It can be disappointing to plant fruit trees only to fail to bear fruits. This happens by the trees not bearing flowers, having flowers but not producing fruits, bearing tiny fruits, or failing to yield anything. Regardless of what is happening, you need to get your magnifying glass and perform some little detective work. Here are various reasons why your trees are unproductive and their solutions.

Poor soil conditions

Although fruit trees tolerate most soil conditions, certain soils do not favor fruit farming. Fruit trees flourish in deep, fertile, well-drained soils with a pH range of 5.5 – 7.0. Soils that are too acidic or alkaline are not ideal for fruit farming. Alkaline soils, for instance, restrict water supply to the roots and lead to boron toxicity and zinc and phosphorus deficiencies. During flowering, plants require nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium. High alkalinity obstructs root development and prevents the plants from extracting essential nutrients from the soil. Low soil fertility is another challenge that may affect the productivity of your trees.

What is the solution

The trees require a balanced application of essential nutrients and optimum soil conditions during flowering, fruit development, and ripening. You can use lime to regulate the soil pH levels in the required range of 5.5 to 7.0. To enhance soil fertility, you should apply manure regularly. Besides, you can supplement this with fertilizers with high phosphorus and potassium rates.

Pollinations problems

Lack of pollination has a significant impact on flowering and can affect the productivity of the trees. This happens when there is a lack of insect activity, dry weather that lowers pollen viability, or inadequate pollen sources.

What is the solution?

You should introduce bees and other pollinators into your orchard to enhance pollination. Having beehives close to the orchard can help achieve this. Practicing bee farming near the orchard can also help.

Pests and diseases

Pests such as aphids, fruit flies, caterpillars, mites, and ants can affect flowering and fruit sets. Also, diseases like bacteria canker, Botrytis, powdery mildew, collar rot, fire blight, and Bacterial blossom blast can make your fruit trees unproductive. In severe cases, pests and diseases result in flower abortion, affect tree health, make your trees bear tiny fruits, and produce few, low-quality fruits.

You should control pests and diseases on time. Regular scouting and devising effective pest and disease control programs can make your fruits more productive.

Pruning Errors

Under-pruning makes your trees divert the nutrients on the leaves instead of the fruits. Also, over-pruning stimulates more vegetative growth and the expense of flowers and fruits. This makes your trees bear little low-quality fruits or no fruits at all.

Planting low quality seedlings

To increase fruit production, you need to prune only crossing branches or those that point inwards and diseased, dying, or dead wood and stems. The best time to prune your fruits is at the point where they have gone dormant.

If you are not careful, you can easily purchase low-quality seedlings that might not bear any fruits at the roadside. This can be pretty disappointing after investing a fortune in your orchard. This can end up ruining your entire fruit farming venture.

To avoid this, you need to purchase high-quality seedlings from certified nurseries. OxfarmAg offers high-quality seedlings and walks with you throughout your farming agribusiness to ensure that you make the right steps. This includes agronomy support, certified seedlings, and a fruit farming package.

Let OxfarmAg help you evade the problems of having unproductive trees. Contact us today!