I have about 20 apple trees in my garden some in groups. Some seperate. One of them was looking particularly bad. I took a closer look….
There are two things that I spot immediately….
....?
The scaring [left] can often be confused with the marks of apple sawfly…
….but these markings are actually a result of irregular water supply.
The fruit is quite small/ smaller than the fruits on other trees of same variety and some are out of shape.
The sudden availability of water causes the skins to crack.
This coincides with the time they where planted, the fact that they were containerised before and also that no mulching of any format was used.
The second is the wasps….
...?
the wasps…. [vespula spp.] are attracted to the fruits primarly damaged by birds… talk about lazy 
The suggested control by some is to find the wasps nest and destroy it.
I just can’t do that. Or you can cover the trusses with nylon/ muslin bags over the fruit before damage begins [?!] As long as its not in the house. There is nothing wrong with the tree. It’s simply the fruit that is gone from it for this year. What I will do it wait until autumn/ winterwhen all the fruit and leaves and wasps are gone and move the tree to a better spot.
A fruit tree problem shared is a problem solved….;) for next year!
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I have a negligible garden in a drought-ridden part of England but am fondly attempting to convince myself that I could put some dwarf fruit trees into containers. I have a nagging feeling that as I can’t even keep a basil plant in the house that isn’t over-run with white fly and dead within 8 days then the chances of me keeping fruit trees pest free and alive are slim to none.
Nonetheless, I nurse unreasonable fantasies of luscious cherries and crisp apples.
@evidence matters
it would be far easier to keep a tree than it would a basil plant. The key to basil in fact is to wait until it hits about 4-6 true leaf sets and then crop the entire lot and then place in the freezer.
If the seeds are planted at one week intervals you should [although one never can...] more than enough. The leaves are so soft and lush…. in my opinion its like The Bahamas for white fly.
In the apple tree sense…. 1/20 of an inaccuracy is ok by me…. especially when nature decides for one tree its just not gonna reproduce this year! In that context and of it only being the fruit… I’m not beaten yet
reality versus dreams!
slán go foill
peter
really loving all your tips .
our plum tree which i very small is overflowing with fruit so much so that branches have broken wit the weight.
So disappointed with potato’s was really looking forward to some lovely new potato’s
@aileen
re the plum tree – remove any broken limbs [fruit first
and after you have cropped everything – a good hard pruning will ensure a stronger tree for next year…
sorry about the potatoes
as a btw almost every potato grower in north dublin is singing a similar tune at this moment in time.
keep trying!! and keep me posted!
peter
Fantastic information. What a great resource!
thank you jeff
sincerely
[...] have had apple tree problems before myself. I understood the dilemma John was in. I rang John and got some more information, as [...]