045: J. Cline Ph.D. & D. Plotkowski | Pomology Cider Research, Canada

045: J. Cline Ph.D. & D. Plotkowski | Pomology Cider Research, Canada

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist September 7, 2016 Duration: 1:01:59

Dr. John Cline and Derek Plotkowski chat on the study of pomes, i.e., Pomology and their current research on cider apples. They are based at the University of Guelph in Ontario Canada.

Ep 45 Pomologist John Cline
John Cline

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pomology and Cider in Ontario

The Ontario Craft Cider Association approached Dr. Cline looking for access to cider varieties and to get an understanding of how they would grow in Canada.

Cline and Plotkowski, are researching the horticultural aspects of growing these cider varieties in Canada, such as;

  • How productive are they?
  • What might be the issues facing the cider apple trees selected?
  • How to they work with the root stock M9?
  • What are their disease and insect susceptibility?
  • How prone are they to winter injury in Canada?

Apples and Cider in Canada – Research

 The results of this research and starting data should begin to show preliminary information in 2017.

Says Dr. Cline, "In Canada apples are second to blueberries in terms of fruit crops. In terms of tree crops they are number 1"

Ep 045 Derek Plotkowski researcher
Derek Plotkowski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Derek is working towards his Ph. D. in pomology. He studied previously at Cornell University in New York State.

While in France, he took a "Terroir Management" course. Go to 43 minutes in to the start of this conversation.

"When you are taking about terroir you are talking about a very specific spot" – Derek

What is the difference between a young tree vs an older tree?

  • Between 1-4 years, the fruit is softer and apples do not store as well

The goal is to have trees  producing more fruits and yielding a higher crop load on the tree and consistent size.

The pomologist are studying, young trees grown in a high density orchard: They take leaf samples (mid July) to assess the nitrogen concentration in a plant.

What is the  nitrogen range for apple trees?

  • They are looking to find 2.2% nitrogen on a dry matter leaf.
  • If that is lower than 2.2, orchardist will work towards increasing the nitrogen for that tree.

Too much nitrogen lends to poor quality

Says Derek, "The cidermaker is taking care of the juice as a medium for yeast"

Contact info for Dr. Cline and Derek Plotkowski

Dr. John Cline

Derek Plotskowski

eMaildplotkow@uoguelph.ca

Derk's grad student profile: http://www.plant.uoguelph.ca/treefruit/teaching/grad/current.html

Mentions in this Cider Chat

Donate to Cider Chat! Help keep the chat thriving! via my Pateron page.


There’s a whole world in a glass of cider, and Cider Chat is your invitation to explore it. Hosted by award-winning cidermaker and writer Ria Windcaller, this podcast travels far beyond the bottle to meet the people who make the global cider culture so vibrant. Each conversation is a journey-you might find yourself in a heritage orchard learning the history of forgotten apple varieties, in a bustling taproom with an importer explaining regional traditions, or in a kitchen with a chef pairing cider with unexpected foods. The discussions get into the delightful nuances, too, whether that’s the semantics of what we even call this drink or how the concept of terroir translates from soil to sip. It’s not just about production; it’s about the community, the travel, and the stories that fermentation unlocks. This is for anyone curious about the craft, history, and sheer enjoyment of fermented apple juice in all its forms. So, pour a glass and settle in for a series that feels like a wide-ranging, informative, and genuinely good-humored chat with friends who happen to be obsessed with cider. You’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for every effervescent, tart, or sweet sip, hearing directly from the growers, makers, and enthusiasts who are shaping this drink’s exciting present and future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 501

Cider Chat
Podcast Episodes
228: Philadelphia Orchard Project [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:46
The Philadelphia Orchard Project (POP) was founded in 2007 and serves Philadelphia and it surrounding area. This nonprofit organization both plants and supports community orchards in the city of Philadelphia. 2019 Harves…
227 The Color of Cider [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:57
The Color of Cider provides a snap shot of an early practices used to deter black farmers gaining true equality and the difficulties facing African Americans today who may view farming as a step back to the plantation. W…
226: Northern Spy and the Underground Railroad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:14
Northern Spy is a short story that weaves the tale of the early grafting of the apple known as the Northern Spy, Quaker values, and the Underground Railroad. Read and written by Ryan Monkman, for the new Cider Chat segme…
225: Terroir Spotlight | western Massachusetts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:25
New England was the Plymouth Rock of cider in the US for the colonist and western Massachusetts is the launch pad of the modern day US cider market. It was here in 1984 that West County Cider and The Maloney family rekin…
224: Ask Ryan | Quarantine Quad Series, Part 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:25
What is Flor aka Film Yeast and can the cider be saved? It's all in Part 4 of the Quarantine Quad Series called "Ask Ryan" with Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider, Ontario Canada answering questions from Cider Chat listener…
223: Ask Ryan | Quarantine Quad Series, Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:21
Discover two cidermaking techniques that are also used in winemaking, called Maderisation and Bâtonnage. We delve into both of these topics in Part 3 of the Quarantine Quad Series called "Ask Ryan" with Ryan Monkman of F…
222: Ask Ryan | Quarantine Quad Series | Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:53
Part 2 of the Quarantine Quad Series called "Ask Ryan" continues with Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider, Ontario Canada answering questions from Cider Chat listeners on working with oak barrels. Listen Part 1 of the Quaran…
221: Ask Ryan | Quarantine Quad Pt1 Q&A [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:20
"Ask Ryan" features Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider, Ontario Canada answering questions from Cider Chat listeners. Ryan expertise with oak barrel ferments and oak barrels in general inspired this 4 part series. The fact…
220: Can Sorbs Save the World? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:17
This is a continuation of our conversation with Arnould Narzain of Paris. Listen to Part 1 in episode 218: Sorbs not Sulfites Arnould Narzain with a drop backdrop of Sorbs In this episode Arnould shares even more attribu…
CCL: NY Cider Association | Ex Dir. S.Ramsey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:33
Bonus Cider Chat Live with the New York Cider Association's Scott Ramsey Scott Ramsey stepped into his role as Executive Director of the New York Cider Association on March 1, 2020. New York State was soon to become the…