Apple Fruit

Apple Fruit
Apple and related fruits belong to a special fruit type – the pome. The bulk of the fleshy edible portion derives from the hypanthium or floral cup, not the ovary.

The fruit is five locular containing five seed cavities with generally two seeds each. Seeds are relatively small, black, and mildly poisonous.

Fruiting begins 3 to 5 years after budding, although a few fruits may be produced the second year.

This varies with rootstock. Fruits should be removed from the upper part of the central leader of young trees to encourage growth and prevent leaning.

Fruit are usually thinned to one per spur, with spurs spaced 4 to 6 inches for attainment of marketable size.

Fruit derived from the central flower or king bloom are preferable to retain since they have greater size potential. Apples are generally thinned with chemicals such as the insecticide or it synthetics.

The materials are applied postbloom and cause abscission of developing fruitlets until they reach a size of about 1 inch in length.

Chemical thinning is less expensive than hand thinning, but very dependent on weather during and shortly after chemical application.
Apple Fruit