After a winter of rest and recovery, the trees slowly come back to life. The flower buds formed last summer begin to swell as temperatures rise. It's an exciting moment: once the flowers bloom, it's crucial that they don't freeze.

The flowering period itself depends heavily on the weather. On sunny days, the flowers bloom for about 10 days, while cloudy weather can extend the period to up to 20 days. On average, this colorful phase lasts around 14 days. When everything is in bloom, the orchard comes alive: bees, bumblebees, and other insects emerge to pollinate the flowers. But where there are bees, there can also be aphids, beetles, and fleas. Fortunately, natural predators keep this pests under control.

In spring, we also check that all trees are firmly secured to the support poles and wires. This prevents branches from breaking when the fruits start to grow. Once the fruits are set, we can estimate the expected harvest. An average tree carries about 100 fruits.

Not every flower can become a fruit; otherwise, the fruits would remain too small. That's why thinning is necessary: some fruits are removed to allow the remaining ones to grow fully. Thanks to modern technology, we can now do this even more precisely.

We use a TreeScout, which maps each tree and records how much flowering is present. This data is linked to our Fendt 1 with three-row sprayer, allowing us to care for each tree efficiently and with precision. In this way, every fruit receives optimal attention and can grow into a large, flavorful harvest.

In juli is het tijd voor de kersen! Terwijl we plukken, zetten we ook de verzorging van de boomgaard voort: boompjes vastbinden, bloesemknopjes uitdunnen en het gras maaien. Elke dag zijn we druk met deze voorbereidingen, die uiteindelijk moeten zorgen voor een mooie en gezonde oogst in het najaar.

Het plukken van de kersen gebeurt volledig handmatig. Rond het kersenperceel staat een grote regenkap. Deze beschermende kap heeft meerdere voordelen: de kersen kunnen langer aan de boom blijven hangen, worden beschermd tegen scheuren door teveel wateropname en ontwikkelen zo hun optimale smaak. Het net in de kap houdt ook nieuwsgierige vogels weg en helpt insecten zoals de fruitvlieg en suzukivlieg buiten het perceel te houden.

In augustus is het de beurt aan de Delcorf, een echte zomerappel. Dit markeert ook het begin van het plukseizoen voor appels en peren. Vanaf dat moment zijn we ongeveer drie maanden actief met de Pluk-o-Trak, ons geavanceerde pluksysteem. In september volgen de perenrassen Conference en Doyenné du Comice, waarna de appelsoorten Wellant en Elstar geplukt worden.

July is the month for cherries! While we pick them, we also continue caring for the orchard: tying up young trees, thinning flower buds, and mowing the grass. Every day is busy with these preparations, all aimed at ensuring a beautiful and healthy harvest in the fall.

Cherry picking is done completely by hand. Around the cherry plot, there is a large rain cover. This protective cover has several benefits: cherries can stay on the tree longer, are protected from splitting due to excessive water intake, and develop their full flavor. The netting in the cover keeps curious birds away and helps prevent insects such as fruit flies and spotted wing drosophila from reaching the cherries.

In August, it's time for the Delcorf, a true summer apple. This also marks the start of the apple and pear picking season. From then on, we are busy for about three months with the Pluk-o-Trak, our advanced picking system. In September, the pear varieties Conference and Doyenné du Comice are harvested, followed by the apple varieties Wellant and Elstar.