I planted one apple tree 4 years ago. 2 years ago it produced apples. Last summer and this summer it did not produce any yet my neighbour who only planted 2 years ago had plenty of apples. This summer neither of us got any apples. I also planted 2 more trees last summer (one of them had apples when I planted it) yet this summer I did not get any apples on either of them. I live in Fort St John and I see lots of other apple trees that prodcued lots of apples this summmer. Would appreciate any suggestions or answers why I am getting no apples????? I have never pruned the trees. What time of the year should I prune them?
Lack of pollination can occur for various reasons; lack of bees, lack of pollinator, excessive wet or cold weather during normal blooming period, dramatic lack of nutrients and improper pruning (removing spurs on spur bearing varieties) to name a few. I lightly will prune most plants during spring summer and fall as they seem to need pieces removed, major pruning I would do in Mid winter, January through February in my area.
Apple trees require not only pollinators, such as bees, but also the right sort of pollen. In general, even solitary apple trees will bear some fruit, but they will all bear more productively if they are cross-pollinated; i.e., they have a pollinizer (another tree that supplies pollen). Choosing a pollinizer isn't difficult -- just pick another apple or a crabapple that produces flowers at the same time as your variety. Certain apple trees, such as Gravenstein and Jonagold, however, have sterile pollen and will not bear fruit without a pollenizer, and obviously, such trees cannot supply viable pollen to other trees. Most good garden centres have charts that show the suitability of the various apple varieties as pollinizers. See this useful pdf article by the Horticulture Department, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service on the pollination of fruits and nuts. Other possible reasons for non-bearing include excessive fertilization (particularly with nitrogen containing fertilizers, such as animal manures and lawn fertilizers), alternate year bearing (some varieties tend to crop heavily every other year), excessive shade, disease, lack of adequate chilling and extreme cold.