Spring is the best time to plant a new apple tree. Just thinking of apple pie, apple tarts, candied apple, and hot apple cider makes my mouth water. With so many apple recipes to enjoy, why not plant an apple tree to celebrates every year? April is an ideal time to start a harvest tradition of your own.
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is an old Welsh proverb that most are familiar with, but what makes this fruit so unique?
A medium-sized apple contains 4 grams of fiber. Some of that is in the form of pectin, a type of soluble fiber that lower levels of LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol. Blocking the absorption of cholesterol, according to WebMD, helping the body use it rather than storing it.
Apple’s wealth of fiber can also keep you feeling full longer, without costing a lot of calories. It takes your body longer to digest complex fiber than more simple materials like sugar or refined grains.
One component of an apple’s peel, which also has most of the fiber, is something called ‘ursolic acid’ linked to lowering the risk of obesity. It boosts calorie burn and increases brown fat and muscle.
Five or more apples a week has been linked with better lung function, most likely because of the antioxidant ‘quercetin’ found in the skin of apples, also found in onions and tomatoes.
And the breathing benefits of apples extend even further. A study found that women who eat apples are less likely to have children with asthma.
Apples are considered a good source of vitamin C, with over 8 milligrams per medium apple, which amounts to roughly 14 percent of your daily recommended intake.
WebMD reported French research found a compound in apples that helped prevent colon cancer. And a study from Cornell University found an additional compound called ‘triterpenoids,’ which seems to fight against liver, colon, and breast cancer.
A 2012 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found apples, pears, and blueberries are linked with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. ‘Anthocyanin’ is a class of antioxidants responsible for the red, purple, and blue colors in fruits and vegetables grown in local gardens.
Apples are linked to an uptick in acetylcholine production, which communicates between nerve cells, increasing memory function, and lowering your chance of developing Alzheimer’s. This one potential benefit, along with their excellent taste, is good enough for this gardener to start eating more apples.
The local apple harvest is impressive from most of your favorites like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Delicious, McIntosh, Gala, and more. Apples are more appealing than ever in the garden, and spring is the ideal time to plant a new tree. Watters Garden Center has the local experts to help companion plant your apples and maximize the harvest. Visit for a grand tour of organic apple trees today.
Increase the Harvest – Fruit trees need to be feed in April with Watters 6-4-4-7 Fruit & Vegetable Food. This pure organic plant food increases tree vigor and fruit size. It’s important!
Until next issue, I’ll be helping apple-minded gardeners choose the right trees here at Watters Garden Center.
Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter .