Apples
Apples are the basin's signature orchard bloom, at full commercial scale. Modern blocks are planted tight on trellis, leaning on a careful mix of pollenizer varieties — which makes bee placement, not just bee numbers, the thing that sets the crop.
Set to the field, not a chart.
| Planting & row spacing | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Standard plantingswider rows, good pollenizer overlap | 1–2colonies / acre |
| High-density trellisclose rows, modern blocks | 2–2.5colonies / acre |
Apple stocking depends heavily on tree density and how well bloom overlaps with pollenizer varieties. Conventional blocks with strong pollenizer overlap can run nearer one colony per acre; modern high-density trellis plantings lean to the higher end, and good distribution through the block matters as much as the headline number. We match the rate to the orchard, not a chart.
Strong colonies, in the right place, on time.
- Placement over headcountIn trellised blocks, distributing colonies through the orchard beats stacking them on one edge.
- Pollenizer-awareApples need compatible pollen moved between varieties; we set bees to keep that cross-flow going.
- Timed to king bloomColonies go in as bloom opens so bees are working the most fertile early flowers.
- Health tracked through the jobStrength and mite pressure are monitored before and during placement.
If you want to go deeper.
Independent university-extension and research sources on apples pollination — useful background as we plan your season together.
These figures are general industry recommendations, not a fixed price or a promise of a specific colony count. Final stocking is set per field with you, based on acreage, planting density, variety and bloom conditions. External links open third-party sites we don't control.
Planning apples for the coming season?
Tell us your acreage and bloom window and we'll talk through colony numbers, timing and placement.