One common reason for small nectarines is the presence of too many flowers and young fruitlets on the tree. This can result in competition for limited resources such as carbohydrates and nutrients. The tree may not have enough stored reserves from the previous autumn to support the growth of all the fruit, leading to smaller sized fruits.
When peach and nectarine trees set an abundance of flowers and fruitlets, it may initially seem like a good thing. However, it is important to remember that the tree has a finite amount of resources to allocate to each fruit. If there are too many fruits, they will all have to share these limited resources, resulting in smaller individual fruit sizes.
In my own experience as a gardening and landscaping expert, I have often seen cases where trees with excessive fruit set produce smaller fruits overall. This is because the tree simply cannot provide enough nutrients and energy to support the growth of all the fruits to their full potential.
To better understand this phenomenon, let’s consider the tree’s perspective. In the autumn, the tree accumulates reserves of carbohydrates and nutrients, which are stored in various parts of the plant, including the roots and branches. These reserves are crucial for supporting growth and fruit development in the following season.
When spring arrives, the tree uses some of these stored reserves to produce flowers and fruitlets. However, if there are too many flowers and fruitlets, the tree becomes stretched thin in terms of available resources. As a result, each individual fruit receives a smaller share of these resources, leading to stunted growth and smaller fruit size.
It is worth noting that environmental factors can also play a role in determining fruit size. Factors such as temperature, sunlight, and water availability can influence the tree’s ability to allocate resources to fruit development. If conditions are not optimal, it can further contribute to smaller fruit sizes.
To address the issue of small nectarines, it is important to thin out the excess flowers and fruitlets early in the season. Thinning involves removing some of the young fruits to reduce competition and allow the remaining ones to grow to a larger size. This can be done by hand or with the help of pruning shears, ensuring that the remaining fruits are adequately spaced on the tree.
Thinning should be done when the fruitlets are still small, ideally around the size of a pea. It is important to remove the excess fruits gradually, leaving a reasonable number of fruitlets on the tree to ensure a good crop. Aim for a spacing of about 6-8 inches between each remaining fruit.
In addition to thinning, providing the tree with proper care throughout the growing season can also help promote larger fruit development. This includes regular watering, appropriate fertilization, and ensuring the tree receives adequate sunlight.
Small nectarines can be the result of too many flowers and young fruitlets competing for limited resources. Thinning excess fruit early in the season and providing proper care to the tree can help promote larger fruit sizes. It is important to remember that each tree has a limit to the number of fruits it can support, and ensuring a proper balance will result in more desirable fruit sizes.
