Apple Grower

A Guide for the
Organic Orchardist

by Michael Phillips

about the book
excerpts
contents
review

The Apple Grower: A Guide for the Organic Orchardist -- click for book summary

Acknowledgments
Introduction

Chapter One: Growing Apples Locally

Apple Growing a Hundred Years Ago
Today's Integrated Pest Management
Bringing It All Together
Conventional Wisdom
The Small Commercial Orchard in Context

Chapter Two: The Orchard Site and Its Climate

Sacred Slopes
The Four Points of the Compass
Dry Ground
Zone Hardiness
Windbreaks
Biodiversity in a Fruit Orchard
Proximity to Markets

Chapter Three: The Enriching of Fruit Lands

The Living Soil
Compost Forever
Soil Amendments
Foliar Feeding
Biodynamic Teachings
Cover Cropping
Ponderable Mulch
Soil Tests and Leaf Analysis
Trace Minerals for Every Tree

Chapter Four: The Trees and the Planting

Cultivar Selection
Rootstocks and Tree Spacing
Nursery Sources and Varietal Collectors
Grafting and Propagation
The Setting of the Trees
Orchard Size and Layout
High-Density Plantings
Down to the Nitty-Gritty

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Chapter Five: Care of the Orchard

Intuitive Pruning
Training the Apple Tree
Pollination and Fruit Set
Frost Protection
Thinning the Fruit
The Great Grass Debate
Mowing Options
Summer Care
Preparing for Winter
Restoring Neglected Orchards

Chapter Six: Apple Pests and Diseases

The Beginning of Understanding
Good-bye, Foliar Pests
Insect Identification
Bug-by-Bug Profiles
Beneficial Insects
Good Sanitation
Fungal Diseases
Other Diseases of the Apple
Four-Legged Considerations

Chapter Seven: Spraying for Balance

The Complexities of Nature
All the Answers Aren't Known, but We're Gaining
Timing Is Everything
The Orchard Calendar
Botanicals, Elementals, and Forbidden Fruit
Gentler Sprays
Spray Equipment for the Small Commercial Orchard
Matters of Concern

Chapter Eight: Reaping the Harvest

When to Pick
Harvest Equipment
The Apple Picker's Reel
Hiring Help
Windfalls and Fat Sheep
From Orchard to Packing Shed
Grading Revisited
Cider Making
The Juice of the Apple
Apple Storage

Chapter Nine: Marketing in the Local Economy

Getting a Fair Price
Apple Economics
Niche Marketing
Value-Added Products
Quality and Appearance
Organic Certification
Advertising
Marketing Innovations
Long-Term Vision

Chapter Ten: The Last Organic Frontier

The Sustainable Orchard
Tree Spirit, Community Spirit
Organic Perseverance
Here We Come a-Wassailing
Esopus Spitzenberg and a Better Tomorrow

Appendices

Compendium of Orchard Tasks
Apple Grower's Source List (click for online resources)
Lost Nation Apple Recipes
Bibliography

Index

The Apple Grower: A Guide for the Organic Orchardist
Revised and Expanded Edition

about the book
excerpts
contents
review

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Apple Grower

A Guide for the Organic Orchardist

by Michael Phillips

Table of Contents

A Guide for the
Organic Orchardist