Apple Orchard Tours

There is no autumn or late summer experience without some apple picking in Washington. With Washington producing over 60% of the apple supplies in the US, taking a trip to do some picking with family and friends can be quite exciting.

Apples are usually ready for picking from September to October. Apple picking makes a great weekend getaway. You can be sure kids will love it. Apple picking is fun, and the taste of fresh apples is even more exciting. However, you need a great place close to home and with a bountiful harvest.

So, what are the top places to go apple picking in Washington State? Let’s see some of the best apple orchards in Washington.

Wenatchee

About two and a half away from Seattle, Wenatchee is a top place for apple picking. Historically, Wenatchee is known as the Apple Capital. This is one of the oldest apple orchards dating back over 100 years.

If you love all different types of apples, then the orchard offers multiple apples to harvest. It’s also home to the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival, which takes place every spring. It’s a top place for fruit fanatics and one that I highly recommend.

There is a further 11-mile hiking Apple Capital Loop Trail. Make sure you get your walking boots and carry some trailing sticks for added fun. Farms in the area are quite popular, allowing visitors to pick bushels of Gala, Gold Delicious, Fuji and many more.

They also started late picking in Elberta peaches. Apart from apples, visitors can also pick pluots, nectarines, pears and cherries.

Skipley Farm — Snohomish

Skipley is another exciting place to enjoy apple picking. It’s a large 7.5-acre farm with a wide range of apple varieties. Here, you’ll find varieties like Zester, Gravenstein, and William’s Pride. Most of the apples on this farm are usually ripe and ready for picking in late summer.

The farm offers more than just apples. You can also enjoy picking blackberries, Seneca plums, blueberries and Bartlett pears. It’s a great time to taste and enjoy different fruits before they go out of season.

Enjoy some gardening? The farm has a nursery, so be sure to carry some seedlings.

Skagit Valley, WA

Skagit Valley in Washington is known for its tulip farms which are quite colorful. This is the most versatile place when you want to pick all kinds of fruits. Farms in this valley are home to over 90 different types of fruits, including apples.

You can start your day experiencing the U-pick apple orchard at Hoehn Bend farm. Take the kids to also experience farm animals. Here, they can feed animals, collect eggs and much more.

There are also the Jones Creek farms within the area with over 50 apple varieties.

Apple Creek Orchard, Ferndale

Want to taste some fresh apples and come home with more at bargain prices? Visit the Apple Creek Orchard Ferndale. The farm is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. 

You can plan your schedule and get to enjoy a wide variety of apples. Here, you can pick and buy snow pick sweet apples, Gala, Jonagold, Mutsu and Melrose. All the apples here go for 15$ per gallon. 

Be sure to carry some back home for those who didn’t make the trip.

Bill’s Berry Farm — Grandview

This is another must-visit place for apple picking this summer. Located in the Yakima Valley, the farm is pretty fertile and one with all types of apples. You can plan your trip to coincide with the farm’s September 4 festival.

The festival is quite exciting with a wide range of activities. Know how to aim with a sling? How about some apple slingshots? There are also tractor rides, apple cider pressing and corn mazes.

It’s a great place for all family fun and excitement. The farm offers more than just fruit picking during the festival. Looking to take some fruit back home? Be sure to carry your own containers.

Bellewood Farms — Lynden

This is one of the largest apple farms in Western Washington and one to consider visiting. The farm is home to over 25,000 apple trees. You can be sure of a great field day picking apples.

Looking to visit early? Varieties that ripen early, like Tsugarus, Gravensteins, and Zesters, are usually ready by September 1. But you can still come a month later when varieties like Jonagold and Honeycrisp are ready.

The farm gets into full swing harvesting by October with over nine apple varieties ready for picking. There is a farm store and cafe nearby where you can make some goodies after a long day of picking.

Final Verdict

Looking to spend quality time outdoors? Why not plan a trip to one of these amazing orchards? You can be sure of an amazing experience picking and tasting some of the freshest and tastiest apples.

Also, don’t forget to share your experience with us!

The apple fruit grows best in temperate areas of the winter weather. You need a good water source, fertilizers, sunny days, and cool nights for maximum apple production. One such area in the United States known for apples is Washington State.

Over 42% of the apples grown in the US are from Washington. In 1989, Washington was designated as the official fruit state. The majority of the apples are grown in the central areas of the Cascade Mountains.

From 1997 to 2001, average apple production in the state averaged 120 million bushels. The 2004 USDA Organic Survey ranks Washington as a top producer of organic apples. But what types of apples can you find there?

Join me below as I discuss the different types of apple fruits grown in Washington State.

Braeburn

This is a modern variety of apple types and a multi-purpose one. It’s a medium to large apple with an oval shape.

The apple is a good source of vitamins A and C. It can be used for both raw and cooked applications. You can slice it when raw and add it to salads.

Cameo

Cameo is a bright and red-striped apple type with a creamy orange color. It’s a common type of apple in Washington with a firm and crisp texture.

The taste is sweet, and one with very thin skin. This makes it taste quite fresh with a hint of a pear.

Fuji

Fuji is a big reddish-pink apple variety and one of the wide apple varieties in the US. It is a versatile apple variety with a wide range of applications. The apple is quite flavorful, offering a sweet-tart taste.

The Fuji variety is readily available from the months of January to August. You can also expect it during the months of October to December.

Gala

The Gala features a yellow background color with pinkish-orange stripes. It also has a sweet-tart taste and is a great choice for multiple applications. The texture is crisp but not hard.

It originated from New Zealand in1930s, and like most apples, the Gala is clonally propagated. It’s available from January to June and from September to October.

Ginger gold

The Ginger gold apple ranks as the 15th most popular apple variety in the United States. It’s a yellow apple variety that grows early in the season. You’re likely to see it first in the market.

This is one of the best apple types that can last in the fridge for days without going bad. It’s slow to oxidize, making it retain its freshness for a long. This makes it a suitable choice for salads, pies, and crisps. It’s also a great one for kids to snack on.

Golden Delicious

Golden Delicious is among the favorite apple types in the US. It’s a delicate type of apple with smooth yellow color. The apple is available all year and produces a sweet taste.

This is an all-purpose apple type to us with salads, sauces, eating, baking, and much more. This apple type is readily available from September to June. It’s one of the most delicious apples because of its natural sweetness.

Granny Smith

The Granny Smith apple is a crisp green apple and a suitable choice for multiple applications. It is highly recommended for pies. The apple is also referred to as the green apple or the sour apple.

Granny Smith originated from Australia in 1868 and was named after Maria Ann Smith. It’s rich in Vitamin C and a great one to help boost the immune system.

Jonagold

This is a cross between a Golden Delicious and a Jonathan apple type. It is a relatively new type appearing in New York State in 1953.

It’s one of the largest apple types with a tangy taste.

Pink Lady

Pink Lady is a trademark name with the apple known as Cripps Pink. It features an attractive pinkish blush color hence the name. The apple is quite delicious, tasting more like the Golden type.

Rome

The Rome apple type originates from Rome and is one of the best for cooking applications. It features a floral aroma and a tangy taste.

Red Delicious

This is one apple variety that is available all year. It features a bright red exterior and a heart shape. The apple is flavorful with a sweet taste making it ideal for fresh preparations.

You can also add it to salads and fruits, and greens. The apple was first discovered in 1870 in Madison County, Iowa.

Final Verdict

There you go! These are the different types of apples grown in Washington. You can expect to find the most varieties in the region. All the US top apple varieties like the Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious, and many more can be found in the state.

There are also over 100 packaging stores that sort, pack and ship the different apple varieties across the 12 months. Over 60% of the freshly consumed apples in the United States are grown in Washington. That just goes to show the big contribution of Washington State to apple production.

The development of an efficient fertilizer application program is a difficult task faced by farmers around the world. Transitioning from conventional to organic farming takes a lot of skill and good management. 

Almost all plants require fertilizers, which are widely utilized by farmers engaged in floriculture and horticulture. When it comes to fertilizing apple trees, here are the things you should know.

Is it Necessary to Fertilize an Apple Tree?

Stephanie from Backyard Gardeners Network says that apples are heavy feeders and most soils don’t have all the nutrients they need, so adding fertilizer to an apple tree is necessary, otherwise, the tree will not grow or produce very few apples.

Apple trees are generally moderate nutrient consumers but consume a lot of potassium and calcium. Therefore, these should be used every year while feeding apple trees.

Apple trees, like all other fruit trees, do best in environments with lots of nitrogen. A 20-10-10 fertilizer is a fantastic addition if you have older trees growing in soil that needs little to no improvement. This assists in preserving the ideal nutritional balance, which is roughly 2:1:1, to encourage healthy growth.

The apple fertilizer number (20-10-10) represents the amount of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium in that order.

Nutrient Deficiencies in Apple Trees

Nutrient shortages can significantly impact Apple trees’ productivity and performance. The majority of fertilizers used in organic farming are organic, although minor amounts of chemical fertilizers are still necessary.

Apple trees frequently suffer from a lack of boron. You may have a boron shortage if you see brown, corky areas inside the apples or bud death at shoot ends. Soft apples that degrade quickly are the result of calcium deficiencies. As a preventive measure, use lime on the crop.

Potassium deficiencies lead to fruit that is darker than usual and older leaves that curl.

The curling of leaves indicates a lack of phosphorus, and peak fruit blight may occur with low calcium levels.

Obstructed fruit, chlorosis,  fruit bursting, or cracking are also indications of deficiencies.

How to Fertilize Apple Trees

Know your limits before fertilizing apple trees. The root systems of mature trees can be 4 feet (1 m) deep and stretch outward as much as 1-12 times the diameter of the canopy. 

Although smaller feeder roots live in the top foot (30.5 cm) of soil that takes the majority of nutrients, the deep roots are responsible for absorbing water and storing extra nutrients for the following year.

Apple trees that are young, between one and three years old, should grow at least one foot (30.5 cm) every year. If not, up the fertilizer (10-10-10) by 50% in the second and third years. Depending on their growth, four-year-old or older trees may or may not need nitrogen.

 If they grow less than 6 inches (15 cm), apply the sul-po-mag and boron as needed. If they grow more than a foot, apply the sul-po-mag and boron as needed.

If you apply the fertilizer in a mound or directly to the tree trunk, your apple tree may suffer damage. Spread the fertilizer evenly all around the tree trunk as an alternative. After applying the fertilizer, you can irrigate the ground.

Know When to Apply Fertilizers

Three applications of fertilizer should be made each year:

Prior to flowering, the first application should be made then the second treatment should be made after flowering. After a month, the third application should be made.

However, depending on the nutrients needed, fertilizers can be administered at various times of the year throughout the early growth phases and during vegetative growth. 

Fertilizers should only be used in moderation. To maintain healthy and rich soil, regular applications of manure and other organic products are required.

Understand crop needs and apply fertilizers appropriately.

The quantity of apple fertilizers varies according to the fertility of the soil, the amount of manure used, and the growth stage. When fertilizers are administered in the wrong amounts, several things can occur.

For instance, excessive apple fertilizer use causes plants to focus on developing lots of shoots and leaves rather than fruit.

Nutrient deficiencies, poor health, and stunted growth can result from fertilizer use or application that is either nonexistent or extremely minimal. In addition, the plants perform poorly and lose some of their resistance to diseases and pests.

Mulch the Plants

Mulching reduces weed development, improves soil texture, boosts organic matter, reduces water loss through evaporation, and increases soil microbes, especially for young plants. As soil health increases, less nitrogen-based fertilizer is required.

In commercial apple production, professionals must get your soil tested by professionals to identify the nutrients that are present and absent. This can help farmers to devise effective fertilizer and manuring programs.

Conclusion

Your orchard will remain productive and healthy if you fertilize the apple trees and other fruit trees. But it might be tough to know when to fertilize and how to do it organically. These suggestions will help you make sense of things as you plan on fertilizing apple trees.

Enjoy the “Fruit of our Labor” with customized bus tours through the scenic Wenatchee Valley.

See and experience

• Working Family Orchards
• Antique Packing Line Demo
• Commercial Packing Line
• Sample the fruit varieties

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