This apple orchard is on the site of the original apple orchard, planted during World War II by the Sherwood Family. The original orchard was located between Wellington Woods and the farm manager’s house.

At harvest time, the apples were picked and transported to the Apple House where they were culled, washed and packed in wooden crates, stamped with the Sherwood logo, to go to market.

The apples were sold at Baltimore wholesale waterfront markets, stalls in various Baltimore City markets, and at supermarkets. The apple orchard was in use for over 40 years.

Apple Orchard Today

35 apple trees were planted on the site of the Sherwood Farm Apple Orchard that once stood in this field.

Maintaining the Orchard: Apple trees can live to be 100 years, if properly maintained, but they reach their prime at around 25 years. They require regular maintenance to ensure their health and productivity. Some of the practices followed at Cromwell Valley’s Sherwood Apple Orchard include pruning, fertilization, mulching, pest and disease control, and thinning. Trees are inspected regularly for signs of stress, disease, or insect damage. Early detection can prevent further damage and allow for prompt treatment.

Apple Facts

  • The first apple tree is believed to have originated in Kazakhstan, in central Asia.
  • Apples were an important food source in many ancient civilization and are mentioned in ancient Greek and Norse mythology.
  • In the middle ages apples were often used for medicinal purposes and were believed to have a range of healing properties.
  • The first apple trees grown in North America grew from seeds brought by French Jesuits in the late sixteenth century.
  • Apples are grown worldwide. Highest producing countries are China, the U.S., Poland, Italy, and Turkey.
  • Apple trees are the most productive when they are cross-pollinated with other species. Apple orchards typically contain multiple varieties of trees, to produce more and bigger fruit.
  • When well maintained, apple trees can live up to 100 years, but they reach their prime at about 25 years of age.
  • Of the 2500 varieties of apples available in the U.S, 15 are planted here.

Apple Orchard Facts

  • Pruning: Regular pruning is done to help shape the tree, promote good air circulation, and remove dead, diseased, or damaged branches. Pruning also encourages fruit production by stimulating new growth.
  • Fertilization: Apple trees benefit from annual fertilization in early spring to provide essential nutrients. This is especially important during the first couple of years after planting.
  • Watering: Apple trees are watered if rainfall is not sufficient. New trees require up to 5 gallons of water per week.
  • Mulching: A layer of mulch is placed around the base of each tree to help retain soil moisture, suppress weed growth, and regulate soil temperature.
  • Pest and Disease Control: Apple trees are monitored for common pests like aphids, apple maggots, and codling moths. More recently, spotted lantern flies have become a threat at the Park. Regular inspection and appropriate pest management practices, such as use of organic insecticides, can help control infestations. Additionally, diseases like apple scab and powdery mildew can be managed with proper sanitation and fungicide applications. A dormant oil spray is applied in the winter, and an organic insecticide (e.g.: Neem Oil) is applied monthly from blossom until leaf drop.
  • Thinning: When apple trees produce an abundance of fruit, excess fruit is removed to ensure larger, healthier apples. Thinning allows the remaining fruit to receive sufficient nutrients and sunlight.
  • Regular Inspection: Trees are inspected regularly for signs of stress, disease, or insect damage. Early detection can prevent further damage and allow for prompt treatment.

  • Apples are harvested in the fall when they are ripe, having attained the characteristic color and size of their variety. Apples are removed from trees by gently twisting while lifting upward. Ripe apples should come off the tree with minimal effort.
  • Apples last the longest when refrigerated at 31°F to 36°F. After harvest, apples can be stored for months in controlled atmosphere storage rooms where the temperature, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and humidity levels are adjusted to put them into hibernation.
  • Apples are sprayed with a thin layer of wax to prevent moisture loss and to make them look more appealing. Several different types of wax are used, primarily Carnauba wax that comes from the leaves of the Brazilian palm, as well as Candelilla wax from a desert plant, and food grade shellac from the Indian lac bug. Synthetic esters, made by combining sucrose with fatty acids, and polyethylene, the same plastic used to make disposable shopping bags, can also be applied in a very thin layer.
  • With proper storage, apples could be sold in stores up to one year after they are picked.

Apple trees are cultivars. The term cultivar is short for “cultivated variety” and refers to a plant variety that has been intentionally selected and bred by humans for desirable traits such as enhanced flavor, disease resistance, increased yield, and other characteristics. There are over 7500 cultivars (varieties) of apple trees.

No, the seeds from an apple will not produce the same type of tree as the parent tree. This is because apple trees cross pollinate between different varieties. When an apple tree produces seeds, those seeds inherit genetic material from both the male (pollen) and female (ovule) parent trees. The offspring trees grown from apple seeds will exhibit genetic variation and may have different characteristics compared to the characteristics of the parent tree. Apple trees are typically not grown from seed, but rather from grafting or budding to reproduce a specific tree without relying on seeds.
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”  Apples are an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.

The greatest health benefits come from fresh apples and the apple peel.