I didn't know whether to post this here or in the food section but we still have loads of apples on one of our trees. We´ve had winds that have blown a ridge tile of the roof but still the apples are clinging to the tree. We've made something like 50 pints of cider, countless apple crumbles and turnovers this year alone but this afternoon I picked another five apples and made an apple crumble.
This tree must be the best investment I ever made, it cost a £1 about 20 years ago from Nettos - and has never failed to crop well - a real bargain.
There is an apple tree at work which always has some fruit on all winter every year (a green skinned apple) - I've never tried eating any of the apples - the tree is tall anyway so not easy to pick, and apples that fall land on the block paving and smash to bits. At home I had some James Grieves still on the tree at Christmas but have since dropped off with the snow the other week.
I have a Granny Smith which has a few still on. It never ripens to an 'eater', but is useful as a late cooker. If you leave them on the tree until they lift off easily (the recommended sign) the birds see they are ripe before I do. So, as there are too many anyway I leave the pecked ones on the tree for the birds. Not ready to pick til late Nov or even Dec.
Mo wrote:I have a Granny Smith which has a few still on. It never ripens to an 'eater', but is useful as a late cooker. If you leave them on the tree until they lift off easily (the recommended sign) the birds see they are ripe before I do. So, as there are too many anyway I leave the pecked ones on the tree for the birds. Not ready to pick til late Nov or even Dec.
I think mine is more of a Bramley. The birds are pecking most of them now but I have been thinking of making 'apple butter'. Never tried that before.