North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Alan Haigh <alandhaigh@gmail.com>]

"Alan, what method(s) do you use for blossom thinning by hand?"

What has worked for me to eliminate biennial bearing is to remove entire
clusters of blossoms leaving only one cluster every 6-8 inches or so and
then coming back and thinning remaining clusters to a single apple a week
or two after petal fall.

I had read of old-timers removing all the flowers from entire branches but,
anecdotally, I'm guessing that the hormonal messaging is a spur by spur
matter though someone can correct me if I'm wrong (please).   I haven't
done this a lot but had good luck with a couple of Goldrush apples  and a
Fuji that have given me fruit the last two consecutive years and have
plenty of flowers this year.  With the goldrush I continue to do it, though
not at all thoroughly, but the Fuji has sustained annual cropping without
any future attention after the first season of flower thinning.