Why Grow Organic Apples
Apples are synonymous with wholesomeness and purity. Phrases like “as American as apple pie” and “rosy apple cheeks” conjure images of tradition, health, and vigor. Unfortunately, commercially grown apples contain some of the highest pesticide residues of all commonly consumed fruit. It’s normal for commercial apple growing operations to apply up to 20 spray applications in one growing season.
Although apples are one of the more challenging orchard fruits to grow using organic methods, families can accomplish small-scale organic apple cultivation to provide enough fruits for canning, eating out of hand, baking, and sharing. Organically grown apples may not look as picture-perfect as conventionally grown apples, but the taste is superb.
Choose Disease and Pest Resistant Apple Varieties
The most significant apple diseases include scab, mildew, and fireblight. Growers are developing newer disease-resistant varieties, but don’t exclude heirloom varieties from the organic garden. Most apple varieties require at least two trees for pollination, but some grafted varieties are self-pollinating.
Tart apples good for pies and canning include Bramley’s Seedling and Liberty. A fine substitution for the conventionally grown Golden Delicious is Hudson’s Golden Gem. William’s Pride is a sweet variety great for eating fresh. Kidd’s Orange-Red is an heirloom variety with fireblight resistance.
Practice Sound Organic Cultural Practices
Like most organic gardening, growing apples organically starts with good soil. Don’t plant apple trees directly into the lawn; apples don’t withstand competition from turf well. Prepare the soil with ample amounts of compost, as this contributes the nitrogen and drainage apples need. Plant the young trees in the fall or early spring, while the trees are still dormant. This reduces shock and allows the tree to direct all of its energy to root development.
Surround the apple trees with a 3-inch layer of organic mulch. A cover crop like alfalfa or sweet clover makes suitable mulch. Plant the cover crop in the summer and turn it under the following spring. Apple growers that use straw or wood chip mulch must keep it away from the trunk, or bark-nibbling mice could take up residence.
Control Early and Late Season Apple Diseases
Apple scab is the most problematic early season disease that requires control. Organic gardeners can prevent this disease by practicing good orchard hygiene: remove all fallen fruits and dead apple leaves from beneath the trees in winter. This deprives the disease of a spot to spend the winter. Dormant oil spray is another organic method that controls apple scab. Apply the spray in late winter.
Sooty blotch and fly speck are the most common late season apple diseases. They are fungi that thrive in warm, humid regions, especially when night temperatures remain above 70 degrees. Cultural control methods include increasing air circulation by pruning the canopy, and thinning excess fruits. Prune the branches of the apple trees in late winter, so that summer rains dry quickly. Allow no more than two fruits per spur in the apple tree by thinning fruits a month after fruit set.
Related Article: Organic Pest Control
Source:
Rodale, R. (1999). The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening. Rodale Books, Inc: Emmaus, PA.
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