This time of year, our trees are bursting with fruit, and that means it’s hand-thinning season. When too many apples grow in a cluster, it drains the tree’s energy, leading to smaller fruit, duller color, and a welcoming environment for pests like moths. Overloaded trees also experience hormonal stress, which can affect their health and productivity in the following season.
Each fruit bud produces a cluster of 4–6 blossoms surrounding what’s called the king blossom—the one that grows into the largest fruit. Ideally, we aim to leave just two apples per cluster to support the best quality crop.
As an organic orchard, we’re committed to non-chemical thinning. While we use a lime sulfur spray to help reduce blossom pollination, it’s only part of the solution. Nearly every tree still needs careful, hands-on attention.
This method is much more labor-intensive and costly, but we believe it’s worth it—because it helps us maintain strong, resilient trees and, most importantly, grow fruit that’s healthier for us and the planet.