Benefits to Thinning

• It takes an average of 50 leaves to produce one apple. Using a spray to inhibit fruit production will help to thin out your harvest. Thinning fruit trees is the action of removing a portion of set fruit. Thinning out your heavy laden fruit trees has many benefits. These benefits include larger and higher quality fruit, more consistent yearly crops, early maturity and an easier and cheaper harvest period. Less mess on the ground from unharvested fruit is one of the best benefits of all. With larger fruit, the fruit will be easier to clean up.
  
  

Ethephon

• Ethephon is a plant hormone that you can apply to a plant in a solution. Once inside the plant, ethophon changes to ethylene, the only gaseous hormone in the plant world. Ethylene is responsible for ripening fruit and is commonly used commercially in ripening bananas and tomatoes. When used on certain flowering fruit trees, the result is the dropping of the small, immature fruits. Ethephon can be found in a commercial spray at your garden center.
  
  

What Fruit Ethephon Works On

• Ethephon will help reduce those messy crab apples on your sidewalks and lawn.Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
  
  Unfortunately, ethephon is not listed for all fruit trees. It is listed as being effective on apple, crab apple, carob, cottonwood, elm, flowering pear, horsechestnut, maple, oak, olive, pine, sour orange, sweetgum and sycamore. Ethephon has not been tested on all fruit trees, and can be tested on a small portion of the fruit tree you desire to reduce fruit production. Use a lower rate of application to determine how effective the product will be at inhibiting fruit.
  
  

How to Spray Ethephon

• Timing is everything to achieve the desired effect. For best results, apply ethephon before the fruit sets. When the tree is in full bloom, thoroughly wet the blossoms. Make sure not to apply to the point that the spray is dripping off the tree. This can cause some defoliation. Never spray a tree that is under stress from insects, drought or disease. Spray when temperatures are between 60 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. You may witness some temporary yellowing of the leaves or drooping of older leaves. Always check the label for mixing instructions.