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Apple season is in full swing in the Okanagan, weeks ahead of schedule

The uniquely hot and dry summer has led to an early apple season for the Okanagan.

Sara Graziano, at Graziano Orchards in Kelowna, has seen the season arrive two weeks earlier than average years.

Graziano expects the season to be cut a bit short this year, due to the early start.

“It usually runs until the end of October so I would probably think it would run until at least the 20th of October or so,” she said.

It has been important to keep up with watering this year due to the hot, dry conditions, but Graziano said it hasn’t been much of an issue as they’ve had plenty of water.

There have been similar conditions towards the north of the valley and an employee at Davison Orchards in Vernon said they may be three weeks ahead of schedule.

“Pretty much every crop, vegetable or fruit, has been about two to three weeks early,” the employee said. “We’re definitely well under way with picking our apples.”

This summer hasn’t brought all good news to apple growers in the Okanagan though.

Strong winds destroyed Chamkaur Gill’s entire apple crop in mid-August.

Whole apple trees, that take four or five years to reach producing age, snapped in half and the majority of his apples fell to the ground, becoming unsellable.

The apples that did stay on the tree were smashed around and bruised.

Gill estimated his lost crop cost him $100,000.