A modern cherry orchard above Naches, WA.
The Superfresh Growers® farm team is celebrating spring! Honey bees have finished pollinating our apricot orchards and moved to early-district cherry orchards. Snow continues to fall in the mountains, which helps store water used to irrigate orchards in the summer months.
2018 is a big planting year for the Cosmic Crisp® apple as Superfresh Growers continues to prep for the 2020 consumer introduction of this delicious apple. Years of planning go into designing modern orchard systems, which take advantage of the latest technology and machinery for optimizing the efficiency and safety of orchard work. “The amount of detail is incredible,” describes Dave Gleason, Chief Horticulturist. “From checking how many inches and acres are in an orchard block to accounting for surrounding roads and barriers.” The farm team also plans the most efficient tractor and truck movement systems within the orchards.
Cosmic Crisp trees waiting to be planted in fresh soil.
Baby trees are dug in the fall and put to sleep in a cold, moist climate through the winter months. The farm team awakens them in the summer months by bringing them into a warm environment. The magic happens once the trees are planted in warm, damp soil. Trees that look like dead sticks quickly come to life and bloom.
After planting, poles and wires are installed to support the baby trees. Irrigation lines are installed afterward to ensure the proper application of water and nutrients. The trees in our video will likely be harvested on their third leaf in 2021.
For more information on Superfresh Growers' growing practices and past Orchard Updates, visit superfreshgrowers.com.
A freshly planted Cosmic Crisp tree in a new Superfresh Growers orchard
