It doesn't look as over loaded as some I've seen. But some of those smaller apples could have been taken off in early summer. At least take off the apples right next to each other, not now but next year.

The grass looks pretty dry and close by. Could dry weather and competition with the grass be affecting apple size?

Your Empire is at the same stage as my Enterprise. They look identical. The tree looks fine, but I too would thin a bit more for larger apples. Mine oct. apples are just starting to plump up! Mrs. G

I'm seriously thinking of taking the fruits off my Fuji. They're not sizing up at all, compared to the Enterprise which ripens at the same time, and the tree just doesn't look as healthy as I'd like. I was never totally sure about letting it fruit this year, and now I think it was a mistake. I've thinned it to about a dozen fruits, but now I think they all should go.

Wondering if, this late, it'll help the tree to do this.

Itilton how old i your Fuji?

This is its third year in the ground here.

When it came, it was flowering, but I didn't let it set fruit and last year it didn't set any. This year, it set a lot but I thinned it to about 2 dozen, then thinned it again later. There are about a dozen fruits left.

ltilton:

A dozen apples shouldn't stress your tree and removing them this late probably won't make any difference, certainly not in next years bloom. They still have two months to make a decent apple.

I'm with Fruitnut. Leave them on. That is not a lot of apples. I have a Mott's Pink that is a very young three year old, and I left on three apples this spring. They'll be fine. Its the apple like my Enterprise that is finally producing only 12 apples seven years later! Mrs. G

Beautiful tree and fruit.

Dry weather is not an issue where I am. This year has been almost perfect. Rain every so often in reasonable amounts. Temp hot. Though the last two weeks have been a bit dryer and a bit cooler.

The grass is very close. I have kept it down in the immediate area, but not further out.

The current issue of the IL fruit & vegetable newsletter reports growers concerned about late apple drop with the hot/dry weather we're getting now.

None of mine are dropping yet, but I may go out with the hose.