Hi, My daughter planted an apple tree from seed ( an golden delicious apple I think) it is now 6 years old and is growing vigourisly - but bears no fruit !! Any ideas why this is ? thanks
Two problems come to mind....Apples are highly hybridized and are unlikely to come true (exactly like the parent) from seed. You will probably get substandard apples from this tree when it eventually bears fruit. Second issue...Apple trees are fairly large when mature (30' x 30') and reach maximum production as they approach that size. When very young, the tree is concentrating its effort on growth, not fruit production. It should start to bear in the next few years. Dwarf apple trees, available at nurseries, bear fruit at a much smaller size because the variety is grafted onto a dwarf rootstock which stimulates the tree to produce fruit rather than growth. The seedling you have would not have any of the dwarf rootstock in it's genetic code & so is striving to reach a larger size before it bears fruit.
Thanks smivies - what you say makes sense - I guess I'll wait a little longer for the fruit - thanks again
