Apple blossom

Apples have been cultivated here for a long time and today make the country the largest supplier of organic apples in Europe. 7,000 farmers cultivate their meadows in the Val Venosta, Merano and surroundings, the south of South Tyrol, the area around Bolzano and the Valle Isarco. Every year, 950,000 tons of apples are harvested, every second apple in Italy comes from the South Tyrol.

If the winter is mild and humid, the apple blossom starts earlier, if it is cold and dry, a little later. In addition, the climate in the valleys and the altitude - in South Tyrol the apple meadows are located between 200 and 1,000 metres a.s.l. - play an important role. But it is usually in April when thousands of buds burst open, immersing the landscape in a sea of white and pink blossoms. In this spring month, however, it can still get cold, especially at night: If frost threatens, the alarm sounds. The flowers are then sprayed with water by the farmers in the middle of the night. The water freezes and forms a protective ice shell that sparkles in the morning sun.

Buzzing helpers like bees and bumblebees distribute the pollen and make fertilisation possible, without which there would be no apples. Cycling tours and walks during these magical weeks show the landscape from its most beautiful side. Among them there are also theme paths, like the Tirolo Apple Trail or the Valle Isarco Wine and Apple Trail. Furthermore, the apple blossom is celebrated with events, e.g. "Lana in Bloom", and explained in museums such as the South Tyrolean Fruit Growing Museum. Already a few weeks later, the first small apples can be seen: When they are ripe in autumn, there's nothing better than a freshly made South Tyrolean Apple Strudel.