Cropped: How to Grow Cider Apples

As a result, these barely edible bittersharp and bittersweet varieties currently fetch about 30 percent more, per bushel, than their fresh-eating cousins. Plus, because the harvest gets pressed, farmers can profit from fruit that might otherwise be considered ugly, overripe, or too small.

Cultivation

[mf_list_sidebar layout=”basic” bordertop=”yes” subtitle=”The best apples for making cider fall into two categories: bittersharp (high in acid and tannins, low in sugar); and bittersweet (low in acid, but with a higher sugar content).” title=”Types to Try” separator=”no”]

BITTERSHARP
‘Herefordshire Redstreak’ early- to mid-season harvest; useful as a base
‘Kingston Black’ mid-season harvest; smoky flavor
‘Porter’s Perfection’ late harvest; good for blending

BITTERSWEET
‘Ashton Bitter’ early harvest; great aroma
‘Dabinett’ late harvest; good for blending
‘Somerset Redstreak’ midseason harvest; almost perfumed aroma

Cider apples prefer well-drained, acidic soil (with a pH between 5.0 and 6.8) and perform best in Zones 4 to 7. In Zone 7 or higher, you can plant bare-root trees in fall, assuming you’re able to find a source for them. Otherwise, take advantage of the harvest season to visit orchards and learn from growers and cider makers before planting when spring rolls around.

One thing you should definitely know: Most heirloom cider varieties have been grafted onto modern dwarf stock (‘Malling 9’ or ‘Budagovsky 9’), yielding trees that are short and easy to pick but have weak trunks that require trellising. So you’ll want to lay out your orchard like a vineyard: Plant the trees 5 feet apart in parallel rows 15 feet from one another, in holes just big enough to accommodate the roots. Along each row, sink 6-foot-tall posts every 20 feet, then string four wires horizontally between the posts, spacing the wires 18 inches from each other or the ground. Finally, spread a 2-inch layer of organic mulch around the saplings, snip them to a height of about 18 inches, and tie them loosely to the bottom wire.

Care

[mf_list_sidebar layout=”basic” bordertop=”yes” subtitle=”These trees take approximately seven years to reach maturity, but patient farmers will enjoy a generous return for decades. Here’s what an acre-size orchard will require.” title=”The Bottom Line for Cider Apples” separator=”no”]

Number of bare-root trees per acre: 581
Initial investment per acre (land prep, trees, labor, irrigation, and trellising): $25,000 to $30,000
Annual cultivation costs per acre (labor, fertilizer, etc.): about $3,300
Yield per acre at maturity: 500 to 1,200 bushels
Wholesale price per bushel: $12 to $18
Revenue per acre at maturity: $11,000
Orchard life: 25 years

Hostetler Farms in Indiana and New York’s Cummins Nursery offer a good selection of cider apple trees. See Michael Phillips’ The Apple Grower: A Guide for the Organic Orchardist for more information.

In spring or early summer, tie new branches and shoots to the nearest trellis wires. Throughout the summer, remove suckers (young growth) that emerge from the rootstock. In late winter or early spring, prune away any branches that prevent light from penetrating the tree’s canopy, as well as those that obscure the aisles between rows.

Unless your trees fail to grow at least a foot per year, withhold fertilizer until they begin to fruit. At that point, apply organic fertilizer annually, after spring pruning. And spray organic insecticides and fungicides (such as neem oil to control borers) on an as-needed basis.

Harvest

Roughly seven years after planting, your apples will finally be ripe for the picking, from August through October, depending on the cultivar (see “Types to Try,” above). Bear in mind that a year of heavy apple production is often followed by a relatively light one. You can even out the overall annual yield by adding different varieties over time. The trees also tend to drop fruit, which you can sell if your state regulations permit it. Market the harvest to cider makers fresh or pressed and stored in barrels (where it will remain stable for months) – or try brewing your own craft beverage.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.