Below: 'Haralson' resulted from the challenge to grow apples in Minnesota's harsh winters and was one of the first introductions by the U of M Agricultural Experiment Station. Almost 80 years old, yet still a favorite for fresh eating and baking, this tart fruit grows well in Minnesota conditions.

H A R A L S O N

R E G E N T

K E E P S A K E

H O N E Y G O L D

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Apples for Minnesota, FO-1111
Pruning Fruit Trees, MI-0556
Home Fruit Spray Guide FO-0675

Z E S T A R !

Above: 'Zestar!'^TM apple is the newest introduction from the U of M, selected for outstanding fresh eating quality and storage ability for an early apple. Marketable quantities of fresh fruit will be available by 2003.

Left, 2nd image from top: 'Regent' is named after the U of M Board of Regents. It is an attractive, red striped apple with well-balanced flavor that is excellent for fresh eating and baking.

Left, 3rd image from top: 'Keepsake' is a small to medium apple, a 'lunchbox' variety, just the right size for kids' appetites. It is also popular because of its very sweet, almost sugarcane like flavor. Excellent for long storage.

Left, bottom: 'Honeygold' has 'Golden Delicious' as one of its parents. It is very crisp with excellent, juicy sweet flavor.

GROWING APPLES is fun and rewarding, but failure to bear fruit is a common problem. Several factors may account for this including inappropriate site, improper cultural care, insufficient sunlight, stress from insects or disease, or poor pollination.

A plant only blooms when it reaches maturity. Most standard fruit trees require five to seven years after planting before they will bear fruit; dwarf trees usually bear within three years.

Fruit trees require at least eight hours of direct sun daily to grow, flower, and fruit well. Annual pruning and pest management is also required to maintain optimum health. But even with good cultural practices, a particularly harsh winter or a hard freeze in early spring can ruin that year's flower buds. Fruit trees that bloom very early, such as apricots, tart cherries and plums are especially vulnerable.

Even rainy weather during bloom can reduce or eliminate a crop by hindering the insects necessary to pollinate the flowers. Apples, apricots and hybrid plums require that two different varieties be located within 100 feet for pollination to occur.