One year after tropical storm Fiona, P.E.I. apple orchard owners are still cleaning up, striving to minimize any potential damage from this year’s storm season.

It’s not just post-Fiona that has made 2023 a little more challenging than years past, the hot and wet spring and summer had an impact on the growing season, as well. However, one grower said that the impact turned out to not be as bad as it could have been: “I’ve heard there was some poor pollination in some parts of the Island, but we actually pollinate with native P.E.I. bees. With our farming techniques, we have a higher population of native bees in our orchard than other places. I think that, in a bad year, helped us pollinate our crop.”

Still, between losing trees from Fiona and the hot, wet spring and summer, this harvesting season is not quite what it could have been. Another factor impacting this year’s crop was the warm January and February extreme cold snap.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com