An apple is a type of deciduous tree that produces the fruit known as apples. Apples are among the most commonly grown fruits worldwide. They are generally round in shape and can be green or red in color. The domestic apple tree is thought to have originated from Western Asia and the Mediterranean, with several wild ancestors. China leads the world in apple production. For farmers with the right land, climate, and markets, apple farming can be both profitable and fulfilling.
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| Apples Ready for Harvesting |
Apple Uses and Nutritional Benefits
Apples are often eaten
fresh, but they can also be baked or cooked. They can be made into applesauce,
cider, vinegar, juice, or butter. Slices can be dried for future use. Apples
are also a source for extracting fructose and pectin. They are packed with
fiber, Vitamin C, minerals, and antioxidants.
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These fruits provide
soluble fiber, which can help with digestive issues. They assist in regulating
insulin levels by releasing sugar gradually into the bloodstream. Apples may
also lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of respiratory problems. They are
known for helping detoxify and cleanse the body. Traditionally, apples have
been used to treat ailments like fever, dysentery, diarrhea, and constipation.
Apple Varieties
There are thousands of
apple varieties across the globe, each with unique traits like size, color,
shape, taste, texture, ripening time, storage life, and resistance to diseases.
Apples can be grouped into three main types: cider, cooking, and dessert
varieties. These types vary in aspects such as color, size, smell, smoothness,
crunchiness, and tangy flavor.
Some well-known apple varieties include Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, McIntosh, Jonagold, and Pink Lady.
Basic Requirements
Apple trees thrive in warm climates and cooler regions. . Just like The Kiwi Fruit Farming: A Goldmine, it requires precise knowledge, investment and time. A newly planted apple orchard takes 5 years to give commercial yield. However once fruiting starts then it continues till 30 years.
They need a mild growing season and cold winters
to break dormancy. In cooler areas, the trees bloom in spring and the fruit
ripens in fall. In tropical regions, the trees stay greener longer, flowering
and fruiting throughout the year, unless they are trained to grow uniformly.
Soils
Apple trees prefer rich, well-drained, and airy loamy-sandy soil, with a slightly acidic to neutral pH of 5.5 to 6.5. It's important to test your soil before planting and add organic matter, lime, or sulfur if needed.
Irrigation
During flowering and fruiting, apples need
plenty of moisture. In hotter regions, you must irrigate your trees. However, too
much water near the roots can lead to diseases and lower yields. Drip
irrigation is the best way to water apple trees.
Growing an Apple Tree from Seed
An apple tree grown from
seed typically takes six to ten years to mature and bear fruit. These trees grow
to a height of 5 to 10 meters, developing a central trunk that branches out.
The leaves are oval, reaching lengths of up to 13 centimeters and widths of 7
centimeters.
Propagation
The most common way to
propagate apple trees is through budding. When starting an apple nursery or
orchard, planting seedlings that have been budded from rootstock is essential.
This prevents increased bud dormancy. Pruning budded trees in their first year
promotes new shoot growth.
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Apple trees can also be
propagated through grafting and mound layering. Grafting involves connecting
the rootstock of one plant with the scion of another, usually during the
dormant season with both parts inactive.
Mound layering is used for
apple clonal rootstocks. It involves mounding soil around cut-back shoots,
encouraging roots to grow at their base. A year prior to propagation, stock
plants of 8 to 10 millimeters in diameter are planted in rows and cut back to
45 to 60 centimeters. They are grown for an additional year.
In spring, the plants are
cut back to about 2.5 centimeters above the ground. New shoots appear, and more
soil and bark are added in mounds around them. This process can repeat
throughout the growing season. The shoots are harvested by cutting them close
to their bases. The mother plants are left exposed until new shoots grow,
beginning another cycle of hilling.
Apple seedlings should be
planted 10 to 12 inches deep and spaced 4 to 6 meters apart between trees.
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| An Apple Tree |
Spacing
The recommended plant
density for apple trees in Kenya is 150-200 trees per acre. This means that the
trees should be spaced 15-20 feet apart. This spacing allows the trees to grow
to their full potential and produces a good yield of apples.
The exact spacing may need
to be adjusted depending on the variety of apple tree, the soil type, and the
climate. For example, dwarf apple trees can be planted closer together than
standard apple trees. And in areas with hot, dry summers, the trees may need to
be spaced further apart to allow for better air circulation.
General Care and Maintenance for Apples
In tropical regions, apple
trees need careful management to support heavy fruit loads. This includes
bending shoots, pruning tips, and defoliating. Removing flowers encourages
growth until the first fruit appears, usually after two years.
Harvesting Apples
Apples are ready to pick
when their background skin changes from green to yellow. They come off easily
when harvested. Timing is crucial to ensure the highest quality and longer
storage life.
Picking Techniques
Proper picking techniques
matter greatly. Pulling apples with force can bruise the fruit and detach
stems, which reduces storage quality. Apples picked incorrectly show visible
bruises. Use a gentle palm to pick rather than grabbing. Yanking can remove
spurs, which are necessary for next year’s crop.
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| An Apple Harvest |
Also, avoid mixing apples
that have fallen on the ground with freshly picked ones, as they can carry
contamination. Decaying or rotten apples should be discarded on the ground and
not added to your bin. Avoid dropping apples into your bucket to prevent bruising,
and never squeeze the fruit when picking.
Yield per Acre
The yield of apples per
acre can vary widely based on several factors, including apple variety, orchard
management practices, climate, soil conditions, altitude, and the level of
expertise of the apple farmer. In Kenya, where apple cultivation is still
relatively new and is often challenged by the tropical climate and altitude
variations, achieving consistent and high apple yields per acre may require
careful planning and innovative techniques.
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On average, in
well-established apple-growing regions with favorable conditions, such as
temperate climates, mature apple orchards can yield around 10 to 40 tons of
apples per acre. However, in areas like Kenya, where apple farming faces unique
challenges, including the need to mimic winter chill conditions and adapt to
higher altitudes, the yields may be lower.
Common Pests & Diseases, and their Management
Pests
Spider Mites
Leaves stippled with
yellow; leaves may appear bronzed; webbing covering leaves; mites may be
visible as tiny moving dots on the webs or underside of leaves, best viewed
using a hand lens; usually not spotted until there are visible symptoms on the
plant; leaves turn yellow and may drop from plant.
Management
In the home garden,
spraying plants with a strong jet of water can help reduce buildup of spider
mite populations; if mites become problematic apply insecticidal soap to
plants; certain chemical insecticides may actually increase mite populations by
killing off natural enemies and promoting mite reproduction.
Aphids
Small soft bodied insects
on underside of leaves and/or stems of plant; usually green or yellow in color,
woolly apple aphids are covered in masses of white, wool-like material; green
apple aphids are dark green when they forst hatch and change to yellow-green
with darker green spots as they mature; if aphid infestation is heavy it may
cause leaves to yellow and/or distorted, necrotic spots on leaves and/or
stunted shoots; aphids secrete a sticky, sugary substance called honeydew which
encourages the growth of sooty mold on the plants.
Management
If aphid population is
limited to just a few leaves or shoots then the infestation can be pruned out
to provide control; check transplants for aphids before planting; use tolerant
varieties if available; reflective mulches such as silver colored plastic can
deter aphids from feeding on plants; sturdy plants can be sprayed with a strong
jet of water to knock aphids from leaves; insecticides are generally only
required to treat aphids if the infestation is very high - plants generally
tolerate low and medium level infestation; insecticidal soaps or oils such as
neem or canola oil are usually the best method of control; always check the
labels of the products for specific usage guidelines prior to use.
Apple Maggot
Surface damage caused to
fruit by female laying her eggs; larvae damage flesh by burrowing and feeding.
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Management
Use red spherical sticky
traps to trap adults, place one trap for every 100 apple fruits; bag apples by
tying or stapling polythene bags around fruit to prevent adults laying eggs-cut
corners from bags to ensure air supply to fruit; spray fruit with insecticide
prior to eggs being laid.
Leaf Rollers
Leaves of plant rolled and
tied together with silk webbing; feeding damage to rolled leaves; defoliation
of plant; silk webbing may also be present on fruits and fruits may have
substantial scarring from feeding damage; larvae wriggle vigorously when
disturbed and may drop from plant on a silken thread.
Management
Monitor plants regularly
for signs of infestation; remove weeds from plant bases as they can act as
hosts for leafrollers; Bacillus thuringiensis or other
appropriate one may be applied to control insects on organically grown plants;
apply sprays carefully to ensure that treatment reaches inside rolled leaves.
Diseases
1. Fungal
Apple scab
It is caused by Venturia
inaequalis.
Symptoms: They include
yellow or faded spots on leaves, dark green spots on leaves and fruit, and
possible velvety growth on the undersides of leaves. Leaves may twist and
become distorted, and those that are severely infected will turn yellow and
drop from the tree.
Cause: Fungus. The fungus
survives the winter on dead leaves on the ground. Wind spreads its spores, and
high moisture levels promote its growth.
Management
To manage this issue, remove
all fallen leaves in the fall and compost them to stop diseases from lingering.
You might need to apply zinc and fertilizer-grade urea in the fall to help
leaves drop faster, followed by adding lime to the fallen leaves. If leaves
stay wet for more than nine hours, fungicides may be required. Use copper soaps
or Bordeaux mixture if wet conditions are likely as soon as leaf tips appear.
Black Rot
Symptoms Look for purple
spots or round brown lesions with purple edges on leaves and fruit. You may
also see red spots, purple lesions, and black rings on fruit.
Cause: This issue is caused by a fungus. The fungus can survive winter in
leftover twigs or fruit on the tree and spreads when it rains.
Management: To control the spread of disease, remove dead wood, dried fruit,
and cankers from the trees. Burn any cut branches. Fungicides can help manage
the problem from the silver tip stage until harvest.
Cider Apple Rust
Symptoms
You may notice bright
orange or yellow spots on the top of leaves, surrounded by a red band and small
black dots. By mid-summer, cup-shaped structures called aecia appear on the
bottoms of the leaves, later releasing spores.
Cause: This is also caused
by a fungus. The fungus needs two hosts to grow. It creates galls on Eastern
red cedar and uses wind to spread spores to apple trees. Avoid planting apple
trees too close to red cedar.
Management: Where
possible, choose resistant varieties. Remove any nearby red cedar. If you grow
vulnerable varieties near red cedar, follow a fungicide program.
Flyspeck
Flyspeck appears as shiny
black dots on fruit surfaces, arranged in irregular or circular patterns.
Cause: This condition is
caused by a fungus. Outbreaks typically happen after hot summers with lots of
rain.
Management: To manage it,
prune trees to allow better air circulation and drying of the fruit.
Preventative fungicides can also be used.
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew shows up as
white, velvety patches on the underside of leaves, with yellow spots on the
top.
Cause: It is also caused
by a fungus. The spores survive in buds over winter and spread through the
wind.
Management: Management includes pruning infected shoots in early spring and applying sprays during the pink bud stage to limit growth. Organic options include using lime and sulfur treatment.
Sooty Blotch and Flyspeck
Sooty blotches with an
indefinite margin on surface of fruit; blotches may coalesce to cover entire
fruit; shiny black fungal fruiting bodies appear as dots arranged in irregular
to circular pattern on fruit surface
Cause:
Fungi.
Infections occur mainly during periods of high rainfall and high humidity
Management:
Plant
trees in area with good sunlight and air circulation; prune trees to an open
center; blemishes superficial and can be washed off
2. Bacterial
Fire Blight
Symptoms: The plant looks
scorched, and infected spots may have a watery substance.
Cause: Bacterium: The bacterium survives in bark or cankers and spreads through
pollinating insects and rain.
Management: Remove any
diseased wood. Use Bordeaux mixture or approved copper treatments for organic
methods. Applying streptomycin or copper to blossoms may be needed to stop the
spread.
Phytophthora Crown and Root Rot
Symptoms: Leaves droop but
stay on the tree; growth is stunted; signs of early aging appear; dark cankers
form at the soil line, and the bark looks slimy when wet.
Cause: Fungus: Infection thrives in soils that do not drain well.
Management: Maintain proper watering to prevent this disease. Avoid
over-watering or letting water pool around the roots. Once infected, there is
no cure for Phytophthora, and all apple varieties are vulnerable to this
pathogen.
- Seedlings per acre: standard of 150-200 trees
- Spacing: 4-6 between trees
- Fruit market price: Ksh. 15-30 per fruit
- Yield: 15-20 tons
- Common pests: Aphids, Spider Mites, Leaf Rollers, Apple Maggot
- Common diseases: Phytophthora Crown and Root Rot, Powdery mildew, Fire Blight, Flyspeck Sooty Blotch
- Lifespan: Deciduous
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the appropriate plant spacing for apples?
- Is apple farming profitable in Kenya?
- What are the common pest and diseases in apple cultivation?
- How is the yield per acre for apples?
- What are the nutritional benefits of apples?
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