I have a small orchard of cider apples in Vermont, and this year will
be 3rd leaf for my trees. This year my Major trees on M9 rootstock
produced a "snowball bloom" during good weather and with good
pollinating varieties in bloom nearby, and yet when all was said and
done they ended up with a very small crop. Is this typical for young
trees- they produce far more blooms than they can turn into apples? Or
should I be looking at other explanations, such as micronutrient
deficiencies, cold damage, etc.?
Happy cidering!
Jason MacArthur
Marlboro, Vt.
[NAFEX] Precocity and pollination,
Jason MacArthur, 06/16/2005