(How they're grown) Vigilant trimming or clipping is required for Apple trees for the period of the first five years of growth. As the trees flower, the fruits require shield from insects that damage the apples. General practice is to use chemicals to look after the orchard. The apple tree requires a period of dormancy or rest. This is the reason for non-growth of Apple trees in areas where average winter temperatures are more than 48 degrees F. In the spring, frost can spoil the apple flowering. The best areas for Apple trees to grow are hilltops or slopes as the frost shifts downward the slope prior to the undoing of flowers. The apples' food delivery from the tree is stopped two weeks before reaping and the apples turn into sweeter. Mainly during September and October, the majority of apples are cropped by hand. (Life Cycle of Apple Trees: Apples and More) Storage of Apples at low temperatures preserves its freshness approximately for a year. (Information about Apples) the rest period for Apple trees is winter. The branches have buds, among which a few have leaves and others have five flowers. (Life Cycle of Apple Trees: Apples and More) Pruning commences in January when the trees are dormant. Sawing off and cutting limbs permit highest sunlight into the growing structure. By pruning, the tree is made to generate bigger, better-colored, superior quality and pricier fruit. (Welcome to the Four Seasons of Growing Apples) With warmer spring weather, the leaf buds open out and flower buds start to grow on the ends of the twigs. (Life Cycle of Apple Trees: Apples and More) in order to ensure economical use of expensive land and labor, most apple trees planted are on dwarf stock. The time to get ready for spring planting is April. The buds start to enlarge sometime about the start of May. The rate of the farm speeds up as the spring approaches. (Welcome to the Four Seasons of Growing Apples) During summer, the tree generates new growth and the apples grow larger and steadily alter color. (Life Cycle of Apple Trees: Apples and More)

The pollination commences with the unwrapping of the "King" blossom, which is the biggest and centermost of the five blossom clusters. In order to ensure homing of bees, bee colonies borrowed from beekeepers must be shifted rapidly during the nighttime so that the bees do not fly away. In the course of blooming, sunny mild days are required to promote fervent bee activity. More than one variety of pollen are required by Apples for the cross-pollination that guarantees good fruit set. The month of June is mainly devoted for fertilizing and tree training. To broaden the young tree into the ideal shape, limbs must be joined or weighted down. The science and art of cultivating apples is Pomology and it has developed into a very sophisticated practice, and apple producers go to regional meetings and classes to keep updated of the latest information and technology. (Welcome to the Four Seasons of Growing Apples)

Irrigation must be done in July in case of dry years. During this crucial month, the size and hardness of the fruit are influenced by moisture. The continuation of spraying, mowing and shaping practices along with few summer pruning are done to expose growing fruit to evolving sunlight....

The support of cool nights is required for Red apples during reaping to activate an enzyme that augments the amount of color or blush. (Welcome to the Four Seasons of Growing Apples) in contrast to other fruits, apples are generally reaped only when they are completely ripe. The apples ripen during fall. (Life Cycle of Apple Trees: Apples and More)
In fall Apples get damaged easily and must be hand picked. Employing extra harvest workers from local and other area and countries helps getting the crop on time. Starting from end of August till end of October the picking activity is at its maximum. Thereafter it is the job of the farmers to promote their fruit; either through their own farm store or packed and transported fresh to supermarkets, restaurants and schools nationwide and around the globe. Some farms request the public to come for the amusement of picking their own apples, during the harvest season. Most of the apples are converted into sauce, jelly and pies or compressed into fresh cider and processed apple juice. There are some apple varieties specially designed for this market. The favored by-product of apples, the cider, is offered for other markets. (Welcome to the Four Seasons of Growing Apples)

An apple is a fruit whose seeds are entrenched in the hub of the fruit and belongs to the Pome family. Rose is another startling member of the apple family. Apple is the No.1 snack of America and comes in lots of colors and shapes. It is preferable to choose one of each type and taste it as each apple is loaded with minerals, vitamins and fiber. The five-a-day suggestion from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is met by 85% water and 1% fat apple, which add up to a low 80-calorie contribution. After the end of harvest, it is time to prepare again for winter. The cultivation of apples spreads over the full year and hence the orchard is always busy with some job. On close observation, at the tip of each branch you can see the assurance of next year's crop. The apple that you eat a year from now is the bud. (Welcome to the Four Seasons of Growing Apples)

References

Apple Facts, Nutritional Information and Recipes" Retrieved at http://www.applesonline.com/applefacts.cfm?first_time=1&id=3

Apples" Retrieved at http://www.212.net/apples/apple1.htm

Grieve, M. "A Modern Herb: Apple" Retrieved at http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/apple044.html

How they're grown" Retrieved at http://www.geocities.com/perfectapple/science.html

Information about Apples" Retrieved at http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/socialstd/grade3/Apples.html

Life Cycle of Apple Trees: Apples and More" University of Illinois and Extension. Retrieved at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/apples/edu-projects_4B.html

The History of Apples" Retrieved at http://www.geocities.com/perfectapple/history.html

Welcome to the Four Seasons of Growing Apples" Retrieved at http://www.norfolk-county.com/bigapple/seasons.htm