Fruit dropping off trees

16 years ago

I purchased a new home over the winter. It has a pear, an apple and two cherry trees. They are all mature and I donÂt know what variety any are. They all blossomed well and the cherries and pears set a good amount of fruit. The apple looked as if it might but the tiny swollen post flowers all fell off.

The pears are not even the size off the end of my pinky. I figured I would start thinning them and it seems that has been done for me. There are a few pears on that I think will make it.

The cherries were loaded with cherries and the other day they were green and looked nice. Last night I noticed that most of them were turning red and falling off of the tree. The pit inside had not developed on any I checked. Both trees are 30'+ and I have notice a couple of the leaves had brown patches in at the midrib and out toward the margin but not the whole way out (basically in the center of the leaf).

Is all of this do to pollination issues?

My neighbor said the cherries and pears produced well last year but does not know what they are either.

None of the trees were ever pruned until this past winter, when I thinned out the pear and apple. DidnÂt touch the cherries.

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Comments (3)

franktank232
16 years ago
Pollination... or frost/freeze damage.

Some of my trees (apples) had excellent fruit set, while most of the trees had a very poor fruit set.

Have u sprayed anything? With those fruit you will probably have to have some sort of spray program, at least for the apples and maybe the cherries, although by this point its probably too late if the damage has already been done.
alan haigh
16 years ago
If central PA shared our freeze you may have gotten into the high 20's about 3 weeks ago which was an unusually harsh freeze so late in the growing season (because season started so early). That could damage the fruit by freezing the seed so tree drops it even if it doesn't look frozen on the outside.

Of course where you are it is doubtful you can grow anything besides possibly pears without an affective pesticide (or Surround pest repellent) program.
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jethro75
Original Author
16 years ago
You are probably right we did have temps in the upper 20,s maybe very low 30's then. I thought I was in the clear because the cherries and pears still looked good the other day.

I have been keeping an eye on everything watching for PC because my Dad lives down in the valley and is about 2 weeks ahead of me. He had PC and I think we got it on time and his apples look very nice right now. I havenÂt seen any other pests on my trees yet. Is there anything other then PC that could be a big problem around here I should watch for?

I donÂt know how I would even spray the cherry trees. They are so tall. Any ideas as to what they could possibly be?

Thanks for all the help and info.