White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-06-04
Apple Thinning and
Orchard Fertilization

Apple thinning Should be- very close
ly tied up with the growth which
apple trees were making this year.
A study of apple trees in all commune
tiles of the county show that they are
making much more growth this spring
even where no fertilizer has been ap-
piled than has been common for sew
|ieral years. The fact that apple trees
have a more vigorous foliage and be-
cause of the increased growth means
that these trees may carry much
bigger crop than the same crop might
l;have carried last year.
According to Mr. j. #. Bregger, ex-
tension horticulturist, State College Of
Washington, results on thinning trials
at the Wenatchee station, have shown
that Jonathans should be thinned to
the point where we have one apple to
about rs leaves. Rome Beauties to one
to 35 leaves; and Winesaps and Del
icious to one to 40 or SO leaves.
Due to the fact, however. that we
have had oversize on our apples last
year because of especially good growing
weather, says Mr.. Breger, it would be
well to stay close to the lower limit
of number of leaves per apple and
thereby have tendency to produce
smaller apples. This is particularly
true of course of the Delicious and of
the Jonathans which do not hold up
so we'll on big sizes. Another factor
which is very important with these
two varieties is that they must go from
the tree into cold storage just as ra-
pidly as possible if quality fruit is to
be maintained.
Where fruit has been we'll Trimmed
by either frost or the wind even, to
the point sometimes of having one
branch without many apples land an
other branch not more than eight feet
distant as one would travel along the
branch and out to the other branch
i2lving apples, one may leave a larger
s.a-.-.......bar Of apples than one would or
e!inarily if the tree were well loaded on
every branch. In other words, leaves
not more than than eight feet distant
from apples, where there are no APP
pies closer than this to compete with
them, will furnish food for growth to
these particular apples. In a case such
as we have in many instances this
Year it will be to the growers inter-
est to try to leave, throughout the
| rec, a full crop of apples even if this
does leave too heavy burden on some
of the apples. We find many growers
| stating, that with modern spray equip
nent carrying pressure of $50
pounds that they have been able to
keep doubles clean. If the orchard was
reasonably clean last year and good
spray equipment is being used, one can
| probably economically leave quite a
| few doubles on many of the trees this
| year. Trees which have full crop
we'll distributed over the tree, of
course should be Trimmed according to
the above rule as to leaf surface.
AS MIR. Bregger pointed out, a large
part of the apple is composed of water
and starch and sugar. These ma
4 terials are then but water and carbon
dioxide which comes from the air and
he manufacturing plant for starches
and sugars for the leaf and hence is
he relation between apple and leaf
surface.
This is a season when one will need
TO use careful judgment when it comes
% fertilization. Trees which have pro-
auced already this season nine to
twelve inches of growth, and which
probably will not have a large crop,
should be studied very carefully be-
lore any fertilizer is applied and il
is probable that these trees will need
no application of fertilizer this year
1T is our opinion that the season last
summer followed by a long fall and
mild winter and good growing sea-
son for apples SO far this year, has put
our trees into as vigorous a condition
rs we have had them for many years
Fertilization should now be used SPAR
ingly on trees of this kind, else we
IRE apt to upset our balance.
e. G. DURDLE,
County Auant