Apple Trees in Summer

Spraying the Crops

Summertime in New York Apple Country

Fertilizing and tree training round out the busy June calendar. Small fruit begins to form. Limbs must be tied up or weighted down to spread the young tree into the perfect shape. The science and art of growing apples, which is known as pomology, has become a very refined practice, and apple producers attend regional meetings and classes to keep abreast of the latest information and technology.

In some dry years, irrigation must be used during July. Fruit size and firmness are affected by moisture in this critical month. Spraying, mowing, and shaping practices continue, and some summer pruning is done to expose growing fruit to the sunlight for better ripening and color.

August is the last growing month before the apples begin to ripen. Red apples need the assistance of cool nights during harvest to trigger an enzyme which increases the amount of color or "blush". Mowing is completed and bins are positioned throughout the orchard. Ladders are repaired and the harvest logistics are carefully planned.

Storage rooms must be cleaned and their refrigeration systems tested. Most growers store some of their fruit in Controlled Atmosphere (CA) rooms where the temperature is rapidly brought down to between 32º and 38º, depending on variety, and the oxygen is lowered and replaced with nitrogen to slow the ripening process. Apples come out of these rooms months later as fresh as the day they were picked.

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