Will one apple tree bear fruit

Apple Tree Problems: How To Get Fruit On Apple Trees

Apple trees are a great addition to any landscape, and if healthy, will provide an abundance of fresh fruit. However, from time to time, apple tree problems do occur and require attention in order to keep trees as healthy as possible. Don’t let your tree trick you. Even if it appears to be vibrant, you may occasionally wind up with an apple tree without fruit. Apple tree fruiting issues can be disconcerting to home gardeners, so learning how to get fruit on apple trees is helpful.

How to Get Fruit on Apple Trees

It goes without saying that most apple tree fruiting problems can be avoided by growing healthy trees. Obviously, a healthy apple tree will produce more fruit than a sick tree. Providing optimal conditions for your tree and sticking to a regular maintenance schedule will help your tree produce the most fruit possible.

Address all insect or disease problems promptly, as fruit size and crop yield is dramatically influenced by both insect and disease damage. If you are unsure of how to diagnose or treat insect or disease issues, contact your local Cooperative Extension Department for assistance.

When Your Healthy Apple Tree Does Not Bear Fruit

An apple tree without fruit can happen for a number of reasons. Learning more about these apple tree problems can help if your apple tree does not bear fruit.

Environmental Issues

If your apple tree is healthy but does not set fruit, it could be due to climate issues. Fruit trees require a period of cold weather to end dormancy and encourage spring budding. If the winter is mild, growth will be slow and the blooming period extended. This makes the tree susceptible to frost damage, which influences fruit production.

Pollination Problems

In order for fruit to be produced, most trees must be pollinated. Cold weather and a reduction in pollinating insects can cause trees to blossom but bear no fruit. For best results with apple trees, plant two different varieties close together for cross pollination.

Other Considerations

Some fruit trees, including apple, may bear very heavily one year and only minimally the next. This condition is known as biennial bearing and is thought to be due to the influence that a very heavy crop has on crop production the following year.

An apple tree without fruit may not be getting enough sun or water. Poor fruit production can also be caused by over fertilizing. Provide a 2 to 3 inch (5-8 cm.) layer of mulch around the tree, but not touching the trunk, for protection and moisture retention.

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When Does A Lemon Tree Bear Fruit? (3 Things To Know)

If you have recently planted lemon trees in your yard, you might not be seeing any fruit on the branches just yet. In that case, you may be wondering how long it takes for a lemon tree to bear fruit, and if there is anything you can do to help them along.

So, when does a lemon tree bear fruit? A lemon tree will produce fruit 1 to 3 years after planting – you will get fruit sooner if you buy larger, more established trees. A lemon may take 6 to 9 months to fully ripen. Different varieties produce fruit at different times of the year, although some lemon trees can bear fruit year-round.

Of course, it may take a longer time for your lemon tree to start producing fruit, depending on the variety and age of the tree when you buy it.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at lemon trees and when they bear fruit. Then we’ll look at the factors that can affect your harvest, such as fertilization and pruning.

When Does A Lemon Tree Bear Fruit?

As trees get older and grow larger, they become more established (more branches and roots), so they can support more fruit. As such, you can get fruit sooner if you buy older, more established lemon trees.

Of course, you will pay a premium price for these older established lemon trees. For example, FastGrowingTrees.com charges 3 times as much for a 4 to 5 foot tall lemon tree as for a 1 to 2 foot tall lemon tree.

How Often Do Lemon Trees Bear Fruit?

• Eureka lemons – these produce the most fruit in spring and summer
• Lisbon lemons – these produce the most fruit in the summer and fall

This is simply a tree’s way of keeping only as much fruit as it can reasonably support to maturity. Think of it this way: instead of growing 200 half-ripe lemons, the tree drops 100 and grows the other 100 to full maturity.

Believe it or not, June drop can be a blessing in disguise. When the tree drops fruit it cannot support, that means you don’t have to remove extra fruit manually.

The bottom line is this: don’t panic if some of the fruit falls off your lemon tree before it is fully mature. It is a natural part of the process.

Do Lemon Trees Produce Fruit Every Year?

Lemon trees do not produce fruit every year. In the first one to three years (and perhaps longer), a lemon tree will be focusing its energy on growth and storage of energy and nutrients.

Keep in mind that problems like frost injury, over pruning, and over fertilization can delay fruiting on a lemon tree by a year or more.

In some cases, you will see what is called “biennial bearing” (also known as uneven bearing or alternate bearing) in your lemon trees. This means that they will only flower and produce fruit every other year.

Often, this will happen after a year of very heavy fruit production. Essentially, the tree’s resources are exhausted from using so many nutrients to produce a large harvest.

The tree then takes a “year off” from fruit production to recover its strength. During the off year, the tree gathers energy and nutrients to prepare for fruit production the following year (the “on year”).

How Much Fruit Does A Lemon Tree Produce?

Lemon trees can produce 100 pounds of more of lemons per year when fully mature. The amount of fruit your lemon tree produces will vary by age, variety, location, and quality of care given.

Do You Need Two Lemon Trees To Get Fruit?

When a plant is self-pollinating, it means that each flower contains both a male and a female part. Pollination occurs when the male part of the flower releases pollen onto the female part of the flower.

However, self-pollination does not mean guaranteed pollination. The flowers still need to be pollinated by insects or by you (with an electric toothbrush or some other means).

This is especially important if you are growing lemon trees indoors. Be sure to use an electric toothbrush, paintbrush, or other tool to stimulate pollination of the flowers on your lemon tree.

Why Is My Lemon Tree Not Producing Lemons (No Fruit)?

As mentioned earlier, a lemon tree may not produce any fruit in its first few years. Even a tree that is mature may not produce fruit for several reasons.

To get your lemon trees to produce fruit, you will have to give them the proper care. Some of the most important factors that affect fruit growth on lemon trees are:

• temperature
• watering
• fertilizing
• pruning
• spacing

Getting even one of these factors wrong can harm your lemon tree or delay fruit production for a year or more.

Temperature For Lemon Trees

Most lemon trees will grow outside in Zones 9 and 10. If you grow lemon trees elsewhere, you will need to keep them indoors for part of the year to protect them from cold.

Your best bet is to be prepared to bring your lemon trees inside if there is any danger of freezing temperatures. If you can’t bring the tree inside, use a blanket to provide at least some protection from the cold.

Another possibility is to use row covers to protect your lemon trees from cold. You can learn more about row covers in my article here.

Keeping the soil around the lemon tree moist will slow down the loss of heat from the ground during cold weather. This will at least help to protect the roots of the plant from cold.

Watering For Lemon Trees

Avoid letting the soil get too dry for too long, especially if you have young lemon trees. If you have a problem with dry soil, check out my article on preventing dry soil.

According to the University of Arizona, lemon trees without enough water will start to produce smaller fruit. Then, the leaves will turn dull green and the edges will curl inward, as will many plant under drought stress.

If the lack of water is severe enough, the lemon tree will drop flowers and fruit. The University of Arizona suggests watering citrus trees every 7 to 28 days with deep watering, rather than watering shallowly and often.

Although drought is a problem for lemon trees, soil that is too wet can also cause problems. Over watering can spell death for your lemon tree, due to root rot or fungal diseases.

If necessary, you can plant your lemon tree on a mound to assist with drainage. For more information, check out my article on over watering.

Fertilizing For Lemon Trees

However, it may be necessary to use fertilizers as a supplement, in order to provide extra nutrients if the soil is lacking. A soil test is the best way to tell if you need fertilizer.

If a soil test indicates that fertilizer is necessary, than you can use a low-concentration fertilizer. Penn State University recommends using a 2-1-1 fertilizer during the lemon tree’s active growing season.

Remember that it is possible to harm or kill your lemon trees by over fertilizing them. For example, too much nitrogen can prevent your lemon tree from producing any fruit.

Pruning For Lemon Trees

Pruning lemon trees is usually not necessary, except in the case of damage from winter cold and storms.

Spacing For Lemon Trees

Lemon trees should be spaced 12 to 25 feet apart (for dwarf citrus trees, leave 6 to 10 feet between trees).

Of course, you can adjust the space between trees depending on the width, which you can find in the description in the nursery catalog.

Leaving enough space between trees is crucial to prevent competition for water and resources. This extra space also gives you room to tend your trees as needed.

What Kind Of Lemon Tree Should I Buy?

When selecting a lemon tree, make sure to choose one that you can grow in your climate! For more information, check out the USDA Zone Hardiness map to see what zone you are in.

Here are some different varieties of lemon trees that you might want to try:

• Meyer Lemon – this tree grows in Zones 9 to 10, and produces medium yellow fruit that matures in late summer through winter. The mature tree is 8 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. The tree will bear fruit in 1 to 2 years. For more information, check out the Meyer Lemon on the Stark Brothers website.
• Eureka Lemon – this tree grows in Zones 9 to 11, and produces medium golden-yellow fruit that matures year-round. The mature tree is 12 to 20 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. For more information, check out the Eureka Lemon on the Park Seed website.
• Lisbon Lemon – this tree grows in Zones 9 to 10, and produces medium yellow fruit that matures year-round. The mature tree is 10 to 15 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. For more information, check out the Lisbon Lemon on the Nature Hills website.
• Genoa Lemon – this tree grows in Zones 9 to 10, and produces medium yellow fruit that matures year-round. The mature tree is 8 to 12 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide, and grows in a shrub form. For more information, check out the Genoa Lemon on the Nature Hills website.
• New Zealand Lemon – this tree grows in Zones 8 to 10, and produces sweet yellow fruit. The mature tree is 8 to 12 feet tall and 5 to 10 feet wide. For more information, check out the New Zealand Lemon on the Nature Hills website.
• Variegated Pink Lemon – this tree grows in Zones 9 to 11, and produces fruit that is yellow with green stripes on the outside and pink flesh inside! It is prized for decoration more so than fruit quality. The mature tree is 15 to 18 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide. For more information, check out the Variegated Pink Lemon on the Nature Hills website.

How Long Do Lemon Trees Live?

Lemon trees can live for decades. However, they may stop producing fruit before the end of their lives.

You will need to decide when it is time to retire an old lemon tree and replace it with a new one that can produce fruit.

Conclusion

Now you have a good idea of when lemon trees are mature enough to produce fruit, how long it takes for lemon trees to bear fruit, and what time of year to expect fruit. You also know a bit more about how to take care of lemon trees and how to avoid the problems that can affect your harvest.

I hope you found this article helpful – if so, please share it with someone who can use the information.

If you are interested in growing citrus trees, then you should also check out my article on growing lime trees.

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How Long Does It Take For An Apple Tree To Bear Fruit?

Every gardener needs to find out how long does it take for an apple tree to bear fruit before they can plant their own.

Apples are a great addition to any landscape, and besides that, they provide an abundance of fresh fruit. Many gardeners love the thought of growing their juicy apples.

However, growing this fruit takes a long-term commitment.

It takes work to ensure your apple fruit bears healthy fruit from pruning to pest control. Gardeners who have small spaces can still grow apples but choose the dwarf apple trees. Here is our advice on planting, growing, and harvesting healthy apples.

Table of Contents

Facts About An Apple Tree And How They Bear Fruit

• Appletree is known as a hardy tree, and it grows best in hardiness zones 3 to 5. If termed long-season, the apple tree will do best in zones 5 to 8.
• They need at least 8 hours of sun per day during the growing season
• You have to plant two varieties next to each other for successful pollination or add a crabapple
• 2-3 years after planting dwarf apple trees will start bearing fruit
• To bear fruit standard-size trees can take up to 8 years
• Prune your apple trees annually to keep them healthy and productive
• Some varieties are more susceptible to disease and insect damage than others.

How Long Does It Take For An Apple Tree To Bear Fruit?

The apple tree (Malus Domestica) begins to produce fruits 2-10 years after planting. This depends on the variety of the tree, and whether it was grown from seed or rootstock.

Dwarf Rootstock

A dwarf tree takes 2 to 3 years after planting to produce fruits. These are grafted onto Mark rootstocks to reduce the tree’s mature size from 12 to 6 feet tall. Be sure to support your tree; it needs extra support as it grows.

Semi-Dwarf Rootstock

This type starts producing fruit 2 to 4 years after transplanting in a garden. It requires pruning to keep it at least less than 22 feet tall.

Standard Rootstock

This type begins to produce fruit 4 to 6 years after planting. The rootstock may be MM.11 or P.18 and it produces a large tree of about 30 feet tall with a wide canopy. Keep the tree smaller by pruning it each year in late winter or early spring when it’s dormant.

Grown from Seed

Apple trees are grown directly from seed take between 6 to 10 years to bear fruit. The seeds are likely to grow into a full-size tree even if they were from a dwarf tree. The seedlings’ fruit is not likely to resemble its parent because many apple varieties are hybrid but are produced by grafting.

Growing And Caring For The Apple Tree In Order To Bear Fruit

As we mentioned earlier in this article, apple trees take commitment because they need a lot of care. Below we break down the care into each month to help you do the right thing at the right time. This care is for both existing and new trees.

• March. This is the best month to prune the existing trees right after the cold months have passed. Prune in this month before growth begins.

• April – May. As soon as the soil is warm enough and can be worked on, plant bare-root trees. For existing trees, if last year’s growth was less than 12 inches, apply compost manure around the base to encourage better growth.

• May – June. Plant potted plant after the threat of frost has ended. For existing trees, flowers begin to bud and turn pink. Watch out for disease and insect symptoms to treat the early sign of any sight.

• May – October. Keep watering your trees as you would any other fruit tree in your yard.

• June – July. Thin out the fruits by removing all the small and weak fruits to encourage larger fruit growth.

• August –October. Harvest your ready fruits. Test for ripe fruits by tasting one fruit that seems to be fully colored. It is tastes too starchy; give the fruits a few days before harvesting.

• October – November. Rake up fallen fruit and leaves and put them in compost or discard them.

• November. Prepare the apple tree for winter by wrapping it to prevent injury.

• November – March. Allow the tree to rest and watch out for any deer and vole damage. If you notice any damage, put fencing around your tree to protect it from further damage.

When Do Apple Trees Produce Fruit? Take-Home

Apples are pollinated by bees and flies transferring pollen from flowers of one apple tree to another. You do not need to plant many trees to enjoy fresh apples. Instead, two apple trees will be more than enough for your family to enjoy and share.

Check around your neighbor’s farm to see if they have crabapple trees or any apple trees growing. If yes, you can plant one apple tree and still enjoy a good harvest of fresh apples.

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