 1.5 inches per week and the green growth on the apple trees looks lush and is probably too much. The new shoots are 2-3 feet long. I haven't given any nitrogen for a couple years. I just used bone meal (maybe blood meal) The trees grow well, blossom well and have set some fruit but it appears small. Anyone else care to give a report? Thanks and have a great day
I've also thought that apples appear to be bountiful but on the small side so far this year; but then I know that the growing season here on the west coast was about 2 or 3 weeks behind this year. Was just up at my lady friend's yesterday, and her Lodi's are still rather small compared to normal; and not as far along.
Dave
Their is a critical period during the initial cell proliferation phase after pollen fertilization that depends on weather conditions, namely growing-degree days [LINK]. This will impact final size of mature apples. And didn't we have a whole swack of cool weather this summer?
Gibberellic acid can be used to enhance the size of apples, but needs its own application schedule, and then you are probably looking at supplying calcium sprays as well. Here is a link that describes the gibberellic acid enhancement.
hello everyone,
Well, I am not a grower but a lover of eating apples. I want to learn more about how to buy the best ones, I thought maybe you were talking about what size is good for certain types----wrong.
This is an interesting article about Canadian apple growers: apple growers
Also some hail damage in a report: hail damage
Apparently 2007 was a record crop, I hope this year will turn out to be the same, even if a bit behind the time frame.
Idyllwild
simplepress
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
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