All winter long, apple trees in New York have been taking a nap. After producing last year’s abundant apple crop, apple tree limbs were tired and needed a rest. With the crop off and the leaves on the ground, apple trees go into a dormant stage, or a deep sleep. The upper sap in the wood flows back into the ground or the roots, and prepares for the long, cold winter. If the sap remained in the tree, and extreme low temperatures were to occur, the chance of the sap freezing and splitting the wood is possible. Mother Nature once again protects her children.
The picture on the bottom left depicts a typical sleeping orchard. Trees will remain dormant until the spring sun and warmer temperature trigger the flow of sap from the roots and starts to push upward into the branches and buds. What happens next is the miracle of the process as the leaves emerge and buds produce the first flowers of the tree. On the top right of the picture, the tiny buds are entering the pink stage, and as temperatures rise, the pink will turn to full bloom. At this stage, the apple crop is most vulnerable and is at risk of weather-related injury from frost and freeze damage.
Many of New York's orchards are situated around large bodies of water, such as the Hudson River, Lake Champlain and Lake Ontario. The cooling effect of the water helps hold back the development of the blossoms in the early spring, which often offers less risk of freeze damage. Each blossom has the potential to be a crunchy, tasty New York apple in about five months.
