Peaches and certain plums usually have excess fruit. Thin to 4 to 6 inches between peaches and 2 to 3 inches between plums. Thin apples in early June to 6 inches apart when a heavy crop sets. This should be done no later than 50 days from bloom time to ensure a more even cropping from year to year. Trees will naturally drop excess fruit, but not as evenly as hand-thinning will do.
Some cultivars tend to set a heavy crop every other year.
This is a natural cycle for these cultivars. The first step is to plant your trees in a sunny location with good air circulation. Dayton', 'Enterprise', 'Gold Rush', 'Jonafree', 'Liberty', 'Redfree' and 'Williams Pride' are examples of apples resistant to apple scab. Sanitation helps to reduce the number of spores that overwinter to infect trees the following season. Removing and destroying insect-infested fruit prevents larvae from maturing to produce offspring and more damage.