Selecting Pome Fruit Crops and Varieties - Growing Organic Orchard Fruits - page 154

Financial considerations. For a home orchard where financial investments
are small, feel free to push the limits and experiment. The worst that can
happen is that you replace a few trees. For larger orchards where financial
investments are greater, particularly for commercial orchards, it is extremely
important to be conservative when selecting crops.
Ultimately, whether you have a large or a small orchard, you want variet-
ies that:
▪ Will remain healthy and grow vigorously at your location
▪ Produce abundant, reliable yields of good-sized fruits that are appropriate
for your needs
▪ Are resistant to serious diseases and suitable for organic production
▪ Are suitable for the training systems that you have chosen
Apple
Apples are the second most widely grown temperate fruit crop in the world
and have been used for food for at least 8,000 years. Originating in Europe in
the areas of Kazakhstan, the Black Sea, and the Caspian Sea, apples quickly
spread and were well known in the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman empires.
Temperature concerns. Apples are one of the most adaptable temperate
zone tree fruits. In North America, apples were traditionally grown in cooler
areas from the central United States into Canada, due to the trees' chilling
requirements. The dormant buds of most apple varieties must be exposed to
temperatures between about 32 and 55°F (0 to 13°C) for 800 to 1,700 hours
in the spring in order to begin growing normally. To extend apple produc-
tion into southern states and other warm-climate regions, breeders deve-
loped low-chilling varieties. These varieties include 'Anna' and 'Ein Shemer'
from Israel, 'Dorsett Golden' from the Bahamas, 'Tropic Sweet' from the Flor-