Apples, nectarines, peaches, and pears must be thinned early in the season to prevent overproduction, which can result in small fruit, increased tree breakage, and increased insect and disease problems. A heavy crop also reduces the chances for an adequate crop the following year.

Fruit should be thinned by the time they are about the size of a nickel. Remove enough fruit so that the remaining ones are spaced about 4 to 8 inches apart along the branch. Even though it may look like very few fruit remain, the fruit size at harvest will more than compensate for the reduced number of fruit.

Failure to thin can lead to biennial bearing (a crop every other year), decreased flower bud production, and a greater likelihood of fruit damage, since insects and diseases are harder to control when fruits touch each other.

Consumer Horticulture | Quick Reference

© Erv Evans, Consumer Horticulturalist
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