In the Winchester/Frederick County area, it appears that apple trees may be overly responsive to thinning treatments applied this week (May 6-10). Therefore, I generally advise against implementing any thinning treatments during this period, especially if you have already done so at petal fall (April 25-26) or the previous week (April 29-May 3). Examining the carbohydrate balance chart below, it’s evident that trees have been consistently deficient since April 24. While this deficiency is typically conducive to chemical thinning treatments, it also poses a risk of natural fruit abscission. Given the forecasted temperatures exceeding 80°F with mostly cloudy days this week, I anticipate further carbohydrate deficiency. If you administered the first thinning treatment on April 25-27, you should observe its effects this week (May 7-8). However, if your initial treatment was conducted last week (April 29-May 2), simply wait until May 12-13. By then, you should notice some fruits dropping off easily upon touch, with a noticeable difference in size between retained and dropping fruits.

The situation in Central Virginia presents less risk, with more days of carbohydrate surplus following full bloom. Nevertheless, there has been a significant decline in carbohydrate balance this past week, likely to persist due to high temperatures and reduced solar radiation on certain days this week. Hence, I also advise against thinning treatments this week, recommending waiting until May 10th to ascertain if carbohydrate levels stabilize. Growers who have already applied two thinning treatments (at petal fall and last week) likely have completed thinning for the season, achieving an optimal crop load. For those who applied their first treatment on April 28-30, trees are likely to respond favorably to thinning materials, with a noticeable size separation expected this week (May 8-10).