Yes, apple trees do need to be pollinated. Furthermore, they need to be cross-pollinated by a different species of apple tree that is in the same pollination group, or one that is close by. The same pollination group simply means a type of apple of a different type that flowers at the same time as the one you need pollinated.

If you know the name of your apple tree then Google 'Apple Pollination Groups' and you will be able to find suitable trees in the same group.

You could rely on nature, this is assuming that there is a suitable tree nearby for the bees to do their job, and bees do sometimes travel quite a distance to collect their nectar. The best thing to do is to buy an additional tree that is suitable to cross-pollinate yours, bearing in mind that this must be of a different type to the one you already have.

There are so called self-pollinating apple trees, and yours could be one. However, these self-pollinating trees will also benefit tremendously and give a better fruit yield from cross-pollination with a different type.

I once "aquired" a small branchlet of apple blossom form elsewhere (honestly can't remember where - it might have been a self sown one along the old railway track) and put it in a bottle at the foot of my lone tree. It worked"!

Wow! What a good idea. That's something I've never heard of Steragram, but thinking about it, it's totally feasible, and this could be an easy way to cross-pollinate plants... Physically bring the man to the woman so to speak. Isn't that the case for humans? Haha.

You might have stumbled on something Steragram, I might try this myself. This is one of the reasons why I like GoY... Always something to learn from other members.

Next problem - who to nick it from....

Well Steragram, just thought I'd let you know that I've just this minute finished filing a patent for this idea. Haha.

thanks so much for all your help kind regards

'physically bring the man to the woman' I like that Myron - but it does rather sound as if the man is being dragged, and my (very good) memory tells me that, in fact, far from being dragged, the average fertile woman is beating them off with a stick...

Sorry Myron i shall contest the patent because I can prove prior publication (ie the order of posts in this blog is all I'll need...)

Shucks :o(

Better luck next time Myron. ;~)