Apple woes

Q Why won’t my healthy 7-yearold apple tree fruit? D Boon, newcaStle

A Provided your tree is a named cultivar (not a seedling from one) it should be fruiting by now. Ideally, you should prune it in August, cutting the new growth back to four leaves. You can still prune it in November, but make sure you don’t cut into any older wood or you risk encouraging non-flowering growth rather than blossom. If your plant produces blossoms that aren’t followed by fruit, plant another apple tree nearby to act as a pollinator.

If the site is very cold and windy, you might have a lack of pollinating insects when the tree is in bloom. In this situation you’d need to try and establish a windbreak to shelter your apple tree.