peaches - not pruning but ? picture added

[journey11]

Will the same work with apple trees? Is that how the commercial growers get their fruit so big? I knew that a tree dropped fruit on their own but didn't realize that thinning would increase size.

I've been able to get bigger apples on my trees by fertilizing and proper pruning (don't let the tree waste it's energy on watersprouts). I've heard too that you can pull off the centermost (terminal) apple in a cluster and the others on the sides will be more sizable. I've never done that though, so I can't say for sure it helps...

 

[vfem]

This might have some helpful ideas for you people with orchards and trees to tend!

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2004-02-01/Ask-The-Apple-Grower.aspx

I'm reading it with intrigue now!!!!

As such:

Q: Why is thinning the fruitlets early so important?
MP: The cells that will become next year's fruit buds are beginning to form when you can see this year's fruitlets, which are baby apples just starting to form. Properly thinning a tree within the first 30 days after petal fall allows the tree to carry a good fruit crop in the current year and still have enough nutrients to develop next year's crop. Many wild apples tend towards biennial bearing simply because this balance isn't achieved without human intervention. Thinning by hand to leave a single apple every 6 to 8 inches along the branch will double the percentage of large fruit.

 

[ducks4you]

Thanks for the advice--MY peach tree looks like the photo--it's LOADED with fruit this year, too.