Top tips for Apple Thinning

[ThierryParticipant]

Hello,

I have 2 or 3 year old apple trees. I have followed Charles’ advice on planting and first year, and was keen to thin the fruit now… someone told me to wait for the June fruit drop to be completely finished, so I can pick the right fruit.
Has anyone any tip into selecting the right apple fruit from a cluster? The bigger one, healthier one or on in the middle?
Thanks a lot.

[beverleyParticipant]

HI Thierry

Thanks for raising this – I need to do mine too! Follow this link to find what the RHS has to say about thinning apples https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=340

Cheers
Beverley

[charlesModerator]

Thierry I thin most clusters to one and often remove the large central one which has a short stalk, which would make it more difficult to pick for storage. Then leave the next largest, and as soon as possible now.

[RhysParticipant]

I did my apple thinning much earlier this year, in early June, just after the drop started to occur. Due to a very sunny May, fruit were well advanced, allowing thinning to proceed.

As a result, fruit are much larger, much earlier this year, which suggests that thinning as early as practicable may have some value.

[Author]

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