Steps to familiarize yourself with apple production

1. The apple grower must first plan his new plantings by choosing the apple varieties he wishes to produce. He chooses varieties that are suited to the climate and soil type of his orchard, and that appeal to consumer tastes.
2. The apple tree is formed from the union of a scion and a rootstock (image). The scion is the aerial part of the tree that bears the fruit, while the rootstock is its root system.
3. The apple grower has to wait 3 to 4 years to harvest the first apples and a few more years to reach a good yield (around 7 years).
4. Apple trees need essential nutrients to produce a good crop. Fertilization begins before the trees are planted. The apple grower must ensure that the soil is properly prepared to guarantee the long-term productivity of the orchard. Subsequently, an annual supply of nitrogen and potassium is added to the crop to guarantee growth and harvest productivity.
5. Apple trees need to be pruned to improve fruit quality and size. The apple grower carries out two types of pruning: winter pruning and summer pruning. Winter pruning is used to form the framework of a young tree, or to renew the fruit set[1] of trees in production. Summer pruning, on the other hand, controls vegetative vigour and improves fruit coloration.
6. To obtain a good harvest, the grower must ensure good pollination. This is why he installs beehives in his orchard during the flowering period.
7. Shortly after flowering, the apple grower must carry out thinning, which consists in removing a certain number of fruits per branch in order to optimize the quantity and quality of fruit on the tree.
8. In order to protect their orchards from various insect pests and diseases, apple growers must use integrated pest management (IPM) methods. The apple grower scouts his orchard for insects and diseases. This makes it possible to carefully monitor the appearance of insect and disease thresholds that could cause crop damage. When thresholds are reached, the apple grower intervenes by applying the right phytosanitary product at the recommended dose to preserve the integrity and quality of the crop.
9. Apples are picked at their optimum ripeness for their intended use. This is done by determining the starch content and firmness of the apples. The apples are then either transferred to refrigerated or controlled-atmosphere warehouses, or packed and sold for immediate consumption.

[1] Fruiting is a phenological phenomenon that transforms flowers into fruit through fertilization.