Red delicious apple tree - already 6 years old but not bearing fruits

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Previous owner had planted a red delicious
apple. When we moved in three years ago,
the plant was about 4ft tall and now the tallest branch has grown to about 8
feet. I guess the plant is 6years old.

As shown in the attached photos, the plant
has two stems coming side-by-side out of the ground. One stem appears relatively younger but
thicker and healthier (on the left in Full Plant photo and right side in the Two Stems photo) than the other
one. I wonder whether this apple plant
is a grafted, and the younger stem is a sucker.

Last spring there were some flowers in branches of
both stems, but the plant did not bear fruits. The plant is growing well, I have
fertilized and regularly watered. I am
expecting to have some fruits this year.

If it does not bear fruit again:

should I cut the younger stem,
assuming it is a sucker and taking all nutrients without bearing any fruits, I am not sure it is a grafted one though !
should I wait for one more
year,
should I remove and plant a new
one.

The location is southwest Houston, USDA Climate Zone 9A.

Any suggestion would be appreciated.

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Comments (5)

mindshift
8 years ago
I'm not an apple expert. I live too far south (Central Texas) for them to receive enough winter chilling. Most apple varieties do best in the northern third of the state where they can receive at least 800 hours of below 45º temperatures. All named varieties are clones (cuttings) grafted to hardier root stock intended for particular soil types. Buy trees from local nurseries rather than big box stores for better success in your soil.

While the lichens on the older of the two trunks wouldn't be considered a problem for a large tree, I think they indicate this tree is struggling. The healthier looking sucker is also an indicator that the original tree wasn't doing well. Finally, most apples are self-sterile; they need another variety for pollination. I recommend you dig out this tree and plant two varieties somewhere else in your yard.

This LINK is to a PDF for fruit tree varieties that do well in warmer and humid areas of Texas. HERE is a link to fruits recommended for North Central Texas.
Sharma thanked mindshift
Sharma
Original Author
8 years ago
Hi mindshift,

Thanks for your reply. You are right that the original tree is not doing well. Also, this is the only apple plant I have in my backyard, and probably around my neighborhood. I will wait this spring for any fruits, if not, I will dig-out and plant two different varieties that grow in our area.

Thanks again for advice, appreciated.
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purslanegarden
8 years ago
The two varieties mentioned above is important. Even if you wait again this year, if you don't have that option, you won't get fruits.

If you keep it, I would still suggest to remove one of those main branches, especially if you can confirm that it is the same plant. Just looking at the bark, it seems like 2 different kinds.

However, you don't have to entirely lose it. You can take some cuttings and start another tree or two nearby.
kentuck_
8 years ago
Looks like 2 different trees, one possibly grew from below the graft from the rootstock. I have 5 varieties of apple trees and they all produced last year and I live 85 miles west of Houston. I have one variety blooming now and one other budding but the others are showing no signs of any blooms. This may have been too warm of a winter for the others to bloom.
Sharma
Original Author
8 years ago
Many thanks for replies.
Last year there were beautiful flowers, but all of them fell down without bearing any fruits. I thought the plant was too young to bear. Let me see how it works out this year. If it doesn't bear fruits, either I will dig this out and plant two new ones of different varieties or just plant one new one, may be of Gala variety so they will pollinate each other.

Red delicious apple tree - already 6 years old but not bearing fruits

Comments (5)

mindshift

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Red delicious apple tree - already 6 years old but not bearing fruits

Comments (5)

mindshift

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