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Flowers, Fruits, and Frass

Eureka College Apple Program

Learn to Grow Apples Organically

Join us for an enlightening, educational class describing how to grow apples organically in your own backyard. Richard Hentschel, Horticulture Extension Educator, will share his 30 years of knowledge on apple production in Illinois to provide insight on what it takes to grow your own, organic apples.

We will gather in the Cerf Center, North Terrill Rooms at Eureka College on November 12 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. This event is hosted by Eureka College's SAGE (Student Alliance for Greener Environments) in partnership with University of Illinois Extension. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact the Woodford Extension office at (309) 467-3789. If you would like more information, please call Kelly Allsup, University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator, Livingston-McLean-Woodford Unit at (309) 663-8306 or email kallsup@illinois.edu.

Hentschel says when it comes to growing organic apples, "siting, planting, and pruning remains the same;however, managing the pests differs in that there may not be any organic products available for certain pests and planting disease resistant cultivars is REALLY important.The importance of pruning to have an open sunny canopy with good air movement is also key for disease prevention."

"Whether it is choosing the best apple cultivars, amending the soil, or managing pest outbreaks with biological pesticides, growing organic apples requires an integrated approach" says University of Illinois Livingston-McLean-Woodford Horticulture Educator, Kelly Allsup. Learning about pest life cycles and tree physiology is important to minimize use of harmful chemicals on organic orchards.

We hope this event inspires you to invest in the future by planting your own apple trees. The event will also feature an organic apple taste test and apple cider slushies! Free and open to the public.

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.

-Martin Luther