No apple appearing on my tree

I have a apple tree on my allotment it is about 4 years old.I had some apples last year but not a excessive amount.There have been plenty of flowers this year but they have all gone and no sign of any fruit following on.I presume I am right in thinking that when the flowers have died away the apple buds should start to appear if so why are there hardly any signs of apples.I started a thread about rust on leaves of a apple tree this is that apple tree so could this be connected.

 

Sounds like a pollination problem.
Are there any other apple trees in the area?

 

Yes there is a apple tree in the plot next to mine and that always seems to have a lot of apples every year.

 

Do they flower at the same time?
Do you know which variety you have?

 

Going through Google I found this article about Apple pollination.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/pdfs/ApplePollinationGroups
But the Apple Tree I have is a Braeburn which does not seem to be listed and I also planted another tree fairly close last year which has had a few flowers on but as I said is only over a year old.

 

Yes my Tree is a Braeburn and the other persons tree flowers at a similar time though sure what type it is and the original plot holder is no longer there

 

I didn't think Braeburn was considered a good apple for the UK?

Think it likes warmer countries.
Take it you are in the UK.

 

A lack of bees? Ive not seen any bees this year,plenty of bumble bees on the flowers but nowt on the fruit trees except for flies. Cherry looks like it will be good again but apple nashi and pear look duff as usual. ?

 

Hi Paul, I would suspect it is lack of pollination, rather than the rust that you suspect.

Braeburn is a very late flowerer (group E, or 18, depending which tabulation you use), so there may not have been another tree also in peak flower at the same time. Although the tree may have visible flowers for over a week, it is just the middle 3-4 days when the flowers can be pollinated. If it was particularly cold/wet/windy during those few days, pollination would be impaired.
If your pollinator tree is a distance away (I think they can be up to 1/2 mile away) you are more susceptible to be affected by weather conditions. The bees basically won't be flying so far.
At 4 years old your tree is just a baby anyway, so enjoy its shade, its autumn colour, and maybe next year keep a log of when it starts/peak/finishes flowering. You may need to get another apple tree for your plot, to act as a guaranteed pollinator? (thus speaks a Herefordshire Apple-lover!)

 

I have planted another apple tree quite close which has flowered and it should be close enough cannot remember the variety though.There were apples on my tree last year so they must have been pollinated.

 

As @pete said, Braeburn is a little touch-and-go in many areas of the U.K., so if you had a bad Spring, it may not have set fruit, even with an appropriate pollinator. It would be helpful if you could remember the name of the other Apple tree you have planted.....

We have a Braeburn here too. Last year, it failed to set a single Apple, as it was cold just around peak-flower time for the tree. This year, it has set fruit no problem. (It is also a young tree). You are very dependant on the weather, and the flowering of suitable trees a bees-flight away.

Looking through the list of possible pollinators for Braeburn, there are not many "common" varieties that would do the job. http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/searchpolpartner.aspx?id=BRAEBU&pageno=1. Sometimes, if you have a shortened flowering season (bad weather at the start of the season can cause this), different varietal flowering times can be foreshortened to the point that you get extra pollinators available. This might explain the fruit last year?

(Apologies -autocorrect automatically corrects apple to a capital "a" - no prizes for guessing the make of my tablet!!)

 

This might help Paul. http://www.orangepippintrees.co.uk/pollinationchecker.aspx?v=1008