Take the cider orchard quiz: could you care for apple trees?

1. Around what age will your apple trees start to produce fruit?

   1. 10 years

   2. Six months

   3. Three to five years

   4. Two years

2. How do you check an apple’s ripeness?

   1. Look at the colour of its skin

   2. Give it a tug

   3. Check whether it’s a full moon

   4. Look at the pips

3. What’s the biggest threat to young trees and saplings?

   1. Rabbits

   2. Frost

   3. Wind

   4. Teenagers

4. What’s the best way to check the quality of an apple?

   1. By looking and then biting it

   2. By knocking on its flesh

   3. By cutting it open

   4. By dropping it into a bucket of water

5. What’s the difference between a cider apple and an eating apple?

   1. There isn’t any

   2. Tannin levels

   3. The colour

   4. Cider apples are bigger

6. 

   Which soil type is best for growing apple trees?

   1. Loamy

   2. Clay

   3. Sandy

   4. Chalky

7. How can you encourage beneficial wildlife in the orchard?

   1. Leave scraps of food out

   2. Ship it in

   3. Leave the gate open

   4. Plant wildflowers

8. How can you lower the risk of your trees being damaged by frost?

   1. Put heaters in the orchard

   2. Cover the orchard in winter

   3. Plant varieties that flower later

   4. Buy your trees some nice coats

9. Which bees are best for pollinating apple trees?

   1. Honey bees

   2. Solitary bees

   3. Bumblebees

   4. All of the above

10. When is an apple tree most susceptible to damage from drought?

    1. When it’s very tall

    2. When it’s very young

    3. When it’s blossoming

    4. When it’s dropping leaves

Solutions

1:C - While the exact timing may vary, most apple trees start producing fruit buds on wood that is two years old. By year three, you can expect to see some pretty apple blossom and hopefully some fruit., 2:D - Apple pips turn from white to brown when near-ripe. So cut a few open, and if the seeds are fully brown then it’s time to harvest., 3:A - Rabbits may be cute, but they can wreak havoc on young trees as they love to strip away the bark with their teeth. The best protection is a rabbit guard or a good fence., 4:A - The best first step is just to look at it. If it looks healthy and clean, the juice is likely to be good quality, too. By taking a bite of one, you can be pretty sure the rest of the batch are of an equal quality., 5:B - Cider apples tend to have a higher level of tannin – these natural polyphenols are also found in tea and red wine – to the apples you might grab as a snack. This means the apple may have an astringent taste if eaten, but it does bring complexity and depth of flavour to the cider., 6:A - Apples are very tolerant of a wide range of soil types, but prefer neutral to slightly acidic pH levels and good drainage to avoid root rot. Loamy soil, a balanced mix of soil types, is your best bet., 7:D - Adding wildflowers to an orchard sets off a whole chain of eco-events! They provide an additional food source for pollinating insects and encourage a wide range of other animals, too., 8:C - In the UK, the only frosts that can cause issues for apple trees are late ones, when the blossom is already out. If this happens, the flowers can become damaged, so budding orchardists need to pick varieties that will flower later in the year., 9:D - All bees work just as hard and are just as good at pollinating apple trees as one another. They’re all welcome in the orchard., 10:B - While drought is rare in the UK, it’s still a risk for apple trees. Young trees under two years old are at the most risk during periods of drought, while older trees with established root systems cope much better.

Scores

1. 10 and above.

   You got eight to 10 right: Congratulations, you’re ready to become an orchardist! Wow, if you don’t already work in an orchard, now’s the time to start! You’ve got all the knowledge you need to become an expert orchardist.

2. 9 and above.

   You got eight to 10 right: Congratulations, you’re ready to become an orchardist! Wow, if you don’t already work in an orchard, now’s the time to start! You’ve got all the knowledge you need to become an expert orchardist.

3. 8 and above.

   You got eight to 10 right: Congratulations, you’re ready to become an orchardist! Wow, if you don’t already work in an orchard, now’s the time to start! You’ve got all the knowledge you need to become an expert orchardist.

4. 7 and above.

   You got four to seven right: Not bad … time to brush up on your apples! Hmm … clearly you know a little about apples, but not enough to pack it all in and move to the country just yet. Go study up and come back when you’re ready.

5. 6 and above.

   You got four to seven right: Not bad … time to brush up on your apples! Hmm … clearly you know a little about apples, but not enough to pack it all in and move to the country just yet. Go study up and come back when you’re ready.

6. 5 and above.

   You got four to seven right: Not bad … time to brush up on your apples! Hmm … clearly you know a little about apples, but not enough to pack it all in and move to the country just yet. Go study up and come back when you’re ready.

7. 4 and above.

   You got four to seven right: Not bad … time to brush up on your apples! Hmm … clearly you know a little about apples, but not enough to pack it all in and move to the country just yet. Go study up and come back when you’re ready.

8. 3 and above.

   You got zero to three right – Don’t quit your day job: While tending to trees and making cider might seem like a dream job, you’re just not cut out for it yet.

9. 2 and above.

   You got zero to three right – Don’t quit your day job: While tending to trees and making cider might seem like a dream job, you’re just not cut out for it yet.

10. 0 and above.

    You got zero to three right – Don’t quit your day job: While tending to trees and making cider might seem like a dream job, you’re just not cut out for it yet.

11. 1 and above.

    You got zero to three right – Don’t quit your day job: While tending to trees and making cider might seem like a dream job, you’re just not cut out for it yet.

To discover more about life on Myrtle Farm and Thatchers’ range of Somerset ciders, please visit thatcherscider.co.uk

Please drink Thatchers responsibly. For the facts, visit drinkaware.co.uk Photograph: PR