The apple is one of the most popular fruits. Not only because it has gained the reputation of being the healthiest , but because it appears in a variety of stories . From the tale of Snow White by the Grimm brothers, to Adam and Eve… And even being the logo of Apple, one of the most famous companies in the world. It is so popular, isn't it?
But, despite having so much fame, it is still a fruit that is cultivated and grows in the fields. That is why, through this article we are going to focus on the part of the apple that interests us most as farmers: how it is grown . For this, we will rely on the words of Luisa. She, together with her daughter Ana, grow apples organically on their farm in El Baztán, in Navarra.
But to start with this story, let's go back to the beginning of everything. Once upon a time, there was a little tree that bore red fruits...
History and origin of the apple
The apple is the fruit of the apple tree and belongs to the Rosaceae family , just like the wild and delicious blackberry . On the outside, apples can be different colors: red, yellow and green. Depending on the variety, it is sweet, sour or balanced between both flavors. Although sometimes the flesh can be a little floury, the most popular is undoubtedly the one with a very crunchy flesh.
As with other fruits and vegetables, it is believed that it already existed in prehistoric times. Remains of it have been found in excavations dating back to the Neolithic period. The truth is that sometimes it seems incredible that the fruits and vegetables we eat are so old. In fact, agriculture dates back to the Neolithic period itself , so the apple is as old as the act of farming itself.
And it has even more history because in the 12th century BC apple trees were grown on the banks of the Nile River , at the time of Pharaoh Ramses III. It was introduced to our continent by the Arabs, a fact that apple trees share with orange trees . Then in the 16th century, Spanish explorers expanded its cultivation from Europe to the American continent. Just the opposite of what happened with the potato .
Agriculture has always been so important to humanity that it is not difficult to find similarities throughout its history. The possibility that a seed coming from Asia, America or Europe can be planted in any fertile land is incredible.
Well, now let's continue and, together with Luisa, we will learn about apple cultivation.
How are apples grown?
Luisa and Ana's farm is located in a beautiful valley, surrounded by mountains and filled with pure spring water. There, their apple trees grow peacefully, at their own pace, accompanied by the sound of birds and the humming of bees. But these little trees have not arrived there alone. They have been planted, Luisa tells us about this:
Apple trees come on trees with roots, they are small trees and you have to plant them as soon as they arrive . If you can't plant them right away, you can leave them for a week with the roots wet, but they come with bare roots. This is how these trees from our farm arrived, which have been planted since 2019. That is, they are five years old.
They are now the size of an adult tree. And they will not continue to grow, you cannot let them grow as much as they want, on the contrary, you have to control them so that the sun hits all the branches . That is why they are pruned in height every year.
Luisa, like most people who work in the countryside, is passionate about her work . She believes in what she does and it shows on her farm, in the care that the trees look and, of course, in the taste of her apples. Remember that by visiting our online store, you can buy these delicious organic apples .
Meanwhile, we continue talking about cultivation and he tells us two key points: sunlight and planting frame.
It is very important that the apples have sun , so the height depends on the planting frame . The planting frame has to do with the distance between the trees and the distance between the streets. For example, in this farm the distance between the streets is 3.5 and the distance between the trees is 1 meter.
In this image you can see the distance between the streets and how the branches are positioned so that the apples receive sunlight.
The streets that Luisa names are the rows of trees that are 3.5 meters apart . In turn, from tree to tree in each row, there is a distance of 1 meter. If the trees were to shade each other, they would be preventing the blocks below from receiving sunlight, which is why what she is telling us is of vital importance.
At the same time, and for this reason, we must not let them grow too much upwards. Luisa explains:
They are trees planted intensively, so they should never be allowed to grow more than 3.5 m. That is why they are pruned to 3.20 m so that they do not shade each other from street to street.
A tree that adapts
From her farm in Baztán, Luisa continues telling us about the trees and their fruits:
The apple tree adapts to many terrains and climates , but it is true that, in the past, it was found in the north. Now, thanks to technology and different fertilizers, it also grows in the south...
The tree adapts to many climates and different types of soil, which is why there are apple trees practically all over Europe. In Mérida, in the south of Navarra, and in the north, the difference is the type of fertilizer and the number of hours of irrigation. Here, as the soil has a lot of organic matter, less irrigation is required than in other, poorer soils.
In addition, Luisa's apple trees are watered with pure spring water from the same valley. It is rich in minerals and is not contaminated at all. This, of course, gives the fruit great quality. Tell me if this place where the water that irrigates the apples comes from doesn't seem like something out of a fable:
Apple tree production and thinning
At Campos del Abuelo we cultivate respecting nature's timing and in the case of Luisa and Ana's apples, they are grown following the same premise.
Production here is not very generous. We don't want it to be very generous either, because then if you produce a lot, the quality is not the same. Or you have to invest a lot to produce a lot. In our case, we let the tree produce what it can and we accompany it .
As with avocados and oranges , once the flowers have burst, thinning work is carried out : we always remove the flowers, we do the thinning work, so that it produces the same amount every year.
This work is important because if all the flowers on the tree were to set, it would be practically impossible to feed all the future fruits. The setting moment is when, once the flower ovary has been pollinated, the fruit begins to develop.
That's why it's important to remove excess flowers. This way, the tree can distribute its nutrients among a balanced amount of flowers, which will then set and become fruit.
In this image you can see the flowers of the apple trees and three flowers that have already set and are preparing to become fruits:
The cycle of the apple tree
We continue with the fruit of tales and legends, the one that was grown on the banks of the mythical Nile River… Only in this case, we are talking about its cultivation on Spanish lands. And pay attention because when talking about the cycle of the tree, our farmer colleague tells us which are the best months to eat apples.
At Campos del Abuelo we send freshly picked apples to your home, so take note to eat them in the middle of the season.
The life of an apple tree, in relation to a season, is: it is harvested in mid-September approximately… Depending on the variety, but from September to October , once it is harvested, it has a period of growth. It is something curious, when you have removed the fruit, the tree grows a little.
Then in December and January the tree rests . In February the leaves have already fallen and the tree is very dormant, in March it begins to flower . It is the most beautiful moment because it is when suddenly the farm is white with all the flowers it has . And then the fruit sets in April, which is the most delicate moment. Then the leaves begin to come out and we already have enough leaves for the tree and the apple tree to grow.
Apples are harvested in Europe from September to the end of October. Ideally, they should be consumed in September, October, November and December, as these are the months when they are at their best.
Pollination of the apple tree
Pollination of fruits is a key moment . There are different types of pollination because there are different types of flowers. For example, zucchini flowers are unisexual, the same plant has a female flower and a male flower that, with the help of bees, pollinate to give way to the fruit.
Another type is cross-pollination , which is the case for avocados and also for apples. Apple blossoms are hermaphrodite , meaning they contain both sexes, but at different times. So they cannot carry out the process in a single plant like zucchini, there must be different varieties of apple planted in the same space. This is how Luisa explains it from the field:
Apple trees are pollinated by our beloved bumblebees, honeybees or birds that collect pollen from different flowers. That is why we must mix varieties and think about planting varieties that pollinate each other . Almost always, two varieties are mixed, that is, four rows of one variety are planted, three of another, or four and four and the bees and bumblebees do their job and thus pollinate…
If you pay attention to this photo, you can see that there are two varieties facing each other in each row of trees:
Some varieties of apples
On the Navarra estate, they have planted five varieties . We know them from Luisa's words:
The apple's journey is coming to an end because, of course, every story has its end . This healthy, mythical and completely narratable fruit continues to write its own story on Luisa and Ana's farm... and also in Campos del Abuelo!
Remember that by visiting our online store, you can personalize your box with seasonal fruits and vegetables and receive them directly from the field to your home. There you can also take a look at our apples . We hope that this tour of the farm has been to your liking.
Until next time and thanks for reading!
