Crab Apple Tree in Ontario, Canada - only half of it blooms!

mcpais

Hi there,

I cannot post a picture yet as it's night time here, but hoping I can get a resolution soon.

We have a beautiful crab apple tree that blooms gorgeous deep pink flowers. For the last 2 years, only have the tree will produce these flowers. The other half produces healthy looking leaves only.

Can anyone suggest anything?

Thanks.

Eric Frei

Pics we need for sure.

Is the side that flowers the sunnier side?

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mcpais

OK, here are some pics. As you can see, it's only the one branch off the trunk of the tree that is effected. Seems to me that this section, would get the most sun! Can anyone help us? Any recommendations as to what to do, probably for next spring? Last year we fertilized the tree with fruit tree fertilizer.
Thanks again!

Darrell Mcleod

Looks to me as though it could do with a good formative prune

Eric Frei

Check the soil pH both sides, see if the same. Apparently those trees like it slightly acidic, pH 5.0 to 6.5

Also careful with the fertilizer, they say around 6" of growth per year is sufficient, you do not want to turn it into a bug salad.

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Brent Ferris

THere is also a possibility of frost damage. THe branch with few flowers appears to face the street -- so a cold night with some frost --as the flower buds were opening-- might have been cold enough street side to kill the flower buds, while the side facing the house could be just warm enough that the flower buds weren't affected. A lot of Ontario has has a cold spring with a number of cold nights and bud flushing has been delayed, in some cases terminated for the year.

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mcpais

great responses, and great start in figuring this all out.

many thanks for your input. we have begun thinking about the soil and testing it!