Apples and Pears
Copyright © May 23, 2022 by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
All Rights Reserved.
Introduction
Food prices are continuing to increase every week.
Although fresh fruits are currently a little more expensive that they were earlier this year, fresh fruits are still affordable. And many different types of fresh fruits can still be purchased at most grocery stores.
Fruits are extremely healthy. They have a high water content and they contain a lot of nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. Most studies on fruit have revealed that people who eat fruit regularly are usually healthier than people who only eat fruit occasionally or who rarely eat fruit.
There is truth in the old saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Apples are a low-calorie nutrient dense source of healthy fiber and antioxidants. Apples contain pectin, a water-soluble fiber, that helps you feel full. It digests slowly to decrease your appetite for more food. Apples may enhance cardiovascular health, dental health, digestion, hair health, liver health, respiratory health, and skin health. They may reduce the risk of cancer (breast, colon, prostrate, skin), cataracts, dementia, hemorrhoids, and stroke. They may help relieve the symptoms of asthma. They may slow down the normal aging process.
Pears contain copper, antioxidants, and several beneficial plant compounds. Pear skins contain a lot of fiber. Pears may enhance digestion and minimize constipation. They may enhance blood circulation, bone health, eye health, hair health, heart health, the immune system, and skin health. They may reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation. They may reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer (bladder, breast, lung, ovarian, stomach), heart disease, and stroke. They may help relieve the discomfort of arthritis and gout.
Do not chop, cut, slice, or peel any fruit until you are ready to eat it or use it in a recipe because the nutrients in fruit gradually begin to decline after the fruit has been cut or peeled.
If you enjoy eating fresh fruit then what do you do with the seeds that were inside the fruit? Do you toss those seeds into the garbage?
If you save those seeds then those seeds could be planted. Each seed has the potential to grow into a healthy fruit tree that will bear the same type of fruit that you just enjoyed eating. But it does take time for seeds to grow into a tree that will yield fruit.
Fruit seeds require very little storage space inside your refrigerator, and you can easily take your seeds with you if you must relocate to another area.
Although you may not have any gardening experience, growing fruit trees is a lot, lot easier than growing fresh vegetables. A fruit tree grown from seed will produce no fruit during the first 5 or 6 years after the seed is originally planted, but then it will yield fruit every year for between 20 to 40 years. This may not seem important to you at the current time. But if our society meltsdown and if you survive, and if you find a place where you can begin a new life, then having some fruit seeds in your pocket may become the most important item that you own. And those seeds may help you and your family survive in your new location.
However, fruit seeds need to be correctly dried, chilled (stratified), and planted to grow into a fruit tree. If you know the basics about how to save fruit seeds then you may reap some significant rewards one day in the future.
There is free information on my website about how to preserve seeds and how to grow fruit trees at the following link: How to Grow Fruit Trees From Seeds.
Discussion
Most apple trees are not self-pollinating and two or more varieties will need to be planted. There are exceptions, such as Golden Delicious, which is self-fruitful and it can pollinate itself. However, even the self-fruitful varieties will do better if planted near a different variety.
The four varieties that are totally non self-fruitful are Jonagold, Mutsu, Stayman, and Winesap. These four varieties produce sterile pollen and they should be avoided, in my opinion.
Apple trees may be grown from seeds. Buy several good brands of heirloom apples from the grocery store. All the following apples are mid to late season bloomers and they will all cross-pollinate one another. All the following apples are partially self-fruitful except for the Red Delicious. However, the Red Delicious is very good for cross-pollinating the other apple trees.
a. Red Apples: Fuji (Pink), Gala, Red Delicious.
b. Yellow Applies: Golden Delicious (sweet), Granny Smith (tart).
Golden Delicious is the best choice as a universal pollinator because it is a mid-season bloomer and its blooms will overlap early and late season apple varieties.
Do not mix the apple varieties together but keep them separate so you will know which apple is which. When you get home wait for the apple to fully ripen and then carefully slice each apple and remove its seeds. Do not mix the seeds from different varieties. Then eat the apple and make sure you enjoy the taste of that particular type of apple.
Some pear trees are self-fruitful and some are not. Pear trees will usually grow straight up instead of branching out to the sides. It is not unusual for some pear trees to live 40 or 50 years. The most common pear tree in the United States is the Bartlett pear but it will not grow in every geographical area. Anjou (D’Anjou), Bartlett, Comice, Kieffer, and Seckle pears are all partially self-fruitful and they may be also be used to pollinate other varieties of pear trees.
Most of the apples and pears that are sold at grocery stores are identified by the type of fruit, such as Golden Delicious apples or Bartlett pears.
Apples and pears are not the only types of seeds you should consider saving. For example, any fresh fruit or fresh vegetable that you currently eat that has seeds inside it could provide you with a "free" source of seeds. (You will need to remove the seeds of tomatoes, cucumbers, and other foods before you eat the food.) If these seeds are properly dried and chilled, then many of these seeds will produce an edible crop of food after 1 to 4 months of good weather.
Fresh fruit and vegetables that are purchased at a "farmer's market" may be grown from heirloom seeds. You can ask the person selling the food if they know what variety of food it is.
There is free information on my website about how to preserve vegetable seeds at the following link: How to Grow Your Own Vegetable Seeds.
It would be sad if you found yourself in a situation at some time in the future and you suddenly realized how valuable some fruit and vegetable seeds could be to the continued survival of your family. At that moment you will probably wish that you had taken the time to save the seeds that you had thrown into the garbage because you thought those seeds were worthless.
Commercially packaged seeds are also a good investment if you can find them at your local Walmart, or hardware store, or online.
Conclusion
Have you ever carefully looked at the tiny thin stem that protrudes out of the top of an apple or a pear?
When a flower blossom on an apple tree is fertilized by insects or bees, a miniscule apple is created. Very gradually it begins to take the shape of a tiny apple. Gradually the tiny little apple begins to swell and store nutrients inside its skin. At the end of the growing season the apple will reach its full size but it will still be hanging from the apple tree by its thin little stem. All the nutrients and water in the soil traveled up through the tree and down into the apple through that one tiny little stem. Then the apple is harvested and eaten. Or the apple may fall off the tree onto the ground and gradually rot and become fertilizer for the next growing season.
Have you ever considered how many different types of apple trees and pear trees and fruit trees there are?
Have you ever considered how many different types of vegetables and nuts there are?
Do you believe that all these miracles of nature just accidentally happened over the course of trillions of years?
When the ecological systems of the earth (rain, sun, wind, and temperature) are in harmony then life flourishes. When the ecological systems are disrupted then life dies.
If things just started growing automatically by themselves, then during the trillions of years why has there not been at least one long period of no rain, or scorching sun, or high winds, or extreme temperatures, that have permanently killed every living organism on the earth? Or is the theory of trillions of years only applicable to the evolutionary benefit of living organisms and the theory of trillions of years would never eradicate all life on earth?
Or do you believe what the Holy Bible says and that God created the heavens and the earth and everything on the earth? Do you believe that God is in 100% control of everything and that He sometimes allows drought, and floods, and famine, and wars to happen because He is not happy with what many of us are doing?
The Holy Bible says:
Matthew 5:45 - English Standard Version:
45 For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
If there is a God then do you think He is happy with most of us?
If there is a God then is it possible that drought, famine, and war may be part of His plan for the very near future?
May God Bless,
Grandpappy.
Grandpappy's e-mail address is: RobertWayneAtkins@hotmail.com