Learn how to grow apples the right way and avoid problems with their fruits Today I talk a little about how to grow apples.The apple is one of the most consumed fruits in Brazil. Being the fruit of the apple tree, a tree that has its origin in East Asia in the Middle East, although typical of a place with a temperate climate, the apple tree may need a little cold to fully develop.
The tree can reach a height of up to 10 meters and have a rounded crown that offers good shade in addition to a smooth bark and brown color, its leaves are pink or white and very aromatic.
Most common features:
This fruit is widely cultivated in Brazil and the most common varieties are the gala and the fuji, which represent about 90% of the total apple cultivation in the country. The fuji variety usually produces fruit between April and May, offering succulent and sweet fruits. The gala usually bears fruit at the beginning of the year between January and February. Due to the soft color of its fruits, this tree is being replaced by a variety of trees that offer more red fruits such as the imperial gala and royal gala.
The apple tree bears fruit between the 5th to the 30th year with new techniques and the refinement that is being done on the apple tree seeds. They can now have a shelf life and bear fruit earlier and longer. Planting should be carried out between June and August, and the tree bears fruit between September and October.
Cultivation should be carried out starting from the planting of grafted seedlings that result in healthier trees that develop more quickly or through seeds obtained from apples although growing with apples is more labor intensive.
The ideal soil for planting apple trees is clayey or sandy loam with a pH close to 6.
The planting area must be protected against strong winds and must not present slopes that exceed 20% the soil may need to be enriched with phosphorus or potassium and it is necessary to prepare the ground by digging a hole 60 centimeters deep and applying half the amount of limestone three months before planting, a few days later drainage is carried out and at this time it is mixed with the soil or remaining limestone, the measure of limestone must be purchased at a specialized store about a month before planting.
The soil must be fertilized with standard fertilizer easily found in gardening stores, barnyards or chicken manure, after planting the seeds it is necessary to subject the planting region to the cold to wake up or break the seed dormancy and start its vegetative cycle for it to start producing in regions with a warmer climate, there are products that simulate this dormancy break. These products can be found in specialized stores.
It is necessary to monitor the growth of the plant, remove weeds that may arise, perform pest control, irrigate the plant periodically, control bad fruits, must be carried out, removing weeds that may appear, performing pest control, irrigating the plant periodically, controlling bad fruits must be carried out by removing malformed, diseased, stained, and weak apples that can harm the others. Following these cultivation and maintenance tips, the apple tree will produce for years providing pleasant shade, ornamental flowers, and delicious fruits that can be consumed fresh or in the preparation of sweets, pies and other foods
I talked a little about large-scale cultivation, but if you want to plant at home you can do it from seeds or by buying a seedling that has already been grafted and simply mixing a little limestone with phosphorus or potassium along with the soil in the pot or in the hole that you are preparing for planting.
Whenever you plant at home, it’s good to pump as soon as you can. Helping the plant to develop sometimes even bears a little bigger fruit, but remembering that some plants that you find in the market are not the same thing as some plants that you will plant at home because they are genetically altered from the beginning of their formation.
Now if your future goal is really to produce apples. Plant several different types, apple trees need varieties, which are pollinators to produce. Not all types of apples are pollinators, so if you prefer to plant your apple tree outside, choose a sunny spot with plenty of space. Plant the seeds in early spring and fence the site off to protect from animals.
It’s great to make this a project for the kids or to satisfy their curiosity.
Once the delicate seeds grow, great care is needed for the seedlings to thrive. If the goal is to harvest delicious apples in the future, I recommend dwarf apple trees, they are the best choice, they are firmer and easier to grow than most types. A warning, do not water the plant too much, this can cause rot even if they sprout. Hope I helped, a big hug
