when do you pick apples? Some of mine are getting big, but I've shaken the tree gently and nothing comes off. I don't want to pick them too soon, but I'm dying to try one. My first year.

haven't got to try any of my pears as something stole them so don't want to miss the apples.

You can get guidance from listings like these

http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/produc ... EPICUR&v=4

but the only real way is trying them - if you lift them and they come off they are ready - if they are windfalls and the pips are brown pick the rest. I think apples are late this year, we have an unknown that we took to an apple day and it was identified as Epicure and we are only just starting to pick it.

I've picked most of my apples now. The Early Worcesters the last week in August, one of the russets last week and the Sunset, Meridian and Saturn today. I just look out for any dropping off on their own and check by gently lifting one or two on the tree every day or so until they come away easily. Then I pick them all. I've still got the Bramleys and another later russet to pick.

I'm using the polythene bag method that they showed on Gardeners' World last year again as they definitely lasted in good condition longer than when just stored on racks. Just put them in bags with a few air holes and lay them flat, not quite touching if possible, but it isn't vital. I store them in a cold shed on trays or racks lined with newspaper and put a layer of newspaper to keep the light out, and a bit of fleece over them when it freezes.

I do find the Deacon's fruit tree specialist catalogue a mine of information on all the varieties - it tells you when they should be ready to pick and how long they keep which is extremely useful when choosing what varieties to grow.

picked one that came away easily and it was lovely, but it doesn't look anything like the Cox's Orange Pippin it's supposed to be. Where can I go to get advice of which kind it could be. I bought it cheap from Lidl I think so I'm not surprised it's not what it should be, none of the roses I bought from them are the colour they're supposed to be either.

Is there an "Apple Day" held somewhere near you, Malk? RHS gardens and many other gardens hold them at this time of the year and fruit experts might be able to tell you what variety it is. Or maybe a professional fruit grower at a nursery?

Dear Malk, if you could put a photo of it on here, i'm sure one of us might know.

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this forum and new to kitchen gardening too. I have a bit of a question about harvesting apples and thought it best to post in this thread (even though it is a bit old) rather than starting a new one.

I moved into my house in November 09, and I have (what I think is) a bramley cooking apple tree in my garden. Some of the apples are beginning to look pretty big but I'm a little worried as there have been a lot dropping off over the last couple of weeks, but none of them look ready.

Is this normal? Should I expect to loose some early, or is this as good as it get and should I be harvesting them?

Muchly befuddled,

Joolz

Hello and welcome Joolz
This dropping is quite normal. Apple trees always set far more fruit than they can ever hope to nourish to maturity so smaller fruits are shed. It is often called the June drop but seems to continue for a couple of months. Don't know how the tree decides which fruit to shed though.
Don't pick any fruit yet as it's far too early. Bramleys wont be ready until October time.

John

A warm welcome from me too Joolz.

Regarding the apples, i second what John said, i've also had some of my Bramleys fall this week, so i wouldn't over concern yourself.

Welcome but you don't tell us where, if you are in one of the areas that is still very dry that will have extended the normal dropping of fruit. If it is a Bramley there must be other Apples near by, it needs two other varieties for pollination. If they are also in your garden it is worth remembering if you are planning some re-modelling after moving in. Bramley's are very bumpy round the flower end which is a quick guide to recognition.

Thank you to you all for your advice, and sorry for my much belated response.

The tree has been steadily loosing apples since my last post, there are still loads on the tree and (most) are beginning to look quite fat.

I'm based in Lincoln - if that is any indication of the weather that the tree has experienced this summer...mixed long periods of dry and down pour.

Not sure about other trees nearby, it's a residential area with mid-size gardens so I wouln't be surprised if there are more apple trees about...just not in my garden.

Thanks,

Joolz

Hello again Joolz
There are a couple of ways to tell if a Brambly is ready to come of the tree. First there is the colour of the apple - as they form the apples are a mid-green colour but on maturing and ripening reddish streaks and patches appear of the exposed side of the fruit. Secondly, as with all apples, if you hold the bottom of the apple in your cupped hand and then gently lift and twist, a ripe fruit will come off the tree - if it doesn't want to move it's not ready.
If you have a large tree, which most Bramblys are, it's well worth investing in one of those fruit picker tools - a small bag that fits into a long extendable pole.
Remember that the fruits do not all ripen at the same time. It probably happens over about a month. These apples also store very well slowly becoming sweeter and eventually end up good enough to eat but only try storing perfect fruits.

John

Welcome Malk and Joolz, if the apples weren't thinned earlier in the year they might be smaller than usual though numerous, it was a hard winter last year and that usually promotes lots of blossom and a heavy crop. Good luck with your new garden.

We have been given permission to pick apples in an abandoned and neglected orchard. Two of the trees have unusual fruit and we found online that these are Catshead, a very old variety. Very heavy crop; the ground is littered and shaking gently brings down a rain of perfect fruit. The same day, a neighbour brought round a large sack of windfalls, so we are processing appleas all day now.

My late mother & father's favorite variety.
Dad kept a hollow one planted in Victorian times going by filling the hollow with wire-reinforced concrete.

I now have an Espalier one on my allotment, but lack the huge brick Elizabethan cellar dad used to store the apples in.