Orchard Update: Springing to Action!

Orchard Update: Springing to Action!

Spring is in the air at the orchards in western New York, and this marks the beginning of the year-long process that results in your favorite ciders being poured into a glass. The apple trees in the orchard know it’s time to get to work. Some varieties are at the Silver Tip stage where their buds are swelling and developing a fuzzy grey surface (picture below). Some varieties are showing the start of a Green Tip, and others are even more anxious to get into your glass with tight clusters of what will be blossoms. In the next few weeks, some of these buds will grow into bunches of leaves and the start of new branches. Others will bloom into flowers that will pollinate and eventually become the fruit goodness that is the fundamental building block of our entire City Orchard operation.

As the trees begin the transition to Spring, so do the farmers. Once the ground is dry enough, the crew will dig the nursery and plant new orchards. Once the new trees are planted, posts must be installed forming the base of the trellis wire to which the trees are attached to help them grow straight. The trellis will also help the smaller dwarfing apple trees carry a heavy crop. Calm, dry days are great for spraying fungus and mildew protectants. When you add to that some mowing, Spring becomes a very busy time for those on the farm.

Silver Tip represents beginnings. In agriculture, it represents the start of the growing season. For us, it also represents the creation of City Orchard. We named our first commercial cider and gold medal winner, Silver Tip, after this development stage. And now, we look forward to the reintroduction of City Orchard to the Great State of Texas as we reopen. Now, there’s a reason to celebrate with a cider!

Other near stages following Silver Tip are Green Tip, ¼” Green, ½” Green, Tight Cluster, Pink, Full Pink, King Blossom, and Petal Fall. We’ll keep you posted on the progress of the fruit development and orchard activities throughout the year in our monthly updates.

Regards, Mat Smith Team City Orchard