Final Push in High-Yield Apple Management

At present, apple fruits are in the expansion stage, which is also the most critical period for yield formation. During this time, adequate water and nutrient supply is especially crucial, so comprehensive management must be implemented.

I. Fruit Management

1. Fruit swelling

For late-maturing varieties, apply a fruit‑expansion fertilizer in mid-to-late August, prioritizing phosphorus and potassium while supplementing with nitrogen to stimulate new root growth, enhance leaf photosynthetic capacity, promote fruit enlargement, improve marketable yield, facilitate flower‑bud development and nutrient accumulation in the tree, and strengthen the tree’s overall resistance.

2. Coloring

Begin applying foliar fertilizers that promote color development 45–50 days before apple harvest to enhance fruit coloring and improve fruit quality.

3. Leaf removal and fruit turning

Remove the “fruit‑covering leaves” and the “shade‑providing leaves.” Once the sun‑exposed side of the fruit has attained the desired coloration, gently twist the fruit to encourage coloring on the shaded side.

4. Harvest in Stages

Because some mid-season varieties exhibit uneven fruit maturity and are prone to softening, harvesting should be carried out in stages and batches, with prompt transportation and marketing, and sales made immediately after picking.

II. Grassing in Orchards

In orchards planned to adopt a living‑grass system, take full advantage of the favorable conditions after autumn—abundant rainfall, good soil moisture, and suitable weather—by sowing grass at the appropriate time, selecting species such as white clover and ryegrass. Depending on the available area of the orchard, employ row sowing, broadcast sowing, or hole sowing.

III. Pest and Disease Control

Overcome and rectify the prevailing attitudes in some orchards—“focus solely on the fruit, disregarding the leaves” and “once bags are applied, everything is fine”—as well as the practice of applying pesticides with a “strict regimen at first, then relaxed later” approach. Strengthen control measures against early leaf‑drop disease, ring spot, anthracnose, canker, and pests such as leafrollers, leaf miners, Japanese beetles, and mites.

IV. Water Management

After rainfall, dryland orchards should be mulched—using plastic film or straw—and lightly raked to conserve soil moisture and enhance water-use efficiency. In the event of heavy precipitation, measures to drain excess water and prevent soil erosion must be implemented.