How are Your Apples?

What will the 2008 apple crop be like? Only One knows for sure; and it is early. Right now, major US apple growing regions have been hit with a number of things that will affect the quality and quantity of this year's crop.

Frost


Earlier this Spring, frosts affected some apples in Washington State and Michigan. Fruit buds were killed, thus reducing some of the crop's potential.

June Drop


Apples in some areas, such as Michigan, experienced a very heavy June drop this year. Apple trees normally shed fruit this time of year. Growers also intentionally thin the crop in order to grow larger fruit. When too much drops, yield potential is decreased.


Hail


There have been a number of thunderstorms across Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia that have been hit by hail. Hail can damage the fruit, knocking it out of contention for sale as fresh fruit. Often, the fruit can be sold for processing, however, the apple grower receives less money for the fruit.


Scab


Many areas experienced alot of rain early in the growing season. Diseases, such as Apple Scab occur when apple leaves and fruit stay wet for long periods of time. Temperatures must also be warm enough for the apple scab spores to germinate and infect apple tissue. Usually buds and leaves are infected early. The lesions here can later sporulate and spread the scab to the fruit via wind and rain. Apple scab groing on the fruit, like hail, can kick the fruit out of fresh market category to a processing category.


The various apple production regions may have experienced none to all of the above factors. Today, it looks like the fresh apple crop will be down this season. How much it will be down depends on many factors, including the rest of this year's growing season.