Patio Fruit Trees

Hi All
We bought 2 apple (a Braeburn and a Gala) and 1 pear tree 3 seasons ago. These are patio style trees.

One Apple (Braeburn) has fruited, with two apples last year and 3 this year. However, the Gala has not had any fruit at all, not even any blossom. They sit side by side in pots. The pear has never flowered at all although has always put some good foliage on. Now, we bought all three as a package and it said that they were self pollinating (hope that is the right term)

Can I pick some of your very knowledgeable minds as to what I should do for next year.

Sally

 

Ryan, it is really frustrating isn't it, especially when you don't know how to remedy it. Anyway, perhaps we will have better luck next season.

Sally

 

Hi Sally,
Just a question of waiting really, they won't give a lot of fruit at a young age. Self polinating is good I've had 3 year old trees that haven't really got going for 6 years, but after that they were really good.

When the pears finally get going, we found that pears will not ripen on the tree, they stay hard & then rot from the inside, so we picked them & gave them a bananana for company on the windowsill.

 

Sally, your apples are NOT self fertile. Braeburn is fruiting because there is a fellow pollination group B apple tree somewhere within your vicinity. Gala, however, is unlikely to fruit being a group C pollinator. Having said that, I would start feeding all 3 fruit trees a high potash fertiliser ( tomato feed ) now, to encourage flowering next year.