Should I thin out my fruit trees

[denis567]

Having only recently moved, I have inherited 2 fruit trees, one apple and one plum. Both are ladened with small fruits.
Should I thin them out a bit or will nature take its course.
Thanks in anticipation

[Clanad]

Sure, but not now... you'll have to wait until next year during the late winter months or very early spring before any swelling of buds or even any new growth.

You don't say how old the trees appear to be, but I'd guess they are mature. Trim (with sharp shears or a good knife or saw for larger branches) any downward tending branches. Trim (as in cutting next to the trunk) any branches that appear to be rubbing or any broken or bent branches. Finally, look to the overall shape of the tree. It should be symmetrical and nicely rounded at the crown. Be sure to cut off any suckers that come up this summer though...

Best of luck!

[denis567]

Thanks for your reply Clanad, but what I really wanted to know is whether I should thin out the amount of fruit that is currently on the tree. Each branch has clusters of a dozen or so fruits, and I wondered if some were taken off, it might allow the others to mature better.

[Clanad]

Aha! Now I see it... Sure, go for it... can't hurt...

[denis567]

Thanks again

[rabbitygirl]

If the fruit is a strain on the branches denis then thin out. But it may be a bit early yet. Wait and see.
I once had a superb plum tree which would crop copiously alternate years. It was grown from a fallen stone and given to me by a friend when it was a babe...

One year I showed her the full grown tree and the masses of plums and said I would start to gather fruit now because of the obvious strain on the branches.

I said bye to her, returned to the tree with an assortment of baskets and boxes to find a large branch had collapsed on the ground, splitting at the trunk.

It didn't crop quite so ott again and recovered well. But I was ready to thin out if it needed.

[jno]

I had a huge plum crop a few years ago (I often get almost nothing) - and the tree fell in half, two whole branches snapping off under their own weight. So there are benefits to thinning out. I'm thinking of doing it myself as another bumper crop is on the way.