How We Grow Series – Twisting the Apple

How to properly pick an Apple

Apple Holler is unlike any other orchard. Our efforts in being ecologically-friendly help us grow our one-of-a-kind apples each year. In honor of apple season, we would like to share how we maintain our orchard to make it safe and the best it can be for all customers. We are now introducing a new series called “How We Grow”, which will give you an inside look at our processes. This week we are showing the correct way to pick an apple from our 30,000 trees!

Apples ripen from the outside of the tree towards the center, so the apples on the outside of the tree will ripen first. An apple is ripe enough to pick if it separates easily from the branch. Another way to check to see if an apple is truly ripe is to taste it, which is included in your Apple Holler experience fee!

Once you know apples are ripe, then you’re ready to pick. A common method most people use to pick apples is to grab hold and pull until they come off the tree. However, this can not only cause damage to the tree, but it can also cause apples to fall off.

Since apples grow on the spur of a tree and not the branch, pulling directly from the tree can cause the spur to come with it, which eliminates the valuable fruit-producing branch, along with the number of places on the tree that can produce apples.

To correctly pick an apple, use an upward twisting method and apply slight pressure with the palm of your hand instead of pulling. This will force the stem of the apple to separate from the spur branch. This way, the tree will avoid damage, and there will be more apples for picking!