Fruit Thinning

As fruit trees begin putting out fruit in spring, it is your job to take some of that fruit off.

It may seem counterproductive. Why on earth would I plant a fruit tree only to take the fruit off when it has only just started growing? Why would you want to reduce your crop that way? Read on and find out!

Why thin fruit?

Most fruit trees will produce far more fruit than can be supported or made flavorful. Too much fruit and branches start breaking. Now, the tree doesn’t care how the fruit tastes, as long as it tastes good enough to cause animals to help with seed dispersal. To get the sweetness, size, and shape that we want, we have to intervene. That starts with production pruning and ends with fruit thinning.

Thinning fruit also helps reduce the likelihood of pests or diseases getting established in the nooks and crannies between fruit. Finally, fruit thinning reduces the chance of your tree taking a year off of production (alternate bearing) out of sheer exhaustion.

How (and when) to thin fruit trees

Different trees have different thinning needs. Generally, the time to thin fruit is dictated by fruit size. Stone fruits are thinned when they reach 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter, while pome fruits can be thinned when they are 1/2 to 1 inch. You can also predict the time for thinning by noting it 30 to 45 days after full bloom on your calendar. To actually remove the fruit, give it a gentle twist. Sometimes, pruners are needed. Your fruit tree is working very hard at this stage, so be kind. Do not be tempted to thin your fruit trees too early, as this can lead to split fruit later on, especially in peaches. Of course, thinning too late won’t help your fruit become as large as it might have.

Fruit thinning by species

Some trees do not require thinning. These include cherries, figs, citrus, Bartlett pears, pomegranates, and persimmons. You may want to monitor your persimmons tree, however, as a very productive year can lead to breakage. Use this information to determine just how much to thin, depending on tree species:

• apricots, plums - leave one fruit for every 2 to 4 inches on any branch
• peaches, nectarines - leave one fruit every 3 to 5 inches
• apples, pears - leave one or two of the largest fruit per cluster; heavy crops should be thinned to one cluster for every 6 to 8 inches
• doubles, when two fruits are filed together, should also be removed
• small, damaged, or misshapen fruit should be removed

​Natural fruit drop

We are not the only ones who want to protect our fruit trees from breakage due to too much fruit. These trees have evolved to protect themselves with what is erroneously called “June drop”. June drop can occur late spring through early summer and it refers to a fruit tree dropping many immature fruits. Fruits that are diseased or infested may also drop prematurely.

Don’t be afraid to get up close and personal with your fruit trees in spring. Thinning fruit will ensure a better crop and a healthier tree. Thinning also gives you a chance to see what’s really going on for your fruit trees, allowing you to halt a minor pest invasion before it causes any real damage.

For those of you (like me) who need ways to remember what and how to thin, give this a try:

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Spring season of thinning, no need to despair
Help them grow stronger with inches to spare 
Small apricots and plums, give them each two to four
Peaches and nectarines, need three inches or more

Then muster the clusters of apples and pears
Save just the biggest, only one or two there
Mutants and mummies and twins all must go
Leave only the best. Now just watch them grow!
​                      -KR