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If you’re a fan of flowers, you’re probably already aware of the importance of bees in our world. Bees are pollinators, and without them, we wouldn’t have the crops we enjoy at meals every day. And at Tanners Orchard, we wouldn’t have entire crops of apples if it weren’t for our local bees. That’s right — every time you bite into a crisp, juicy apple, you have a bee to thank. These busy little pollinators play a huge part in the life of the trees in our orchard. Without our bees and apple trees, Tanners Orchard might not even exist. If you’ve ever been curious about the importance bees play in our ecosystem, here’s what you should know about how apple trees grow.
Left on their own, apple trees don’t self-pollinate very well. And many varieties require pollen from other apple tree varieties to produce fruit, which is called cross-pollination. Fortunately, this is where bees help. As bees fly from blossom to blossom searching for nectar, they transfer pollen from one flower to the next, and this pollen is crucial to an apple crop. Apples require the pollen from another apple tree to grow, and when pollinated, every flower has the potential to turn into an apple. Without bees, there’s no pollination. And without pollination, there are no apples. Wouldn’t that be a terrible world?
Tanners Orchard is located in Zone 5b/6a on the Hardiness Zone Map. That means our trees start blooming between mid-April and mid-May. And our trees bloom for only three weeks. Fortunately, that’s around the same time bees come out of hibernation, hungry and ready to get to work immediately. A single bee may visit up to 5,000 flowers in a day, and those visits from flower to flower are crucial for cross-pollination. If pollination doesn’t happen during those three weeks, the opportunity for a great crop of apples is gone for the season. In other words, bees and apple trees rely on each other heavily to thrive.
Even though bees can visit thousands of flowers in a day, they still need a bit of an assist when they get back to work after winter is done. At Tanners Orchard, we have over 11,000 apple trees and 17 varieties of apples. And there’s a strategy behind where they’ve been planted within the orchard. That’s because some varieties open earlier than others. To maximize the overlap between when trees bloom, we follow the pollinator partner guidelines to help our bee friends travel from tree to tree more efficiently. These tree partners are incredibly important because if they are spread too far apart, bees may not be able to travel from tree to tree as easily. This results in less fruit, which is never what an apple orchard wants.
At Tanners Orchard, we don’t just want to have apples for you to pick. We also want to have the juiciest, most mouthwatering, flavorful apples available. And that takes the work of bees. Well-pollinated trees produce better quality apples. And better-quality apples ensure you get the best apple pie or cider to enjoy at the orchard or to take home. Next time you’re at Tanners, check your apples for their quality. A well-pollinated apple will have 10 seeds and be perfectly shaped.
Bees and apple trees need each other. Yet, bees are constantly under threat. Pesticides are one of the largest threats to bee populations. However, habitat loss, disease, and changes in our climate are at fault, too. And when our bee numbers begin to decline, so does pollination. And without pollination, that means fewer apples are available for our enjoyment. That’s why we’re so protective of our bees at Tanners Orchard. Small positive changes can make a huge difference. So next time you’re at Tanners Orchard, don’t forget to thank a bee for the work they’re doing at the orchard.
If you want to experience the magic between the bees and apple trees, come visit Tanners Orchard. We open each fall with a full bounty of delicious apples, ready to be picked. When the bees are successful, our 11,000 trees are filled with ripe apples, ready to take home for snacking, cooking, and baking. Our U-Pick apple experience is $5 per person to head into the orchard. And the charge is $12 for a half peck or $20 for a full peck of apples.
Our beloved apples aren’t all we have to offer. Tanners Orchard is a perfect fall destination for kids and adults alike. We offer special events throughout the season, along with our regular Festival Days, which are packed with activities to enjoy. Kids will love our Back 40 Fun Acres, where they can play putt putt golf, jump on our jumping Jack pad, climb on play equipment, pet animals, and more. And don’t forget to sample those farm-fresh products, made from our busy bees’ hard work. From apple cider donuts and fresh cider to pies and caramel apples, the tastes are unforgettable.
We look forward to hosting you at Tanners Orchard this fall. Located at 740 IL-40 in Speer IL, just north of Peoria, we’re convenient to numerous locations throughout Illinois. Make plans to come visit us today. For hours and more information, contact us directly at 309-493-5442.