Apple tree polenation

Hi there,

I wonder if you guys can help me, I have two old apple trees right next to each other, a Bramley and an eater (I am not sure what variety though they look like golden delicious!) they have tons of apples and I understand that is probably because they help to pollenate each other. I want to get rid of my eater as we need the space, non of my immediate neighbours have apple trees. Will my Bramley still fruit?

I have thought about planting another smaller tree in the garden to help with polenation if required however I don't know how long it takes before they produce blossom and fruit as we only intend being at the house for around five years so it may not be worth it.

Any advice would be much appreciated

 

The mian thing with pollination is that there is another tree in the area, not necessarily in your garden, whih flowers at the same time as yours. It an even be a crab. If you know when yours flowers, you can choose another from that pollination group, or the adjacent ones.

Have a look here.....

http://www.kenmuir.co.uk/

the Ken Muir site - a good source of fruit of all sorts, and info about them. this is an answer to a q about pollination groups....

"Pollination is achieved by the transfer of pollen from the male part of the flower (anthers) to the female part of the flower (stigmas). The end result is fertilization followed by fruit set.

Some fruits and these include apricots, peaches and nectarines as well as certain varieties of plums, gages and damsons can be fertilized by their own pollen; these are described as being self-fertile. Most varieties of soft fruit also fall within this category. Those fruits which require another variety of the same fruit flowering at the same time to achieve fertilization are said to be self-incompatible and include most varieties of apples, pears and sweet cherries.

Top fruits are separated into different pollination groups according to when they flower, starting with the earliest flowering varieties as group A, group B a little later and so on.

Varieties within the same group will cross-pollinate each other because they flower at the same time. For example, the apple variety 'Discovery'(group B) will pollinate the apple variety 'Fiesta' (group B) and vice versa. Varieties in adjacent groups will also usually pollinate one another because in most seasons there is sufficient overlap of pollen resulting from an overlap in the flowering period.

Different types of fruit however will not pollinate one another. For example, apples will not pollinate pears or vice versa.

The majority of apple and pear varieties are what are known as diploids. That is to say they contain two sets of chromosomes. However, there are a few triploid varieties such as the apple 'Bramley's Seedling' which have three sets of chromosomes. These make poor pollinators and should be grown with two diploid varieties that will not only pollinate each other but also the triploid variety."

 

Thank you very much for your reply! I think I will go ahead with removing the tree and see what happens to my Bramley this year, making a note of when it flowers. If I don't get fruit I will look to plant another complimentary variety next year. Many thanks

 

You're welome! :D

 

During my studies with the RHS I discovered that 'One apple tree in a garden will suffice, as pollenators will fly a great distance to find an apple tree with considerable ease'.
That's what I read, anyway! Regards, Fonzie.

 

Hello Wannabeagardener, Bramley Apple trees are what is known as a Triploid which means that they require two other trees nearby to pollinate them, you may find that by removing the other tree you mention that your Bramley tree will not be pollinated or not to the same degree as before, however it all depends on what other fruit trees are growing in your area as to whether the pollinators make it to your tree, only time will tell, best of luck Steve.

 

Thanks everyone. I will see how it goes and plant another tree if needs be. We don't need as many apples as there were too many for us to use anyway, but it would still be nice to get a reasonable crop.