¹     In the state of Washington, a group of apple trees are planted in the spring. The apple trees are started from seeds. The new little plant is called a seedling. When the seedling has grown a little larger, it is called a rootstock. Apple rootstock trees are planted in rows. A group of many trees planted together is called an orchard.
 
²     The seedling looks like a stick in the ground the first year. These young trees usually do not have blooms, only leaves. So, there may not be apples on the new tree. Young trees are watered and fertilized and sit in the soil and sun all summer and fall. In winter, the leaves drop off and the apple tree sleeps.
 
³     By the second spring, the apple tree will probably have little buds on the branches that will become blooms. Apple trees usually begin to blossom in April or May. Bees help the apple blossoms grow into apples. As bees search for food, they spread pollen from one blossom to another. This process is called pollination.

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