Cosmic Crisp Growers Still Figuring out the Variety

Growers gathered at Sunrise Orchard near Wenatchee to discuss the best tips and tricks to growing WA-38, or the cosmic crisp apple.

Some, like Dalbir Bains of Oroville Farms, were one of the lucky chosen few who were able to put trees in the ground this year.

“Planting was a little hectic. We have a lot of steckels, but the trees are doing very good. Growing very good size wise to almost eight to eight-and-a-half feet [tall].”

Bains said the timing of their set up of the trees and system taught them some valuable lessons.

“When you plant, you have to be ready right away and we were a little bit late putting the trellis system in and then putting the clip was a little bit late. We lost some trees.”

Bains does hope to have some fruit that are marketable next year, though Proprietary Variety Management is asking growers to potentially hold off until 2019 or 2020.

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