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Useful Tips To Help Your Fruit Trees Thrive
BY SAKSHI KHAITAN
Fruit trees can refuse to grow fruit or produce small yields due to problems like poor pollination, pest management, and improper pruning, but these problems are easily solvable.
Before you try anything else, ensure that your fruit tree is actually in the fruit production stage, as some fruit varieties have long gestation periods.
Another important factor is climate and soil compatibility, as fruit production is adversely impacted when trees are exposed to harsh weather conditions.
A common issue with fruit trees is poor cross-pollination, which can be fixed by planting trees in pairs within 50 feet of other flowering plants so they can properly pollinate.
Likewise, overfertilization can inhibit fruit production, so if your tree is growing more than the standard 12-18 inches a year, you should reduce fertilization.
On the other hand, both over-pruning and under-pruning can inhibit fruit production and tree growth. A good rule is to prune 20%-30% of the tree annually.
Alternatively, you can try methods like root pruning and scorning. Root pruning involves trimming the tree’s roots with a spade around the drip line every other foot.
Scoring means cutting halfway through a tree’s trunk around its lowest branches with another cut in the opposite direction above the original cut to increase flowering activity.