Green Fruit Thinning

Green Fruit Thinning Facts: Green fruit thinning is the removal of excess small apples. This occurs in the Spring In traditional orchards it is done from the ladder and ground. In some trellised orchards mobile platforms are used for the higher fruit. Fruit and stem are removed with a quick movement of the thumb and first finger. Excess fruit is dropped to the ground or may end up on the platform.

Major components:

• Fruit is picked rapidly, sometimes several at a time and dropped to the ground.
• More overhead reaching and extending arms than for pruning, because loppers extended the reach.
• Task is often performed by women.
• Ladder slip and fall hazards.
• Green fruit on ground or platform may contribute to potential slips and falls.

Common Hazards and Conditions

See the following pruning and harvest sections:

• Pruning Eye injuries
• Pruning Repetitive motion injuries and see: Evaluation of the patient with shoulder complaints, by B. Anderson and R. Anderson, UpToDate.
• Falls – harvest, orchards large
• Packing house slips, trips & falls