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By Liam Verster

Apple Production

Snow had minimal impact on apple harvest: B.C. Fruit Growers

Nov 9, 2022 | 4:56 PM

The recent snow has not created major issues for Okanagan apple production.

That’s according to B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association general manager Glenn Lucas who said not many apples should still have been on trees when the snow hit.

“Our biggest apple varieties are Gala and Ambrosia and they were either almost done, or all done, harvesting so not too much impact there,” Lucas told Vernon Matters.

“For some late varieties, like Pink Lady or Fuji, there could be some impact there, but we don’t grow large volumes of those.”

Lucas noted a particular grower may choose to have several acres of one of those late varieties, but said 90 per cent of the apples grown in the North Okanagan should have already been harvested earlier this year.

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“There’s a few late season varieties that might have been impacted somewhat, but people were really hustling at the end to try and get those late season varieties off as well,” he noted, adding any fruit lost due to the snow would make up less than one per cent of the total annual production from the region.

He said growers will now likely start moving into their winter operations. He said some later than usual pruning may occur if temperatures rise.

Lucas stated the snow cover is good for an orchard, as it insulates the roots and allows them to become dormant, which is preferable to a rapid drop in temperature with bare ground.

A lot of the local apple trees still have leaves on them, and if those freeze, Lucas said it can make them harder to prune. However, he’s not too concerned about the wellbeing of branches covered in snow as of yet.

“With a really heavy snow, we’ll see some damage [from] extra weight on the trees and on the row of trees that are tied to a wire, so there can be some actual physical damage there, but I haven’t been made aware of any extreme issues,” Lucas said.

“I think we’ll wait to see how it transpires, but that can actually be an issue if you get a lot of wet heavy snow on a tree, you’ll see branches being damaged or even the row falling over. That can be an issue but I don’t think it’s a particular issue this year.”

He added pear harvesting should have been completed prior to the snow falling.

The general manager noted some of the general maintenance work may have been hindered due to the snow, but stated if the weather improves, growers could get out and finish the work, and if not they will tackle it after the thaw.

“One way or another, growers find a way and get the work done,” Lucas said.

“It’s hard work and it’s risky, but the growers I know love the work and really believe in producing high quality food and apples for people.”