How Farmers Use Sunbeds, Sunscreen To Give Their Apples The Perfect Shade

The pink lady variety of apple is known for its pinkish color, but simply letting the fruit grow on the tree is not enough to develop the hues.

Key Points: Several techniques are used to promote the pink coloring of pink applesReflective sheets are laid down to reflect light into the trees, while sunscreen is applied to the fruitSupermarkets demand brightly colored fruit

Apple growers will go to great lengths to make their fruit look its best so consumers can grab it at the supermarket.

Donnybrook grower Neil Yates said he put down reflective sheeting before his next harvest to give his apples the best shot at a consumer-friendly color.

He said the leaves reflect light off the fruit to give it a nicely rounded color under all angles.

"We get a fuller coloring of the fruit, certainly the stuff deposited in the trees, the undersides, and if any, we can get 12-15% more color [ on the] fruit,” Mr. Yates said. ="Figure" data-uri="coremedia://imageproxy/102154332">Neil Yates aims to produce as colorful pink apples as possible. (ABC Rural: Sophie Johnson)

"Packaging is increasing and customers are more satisfied with the color of the fruit.

"The demand, I suppose, is for the most beautiful fruit."

He said he mainly uses disposable reflective sheeting, but other producers commonly use reusable sheets.

Effort goes into producing brightly colored pink apples.(ABC Rural: Sophie Johnson)

"It's almost like a Glad Wrap that's been sprayed on and almost gives a mirror-like finish," he said.

M . Yates said reusable tarps are more like a white tarp held to the ground with bungee cords.

"We always use the disposable stuff because we have a big supply to use up" , he said.

/ Reflective sheets are used to project light around the apple, giving it more color.