Abundant harvests reported across Finland as trees yield impressive fruits and acorns

This autumn, many trees in Finland are heavily laden with their abundant yields. Not only apple trees but also oaks have produced a large number of acorns. Rowan trees are filled with berries, and ornamental apple trees boast an impressive amount of large fruit. Observations of these bountiful harvests have been reported across various regions of Finland.

Katri Himanen, a researcher at the Natural Resources Institute Finland, notes that particularly in the capital region and Savonia, tree branches are sagging under the weight of the fruit. The factors behind this year’s substantial yields can be traced back to the summer of the previous year. Trees “decide” during that time whether they will bloom profusely the following year. A hot and dry mid-summer benefits the flowering for the next cycle.

This year’s weather also favored a significant harvest, with an early warm spring and successful pollination for ornamental apple trees and rowan trees. Additionally, rainfall was timely throughout the summer. Himanen explains that producing a large harvest is taxing for trees and cannot occur every year, as it demands significant energy from the tree. For example, if a spruce produces many cones, its growth is noticeably reduced during that same summer.

In Kymenlaakso, biology teacher Jenni Salmi has observed a robust yield of berries and acorns this autumn. She notes the positive impact on animals, especially squirrels and berry-eating birds. The increased availability of food allows squirrels to build fat reserves and stockpile for the winter, aiding their survival until spring, when they can then reproduce effectively.