There are certain activities that people associate with fall, and one of my favorites is apple picking. But what does it take leading up to people flocking to the orchards? 

What You Need To Know

  • It is best to pick apples late summer into early fall

  • The Midwest is an ideal location to grow apples

  • There are dozens of apple orchards throughout Wisconsin

An apple a day needs sunshine at play

Although there is a wide variety of apples (7,500 to be exact, although just 2,500 varieties are grown in the United States), most apple trees need the same ingredients to thrive.

Apple trees absolutely love sunshine. They need about 6-8 hours of it during the growing season!

As for water, like most plants, an average amount of water is necessary. What does that mean? Check the soil conditions. If the soil is too dry, you will need to water. If the soil is oversaturated, you will need to allow time for it to dry out.

During periods of drought, however, it is necessary to water apple trees more frequently.

Finally, let's talk about temperatures. Did you know that apple trees do well in colder climates? That's because a "chilling requirement" is essential for the production of fruit.

Now, I'm not saying apples are a fan of -40 degree conditions, but apples do need a certain number of hours (ideally 500 to 1,000) experiencing temperatures anywhere from 32 to 45 degrees.

And here's just a little fun fact to wrap this all up: There are more than 300 commercial orchards, which take up about 6,500 acres, in Wisconsin.

Apple orchards in Wisconsin

If you're like me and cannot wait to go apple picking, here's a list of some apple orchards across Wisconsin:

Southeastern Wisconsin

Southwestern Wisconsin

Northwestern Wisconsin

Northeastern Wisconsin

Happy apple picking! Oh, and don't forget about the Bayfield Apple Festival happening October 1-3.