Autumn Apples

Maybe there is an apple tree on your regular dog walk, or walk to school. Maybe you haven’t realised that you’re walking past an apple tree, every day! If you are lucky enough to have your own apple trees, you want to enjoy the harvest from your own apple trees for as long as possible. When you have had a read about apples here in our Autumn Apples blog, why don’t you try the easy recipe below, for a delicious apple crumble dessert, typically eaten in England.

Not all apples ripen at the same time. Some are earlier and ripen even in August, whereas others are hardly edible before December. In addition, there is a big difference between the ‚picking ripeness‘ and ‚eating ripeness‘. It is actually impossible to generalise apple harvest season. However, there are some ways to determine whether an apple is ripe for picking or is best left on the tree. Knowing the characteristics of apple varieties and harvesting ripe apples at the proper time leads to perfect storage conditions. The apples on our tree here in Bavaria ripened a lot later (for eating) than our relatives‘ apples in the North West of England. Fancy that!

Harvesting apples: When is apple season?

The harvest season for apples varies depending on the variety. Early varieties can be harvested in early August, late varieties can be harvested until late October, and some varieties are not even ready for eating until December. Because of this, it is best to plant a variety of early and late fruiting apple trees in your garden to make the most of the apple harvest season and extend it up to three months. Depending on the type of apple, you may have to compromise on taste, but it is still appealing to grow your own fresh apples for many months of the year.

Harvesting apples: when are apples ripe?

We have learnt that apples are divided into two stages of ripeness: ripe for picking and ripe for eating. The so-called summer apples are edible straight from the tree and are “ripe for eating.” Picking ripeness is preferred for some late-ripening varieties, as they require a few weeks of storage to develop their full aroma and eating ripeness.

Apples do not all ripen at the same time on a tree. This is a distinct advantage because it results in a longer harvesting period. When picking apples, however, the staggered ripening can make distinguishing between ripe and unripe specimens difficult. In general, look to the sun for guidance, as fruits farther away from the sun ripen slower than those on the sunny, south side of the tree.

Tilt or turn the fruit carefully to check if the apples are ready to pick. If the apple easily detaches, it is ripe. If you have to really ask the apple to let go of the tree, maybe it wasn’t ready!

Picking apples by hand is especially important if they are to be used for desserts or eaten raw. An apple picker tool allows you to reach apples higher up in the tree without damaging the fruit during the harvest. If the apples are to be used to make apple puree, apple cider or apple juice, you can use fallen apples or shake the tree for a convenient yield.

When you have picked your apples, here is a wonderful tip: when storing apples, make sure they do not have any bruises.

Correct apple storage summary:

Check stored apples regularly and remove any that are going bad

Cool and dark location

Protect from sub-zero temperatures and temperature fluctuations

Check the apples for rotten spots, wormholes and bruises before storing