It was overcast but the little apple tree was blooming anyhow. Hope the bees find it.

White with delicate tinges of pink: apple blossom perfection

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Yesterday the apple trees began to bloom. I hope there are still apple flowers blooming when the rain stops next week.

Pink and white apple blossoms

Check out more photos on Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, NF Catching the Light Monday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Pink Saturday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you very much for your visit here today.

Another photo from my April birthday this year, the columnar apple tree in my backyard. These blossoms are now applesauce in my freezer!

Pink and white apple blossoms in spring sunshine

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Here’s the thing about apples: they must have cross pollination to set fruit. And even if there is another apple tree nearby, if the bees aren’t out doing their thing, you may have to help nature along. Here in Seattle where sunshine is an occasional thing (“sun breaks,” anyone?) it will definitely increase your harvest to get out there and help.

How? Take a clean, dry, soft artist’s paintbrush, or even a Q-tip, and brush the pollen carefully on a bunch of flowers on Tree A. Then go to Tree B (a different apple variety) and brush some more. Back and forth a few times should do it. Of course for a big tree, you can only do so much, but for dwarf backyard trees, you will make a huge difference.

We have two trees of the “columnar” type. They’re a super skinny, super dwarf size, good in containers, and both can be hand pollinated in just a few minutes. Go back in a few days when more blossoms have opened and do it again. You’ll be glad you did.

Visit Today’s Flowers for more sweet flower photos.