Growing Apples

Propagation

Many fruit varieties are 'grafted'. That is, a small sample of a mature plant (scion) is joined to a sapling (rootstock) and a the pieces grow together. The is done for several reasons:

Maintaining a desirable variety. Apples grown from seed are NEVER like the parent fruit.
(Much like people :-) In order to perpetuate kinds we like, plants must be cloned. Grafting is
an easy way to do this.

Rootstock Effect. The root that a scion is grafted onto confers many traits to the resulting
tree. Tree size is an important choice - various 'dwarfing rootstocks' allow a wide selection
of final tree size - from about 5-25ft. Rootstocks are also selection for adaptation to local
climate and disease resistance.

This is 'bench' grafting:

Care and Pruning

As trees grow, they must be cared for. The most basic task is shaping the growth of the tree year after year. Cutting out cross-over branches and dead-wood is known as 'pruning'.

IPM (Integrated Pest Management)

Pest Management is always a concern for fruit growers. High fruit (nutrient) density always attracts organisms trying to exploit the bounty. Many techniques are available ranging from purely 'organic' controls to hi-tech chemicals. IPM is a strategy that uses knowledge of pest life cycles and ecology, fruit growth patterns, local climate and seasonal weather to determine which controls to use (selecting the best from organic and chemical techniques) and when to use them for maximum efficacy.

IPM is a strategy AND a goal. Every year teaches you more about your fruit and how to better address your farm's special issues.

Our special concern - and our remedy: