6 Reasons Your Fruit Trees Are Dropping Fruit—and How to Fix It for Bigger Harvests

Just like seeing a fruit tree not bear fruit, it can be just as disheartening seeing more fruit on the ground under your tree than on the tree itself. But why exactly are your fruit trees dropping their fruit? And can anything be done about it? We chatted with an expert arborist to find out. The good news is that some fruit drop is normal, and most issues are fixable. Here, we explain why your fruit tree is losing some of its fruit before it's fully ripe and what you can do to fix it.

Natural Thinning

Some fruit drop is a natural part of the tree's life cycle. "Also known as 'June drop,' it is normal for some fruit trees like apples and pears to naturally drop some of their fruit in the early or mid-summer months," says Andy Ferguson, an orchardist, farmer, and co-owner of Ferguson’s Orchards. This can happen because a fruit tree might make more fruit than it can sustain, and all this fruit strains the tree’s limited resources.

Natural thinning is unavoidable, so there isn’t much of a fix to this issue. "Try to ignore the failed fruit under the tree and instead concentrate on what you’re going to do with all that delicious remaining fruit," says Ferguson. That said, he suggests pruning your fruit trees at the right time to decide which fruit has more room to grow. "Rather than leaving it up to the tree and hoping it doesn’t over- or under-thin itself, you can help by removing select branches and fruitlets," he says.

Poor Pollination

Issues during pollination can cause some potential fruits to drop on the ground. "This will appear as miniature pea-sized fruit littering the ground under the tree," Ferguson explains. This can occur from a lack of pollinators such as bees. "Fortunately, pollination issues largely affect that year’s crop only, not the future health of the tree itself," he says.

You can help fix this issue by providing a favorable habitat for pollinators, such as planting wildflowers in a pollinator garden and other types of fruit. "Commercial orchards and groves often bring in dozens or even hundreds of bee hives to ensure uniform pollination," says Ferguson. However, your yard can already house plenty of pollinators beyond bees, like certain types of flies, wasps, butterflies, and more.

Extreme Weather Fluctuations

Though some fruit trees thrive in cold climates, many varieties cannot handle extreme weather changes. "Wide fluctuations during the growing season can stress the tree and cause it to drop its fruit to preserve the tree’s health and longevity," says Ferguson.

While you can't control how hot or cold it is outside, there are measures you can take to reduce the stress put on your fruit tree during weather extremes. When temperatures are high, water your fruit tree more and add mulch around the soil to keep it cool and preserve moisture. When it's unseasonably cool, consider protecting your tree with burlap or row covers.

Over or Underwatering

Giving your tree too much or too little water can also put stress on your fruit tree, causing it to lose its fruit. "Ensure your trees receive an adequate amount of water during the growing season, and if you are concerned they’re receiving too much water, confirm there is proper drainage available," Ferguson suggests.

Don't Miss

15 Fast-Growing Fruit Trees That Will Yield a Delicious Harvest in No Time

How Often to Water Fruit Trees for the Best Harvests Every Year, According to Arborists

Pests and Disease

If a tree is sick from a bacterial or fungal infection, it may abandon its fruit to conserve resources. "Certain insects like codling moth or plum curculio can lay larvae in the fruit’s core, causing development issues and premature dropping," Ferguson says. A fruit tree’s primary concern is its overall health, so it might sacrifice its fruit to combat pests attacking it.

To help control insect damage, Ferguson recommends using traps or pheromone mating disruption, a pest control method that reduces mating to minimize infestations. Most garden centers and nurseries offer organic compounds to help limit disease growth in your trees, he adds. Or, you could opt for fruit trees that naturally repel pests.

Nutrient Deficiencies

If a tree doesn’t have enough nutrient resources available in the soil, it will favor its health over its fruit, causing an early drop, Ferguson says. To fix this problem, ensure your soil has enough nutrients needed for the tree to thrive. "A shortage of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, or calcium can lead the tree to abandon its fruit," says Ferguson. Conduct a soil test to learn what nutrients are or are not available in your soil, and amend it accordingly.