I HAVE A 5 IN 1 APPLE TREE ABOUT 8 YEARS OLD VERY HEATHY THOU HAS ONLY PRODUCED APPLES ON ONE BRANCH. WHICH IS A LOW BRANCH THE REST OF THE TREE LIKE 5 FT HIGH AND VERY FULL OF FOILAGE HAS NEVER PRODUCED NOT EVEN A FLOWER VERY LEAFY I MIGHT SAY BUT WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT START PRODUCING LIKE IT SHOULD WHAT SHOULD I DO. IN EIGHT YEARS I MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN 6 APPPLES OF ONLY ONE BRANCH.


ITS SUPPOSE TO BE SELFPOLINATING I THINK , BUT NOT POSSITVE BEEN SO LONG SENCE I BOUGHT IT AND PUT IT IN THE GROUND

Do you know the varieties of the apples to find out if they will pollinate each other. It only makes sense, that they used varieties that pollinate each other. BUT, if they don't bloom they can't cross pollinate. I haven't had any success with a multi-graft tree either. Hopefully someone else will have more information. Are there any other apple trees in the area?

yes i have other apple trees in my yard but there only of a single variety and there much younger trees red delisious yellow delishious a jonathan and my moms not to far from me she also has delisous varity and granny smith I bought that tree about 8 years ago from michigan bulb company like i said the tree is fuul of foilage has nice trunk and is very tall for being a dwarf and has spread out nicely but only one branch has ever produced apples.

Diane; I'll guess, after 8 years, there are no identifying tags left on any of the branches...? Can you tell if the original limbs have become the 'main limbs?' On these multi-grafted trees, a problem they have is that the budded varieties are all so low --- budded when the trees are very small. Thus, if you loose any of those lower 'branches,' you've also lost the additional varieties... You did mention the only producing portion was from a low branch, could you have 'lost' the others? If so, you may be left with only two varieties; the 'base tree' -- usually a Golden Delicious -- and whatever's actually producing fruit on that lone branch.

If the base variety (or tree) is a Gravenstein, it requires two more sources for pollination. Gravenstein is also an early bloomer, so if your other orchard trees aren't blooming at the same time --- whoops --- you said it's not blooming at all... Hummm. Say, in the last 4 years, it hasn't bloomed at all? "Michigan Bulb" sounds reputable (at least I've heard of them -- 'clear out here'), so I'll assume this tree wasn't simply a budded rootstock...? And, if its original, or additional branches are 'still there,' there should be a lot more going on bloom-wise than you've described... I didn't notice your location, if it's central Canada, there may be some temperature problems..?

If it's not producing, but is as lush as you describe, it sounds like the perfect candidate for Top-working! That's dormant grafting another variety/s to its existing structure ... and it's not that difficult. This remains open to further speculation ~ but these are my guesses, and suggestions

ive never grafted anything in my life don't know if thats somethiing i can do or not. but im not sure what parts were grafted on to the tree and whats the original, but yah it lush with green never flowers but one branch no tags any more. so all i wana no even if i lost the other varietys not a big deal even though i did not get what i really paid for years ago, but i would like to know how to get it to start producing. so whats the best way to find out what varietys are left in the tree. I called michigan bulb lol but there under new ownership i guess. and i called at a time they did not have nowlagable staff in im going to call them again on monday or friday and talk to them to see what i can d to get this tree going.

dginder
It will be difficult to tell but have you pruned htis tree and if so did you remove any of the five varieties?

1) How much light is the tree getting? At least 8 hours/day to set fruit.
2) Are you using any fertilizer for the tree? If so and you are getting adequate growth (12 inches) do NOT fertilize.
3) Our areas is boron deficient. sprinkle abut one tuna fish can of boraxo soap aroundthe drip line of the tree.
4) Do you have a baseball bat? When all else fails, beat the tree about the trunk with the bat. (PS. don't break the bark just bruise it a little)

For your information: One of the major problem with mulitgrafted trees of any kind is that each variety may have a different growth rate. One limb grows 3 feet a year another 3 inches and as stated above pruning may have been detrimental to some or almost all of the varieties.

Top working the tree may be your best bet and HOS (or congress) is the place to learn grafting.

Ted

dginder:

Here in warm Southern California we have problems with multi-graft trees, only one variety will fruit on a 5-in-one. Most have written it off as because of our meager 200 chilling hours.

But that theory is debunked (the whole chilling hours for apples theory for that matter) as most, if not all, apples will fruit here if grown on their own dwarding rootstock.

This is the first year I've grown apple trees from tiny benchgrafts (infant tree consisting of a cutting grafted onto a rootstock). What a difference! It's only late September and the little guys are approaching 9' of growth already, and we have two to three months of growing season left. I'll never go back to planting potted or bare root trees again, as the roots are decimated upon harvest and they sometimes never fully recover. I guess this is nice if you want a tiny patio tree, but if you want fruit, go with benchgrafts (photo attached of this year's growth).



Plant one next spring and you'll have good fruit the next year. As for your tree, whack it off 18" above the ground and graft in a single variety. It will grow to about the same size as the existing tree this year.

Michgan Bulb is a very disreputable nursery that will sell any old thing to make money. Your tree might be made up of varieties like Northern Spy that can take up to 14 years to come into bearing. Or it may be a rootstock that wasn't completely grafted.