Consumer Q&A: An Apple a Day ...

Q: I have an odd question. Apples grow in orchards, but oranges grow in groves. What is the difference between an orchard and a grove? 

A: An orchard is an area of land devoted to the cultivation of fruit or nut trees. “Orchard” is also defined as the trees cultivated in such an area. A grove is a small wood or stand of trees lacking dense undergrowth. “Grove” is also defined as a group of trees planted and cultivated for fruit or nut production.

An orchard always has to consist of fruit or nut trees, but a grove does not. That is the big difference. Orchards are usually maintained in a grove-like manner, with all the competing underbrush removed. So an orchard can almost always be considered a grove by both definitions of the word, but a grove is not always an orchard.

You can say that oranges are grown in orchards or groves, but I suppose “orange orchard” was too clumsy to say, and grove became the norm when referring to where they are grown.

Q:  When is apple season in Georgia?

A:  The bulk of Georgia’s apple harvest is in the late summer and fall (August through December), but a few varieties ripen in early summer. 

Q: Why do Red Delicious apples I see in the supermarket look different from the ones I saw at the orchard?

A: Perhaps the apples you saw at the supermarket were grown in Washington. Both Georgia and Washington grow the same variety, but when grown in the South it looks different than it does when grown in the cool Pacific Northwest. Our Red Delicious apples are rounder than and not as elongated as those from Washington. Also, ours are not as dark red.

If you are only familiar with Washington State apples, try some of the ones grown here in Georgia. You will not be disappointed!