U-Pick Apple Orchard

Background Information

Most apples are produced in British Columbia, Ontario or the United States. Huge orchards supply the commercial and export markets and there is no way small orchards can compete with these big operations. The small orchard grower must look at niche markets such as organically grown products, U-pick, or value added operations. The climate in Saskatchewan makes apple growing risky but on the positive side, we have less trouble with insects and diseases. With the proper selection of varieties and following good cultural practices, it is possible to grow quality apples in Saskatchewan for both fresh eating, cooking and processing. Most early attempts at growing apples were not successful due to lack of hardy varieties, but new varieties from Morden have expanded opportunities. At the present time there are several 1-5 acre orchards established but only one is in partial production. The others are just starting or are at the early stages of production. There are also several small orchards of 20 - 30 trees at various stages of production.

Location Required

The primary requirement for an orchard site is good shelter. A dense row of trees to the west is essential. This shelter prevents winter desiccation and traps snow. As the trees start producing fruit, good protection from the south is required to prevent wind damage to fruit and branch breakage.

Someone starting a new orchard could get by with an old (10 ft+) shelterbelt to the west but should plant new shelterbelts on the other sides when the apple trees are planted. In four years the new shelterbelt will be 10 feet tall and will provide adequate protection.

A source of irrigation water is required, (ie. dugout) for dry periods when fruit is forming (June/July). Drip irrigation is adequate and more cost effective than other systems. Dry land orchards will produce crops but quality may be less and trees have to be spaced further apart.

Most soil that produces good grain crops (non saline) can produce an apple crop. A field recently broken from alfalfa is ideal.

Material Required

1. Land ( 1/2 - 5 acres).
2. Tractor and cultivator (small).
3. Pruning and grafting equipment.
4. Ladders, scale, pails.
5. Either root stock or purchased trees.
6. Fence, ie. chicken wire, etc.
7. Trees - 120/acre @ 20 x 20 spacing.
8. Irrigation equipment.

Labor Requirements

Labour will vary with the type of operation. If the trees are planted at a 20 x 20 foot spacing, cultivation three or four times a summer will take care of most of the weeding. Some hoeing around the base of the trees will be required. Hoeing will take approximately three hours per 100 trees each time the operation is required. Pruning will take between five and 20 hours/100 trees each spring, depending on whether stock is budded or top worked. Painting the trees in the fall takes two to three hours/100 trees. Time required for irrigation is unknown but a guess would be two to three hours/100 trees once it is set up. The other labor required is supervising the U-pick operation. If trees are kept low, little supervision is required. If trees are tall, you have to be there or the trees get damaged.

Time/100 trees (top worked)/year, excluding harvest:

• Pruning - 20 hours.
• Cultivation - 8 hours.
• Hoeing - 9 hours.
• Spray paint - 3 hours.
• Irrigation - 3 hours.

Technical Aspects

Three ways of getting started:

1. Budding Root Stock Method. Seedlings of crabapple are spring planted and are budded in July/August. Resulting trees will start to produce fruit in three to four years.
   • Advantages: very low cost, small, easy-to-pick-trees, hardy.
   • Disadvantages: adds one to two years until production commences.
2. Top Working (Root, trunks and main branches crab - rest "good" apple). When crab is two to three years old, ends of main branches are budded to good apple.
   • Advantages: hardy tree, less chance of winter damage, shelterbelt requirement minimal in first few years.
   • Disadvantages: adds three years to time of first production.
3. Purchasing Grafted Trees - Trees are one or two years old and grafted on hardy root stock. Advantages - less work, earlier production.
   • Disadvantages: expensive $6 - $8/tree (bought in bulk), may be less hardy than above. Need shelterbelts from time of planting for protection.

Marketing

• Pick-Your-Own
  • Advantage - less labor, much better price, ie. 50-60 cents/lb, can sell organic.
  • Disadvantage - dealing with people and kids - tree damage, hard to control, must be organized to get trees picked clean and when ripe.
• Farmers Market - Selling fresh fruit or apple products like pies, juice and cider may increase profits.
• Advertising - seems to spread by word of mouth. Advertisement in local papers is cheap. Also mail out to previous customers.

Income Potential

Trees start producing in three years for some varieties. These apples are usually large and top quality and can go to farmers' market. By year six production is underway with potential of 100 lbs per tree. Taking half this, 100 trees @ 50 lb /tree at 50 cents/lb = $2500/acre. One person can easily look after five acres, as most work (pruning) is done in very early spring (April/May). Life expectancy of an orchard is unknown but in Saskatchewan it is likely less than 20 years for most varieties.

This enterprise fits in nicely with others, ie. small fruit production, Christmas trees, etc.

For more information contact:

PFRA Shelterbelt Centre
Indian Head, Sask. S0G 2K0
Phone: 306-695-2284 or Fax: 306-695-2568
E-mail: agroforestry@agr.gc.ca