Apple growers in southwestern Ontario report generally stable expectations for the 2025 crop despite drought and variable summer weather.
Sue Guenther of Aylmer Big Apple Orchard in Elgin County said her 150 acres produced good volumes. "It's been amazing and we have lots of apples," she told Farmers Forum on Sept. 2.
Although the region was "on the very dry side" during the summer, rains in May and June supported fruit development. Guenther noted that cooler spring weather delayed the season by two weeks compared to 2024. Apple sizes remain "pretty average," with smaller varieties like Paula Red consistent and larger types like Honeycrisp showing good sizing. The orchard's eight varieties include Paula Red, Gravenstein, Ginger Gold, Sunrise, Empire, Macintosh, Golden Jubilee, and Honeycrisp, mostly fall apples.
In Middlesex County, northwest of London, Philip Crunican of Crunican Orchards reported similar conditions. "We're happy with the way things look," he said, adding that spring and early summer rains helped apples size up well despite a dry season. Crunican said summer apples were "a little bit small," but fall varieties such as Honeycrisp, Gala, and Macintosh developed well. His 25 acres of mostly older, deep-rooted trees tolerated the dry conditions better than younger plantings, which required irrigation by water wagon.
In the Niagara Region, Torrie Warner of Warner's Farm grows 25 apple varieties and reported "severe dryness" on his clay soils. Cracks two inches wide and wrist deep developed, limiting fruit size. His non-irrigated Golden Delicious and Mutsu trees produced "less than average" apples. "If you have sandy soil, you're OK, but on heavier clays, once those soils have dried out, there's nothing you can do," Warner said.
Warner irrigates other sections of his 14-acre orchard with water piped from Lake Ontario. On those blocks, which include Paula Red, Ginger Gold, Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Ambrosia, yields were stronger and more consistent, supplying both retail and farmers' markets.
Source: Farmers Forum
