ELi5: Can plants be “overweight” if they produce too much food in the similar fashion to how animals gain weight if they eat too much food?

Question

When animals eat too much food, they gain weight. What happens to a plant that produces too much food via photosynthesis? Can plants be overweight?

In: Biology

Answer 1

I bought my house four years ago, and we watered a half cut down little tree in my backyard, not knowing it was a peach tree. Winter, and spring passed, that first summer, it produced maybe 30/40ish peaches. A buddy of mine gave me advice and said “Put a piece of ribbon tape on every little branch shoot that doesn’t produce peaches. When winter hits and the nutrients go back in the ground, slice those branches off.”

Sounded easy peasey, so I did it. Next year, I had over 100 peaches. Rinse and repeat for several more years.

Last summer, I produced so many peaches half of my tree snapped in half. I plan on adding supports to my wild branches this year so it doesn’t happen again… I love peaches!