Old Techniques for Apple and Fruit Trees question;

[nao57]

So I heard this interesting story from a book. Can't remember which one. But I read that they used to in the fall or something, in the 1800s they'[d get a leather belt and then go whack it against the trunk of apple trees to try to stimulate them to NOT rest from production of apples the next spring. People claimed it worked.

I always wondered if it did or didn't. I'm curious if you have input on this?

But something interesting happened today. I was listening to an Orchard People youtube channel video. And in one of those videos she was interviewing this guy about something...forgot what and they mentioned that some people would bend the wood in fruit trees to do something that would cause chemicals to make it more likely to produce fruit the next spring instead of rest from producing fruit (and grow wood instead). This seems very similar to what I was wondering about this question.

And it seemed interesting to bring up and get some thoughts on it. Curious what you think?

 

[Sluggy]

Watched a program on a cider maker with an orchard. What surprised me was in the orchard all the branches cascaded down like a weeping willow tree. The was to make it easier to harvest the apples by hand.

 

[Meadowlark]

... Curious what you think?

As a child growing up we had a lot of fruit trees... apple included...but not so much here in East Texas.

I have always heard people in the Ozarks say that you should take a baseball bat to your apple tree if it doesn't produce fruit. Some said driving a nail(s) into the tree would do the same thing. This never seemed to make sense to me.

Upon further researching this, it turns out that science agrees that it does not stimulate fruit production (House Digest).

However, interestingly some specific controlled injury has been scientifically proven to work (live to plant, littlegardentips.net) to increase fruit production.

The technique is described as "notching" where you make a small cut just above or below a bud. This interrupts hormone flow and stimulates fruit buds and is claimed to be a well‑established, effective technique. (live to plant)

You might give that a try @nao57

 

[nao57]

As a child growing up we had a lot of fruit trees... apple included...but not so much here in East Texas.

I have always heard people in the Ozarks say that you should take a baseball bat to your apple tree if it doesn't produce fruit. Some said driving a nail(s) into the tree would do the same thing. This never seemed to make sense to me.

Upon further researching this, it turns out that science agrees that it does not stimulate fruit production (House Digest).

However, interestingly some specific controlled injury has been scientifically proven to work (live to plant, littlegardentips.net) to increase fruit production.

The technique is described as "notching" where you make a small cut just above or below a bud. This interrupts hormone flow and stimulates fruit buds and is claimed to be a well‑established, effective technique. (live to plant)

You might give that a try @nao57

That sounds like it has to do with chemicals released on controlled injuries on some level can affect it.

Thanks!

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I have heard of beating trees as a traditional method of treating disease (codling moth?). I think there are West country traditions with rhymes or songs which involve hitting the tree. It might make the participents feel better, I doubt it does anything for the tree.