Do you have a no-fruit problem?
As in, your Sonoma fruit trees look lush and lovely, but there’s nary a fig, apple, or Meyer lemon in sight.
You’re not alone. A case of the harvest that never was is one of the more common fruit tree maintenance calls Sonoma Pruner receives.
Typically, the root of the problem isn’t something you’re doing wrong. It’s something you’re not doing enough or maybe even at all: fruit tree pruning.
Despite all those lush boughs and blossoms, an overgrown tree is not ripe for producing the kind of abundance you’d imagine. Instead, all those extra branches get in the way, preventing sunlight and air circulation, both of which are necessary for fruit to make an entrance.
The good news is that, even if your orchard’s state hasn’t called for fruit harvesting in over a year, the situation is recoverable. The first step is knowing what to look for and why it’s stopping your trees from realizing their potential.
5 Signs of an Overgrown Fruit Tree
1. Too-Dense Canopy
Most often, the word canopy is used to describe something with a roof-like structure, and though we’re talking about Sonoma fruit trees and not a farmer’s market tent, the results are the same. That dense overhead material blocks the sun.
While we humans are more than happy to find shade on a summer day in Sonoma, light is everything when it comes to fruit. Sunshine signals to the tree it’s time to produce, and, once fruit appears, adds sweetness and ripens the skin. If there isn’t enough of it, fruit is not going to grow, or if it does, the result is usually small and the opposite of tasty.
What to look for: Branches that are crossing or rubbing against each other are a big indicator that the tree’s structure has gotten out of hand. It’s important to get ahead of this because fresh plums are not the only thing at stake. Rubbing branches causes bark damage, which in turn opens the door for fruit tree pests and disease.
2. Watery or Tasteless Fruit
Maybe fruit appears ripe, but it’s bland or watery when bitten into. This is a quality problem, not a quantity one, and the ingredient you’re most likely missing is light. To develop properly, fruit needs a bit of filtered sun. Sugar accumulation, color, and flavor are all processes dependent on our Sonoma Valley sunshine. When the canopy is too thick, fruit in the shaded interior simply doesn’t have what it needs to ripen well. Thinning the canopy lets light back in, and the flavor difference from one season to the next can be remarkable.
While fertilizing fruit trees and citrus can help overcome poor fruit set and bring a bumper crop, light is what makes the magic happen.
What to look for: Fruit that does not taste as good as it looks, or that doesn’t look or taste as it should.
3. Fruit Harvests on the Wane
If you recall your orchard gifting you with more fruit than you knew what to do with, but in recent years, there’s been barely a bushel, there’s a good chance you need a good prune. Without it, even if you give your trees extra nutrients, you’ll likely end up with a bigger tree instead of a pile of extra-juicy pomegranates.
This is because when a tree’s canopy has developed beyond what its root system can support, fruit production goes out the window. The tree needs all its available energy just to sustain itself.
What to look for: A gradual lessening or even a complete lack of fruit production.
While fertilizing fruit trees and citrus can help overcome poor fruit set and bring a bumper crop, light is what makes the magic happen.
What to look for: Fruit that does not taste as good as it looks, or that doesn’t look or taste as it should.
4. Broken or Cracked Branches
A cracked or compromised limb may seem a natural result of the weather or life as a tree. However, often, the damage indicates that your fruit tree is carrying more weight than it can handle. That additional load is especially compromising during a windstorm, when all those branches and leaves act like sails. A pruned tree can generally withstand that kind of seasonal damage since there’s a lot less to prevent the wind from passing through.
The problem doesn’t end with the break. Most homeowners don’t address cracks properly, if at all, and an untreated wound is an open invitation for fungal disease and unwanted insects. Not unlike a toothache, a broken piece of wood is best addressed sooner rather than later. The longer you put it off, the more likely you’ll have to address a bigger problem down the road.
What to look for: Branches with fractures, cracks, and breaks.
5. Water Sprouts and Suckers
A cracked or compromised limb may seem a natural result of the weather or life as a tree. However, often, the damage indicates that your fruit tree is carrying more weight than it can handle. That additional load is especially compromising during a windstorm, when all those branches and leaves act like sails. A pruned tree can generally withstand that kind of seasonal damage since there’s a lot less to prevent the wind from passing through.
The problem doesn’t end with the break. Most homeowners don’t address cracks properly, if at all, and an untreated wound is an open invitation for fungal disease and unwanted insects. Not unlike a toothache, a broken piece of wood is best addressed sooner rather than later. The longer you put it off, the more likely you’ll have to address a bigger problem down the road.
What to look for: Branches with fractures, cracks, and breaks.
It's Not Too Late to Prune
There are lots of reasons to love living in Sonoma, and one of our favorites is that, unless it’s raining or frosty, you can prune any time of year. So, there’s no reason to keep waiting for the right time. As you prune, don’t forget to feed. Fertilizing your fruit trees and citrus alongside can help set you up for the kind of delectable bumper crop that makes all that hard work worth it.
If you’re seeing any signs your Sonoma orchard needs pruning, contact us for a consultation.