Question of the Week 06/13/2020

Q: My fruit trees haven't been producing very well or very large fruits. What is the problem?

A: There are many factors that can affect fruit production. Amount of sunlight, fertilizer and water can all affect healthy fruit growth.

First, ensure your fruit tree is getting the proper amount of sunlight and there are no neighboring trees blocking sunlight. Next, make sure your tree is receiving the proper amount of water at the drip line and not at the trunk of the tree. If the tree has irrigation, make sure the emitters have been moved to accommodate the drip line as the tree grows.

Lastly, make sure your fertilizing program consists of appropriate levels of both micro and macro nutrients, as well as probiotics for the soil.

One last thing to consider is hard pruning in the winter. Properly pruning your tree can greatly help increase size of fruit on your tree. You can look online how to properly prune your specific fruit tree or contact an arborist to prune it for you.

Once all these are done, you have taken care of everything that can be adjusted and the rest is up to Mother Nature.