crops in frist year fruit trees (forum)

Regina starts with ...
Hi,
we've just planted our first fruit trees (lemon, mandarins, oranges, apples, peach, nectarine) and have read we shouldn't let the lemon tree bear any fruit in its first year, instead encouraging it to put on some solid growth.. Is this true for all young fruit trees?
Many Thanks,
Regina


Time: 15th September 2008 11:37am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Regina
Mount Crosby
#UserID: 1363
Posts: 3
View All Regina's Edible Fruit Trees

Kath says...
Yes this is the same for all your trees. The reason is while a tree if fruiting it puts all it energy into this at the expense of making roots and shoots which is what you want your young tree to be doing. Removing the flowers will push your tree back into a vegatative growth phase and will give it the best chance to establish before you leave it to fruit. Making it a stronger and healthier tree in the long run.

Time: 15th September 2008 12:21pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author Kath
Cawongla
#UserID: 2
Posts: 363
View All Kath's Edible Fruit Trees

Regina says...
Thanks Kath. Do i just pinch off the flowers/buds/young fruit, or prune off at the stems?

Time: 15th September 2008 4:06pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Regina
Mount Crosby
#UserID: 1363
Posts: 3
View All Regina's Edible Fruit Trees

deb says...
deb says
you can pinch off the flowers now, because the trees are using all their energy now into flowering and then fruiting. it would not hurt to leave 1 or 2 flowers, just to have the trill of your first fruit, but fertilize with old chook poo it will do wonders for root and leaf growth. mulch well (not too close to the trunk,cause may get trunk rot)and water.

hope this helps

Time: 17th September 2008 11:30am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author deb4
brisbane
#UserID: 1375
Posts: 4
View All deb4's Edible Fruit Trees

Regina says...
fabulous - thank you kath!

Time: 30th September 2008 7:18pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Regina
Mount Crosby
#UserID: 1363
Posts: 3
View All Regina's Edible Fruit Trees