ninat
|
Sour apples again!!I really disappointed with our apples again. we have a Falstaff and a Bloody Ploughman both of which are supposed to be dessert apples but yet again they are sour as anything- they have had potash this year and the crop is reasonable.
I've not picked any- just lifted windfalls but they are really only good for cooking- would they sweeten up if left on the windowsill??
|
gil
|
Has to be worth a try.
|
yummersetter
|
are the seeds brown?
|
lottie
|
I think the eating period for Falstaff is Oct to Dec--so every chance they'll sweeten in store---don't know about Bloody Ploughman--but didn't they use them for cider as well so they wont be too sweet---I have an unknown variety here from an old tree that are inedible when they start dropping in September but are beautiful by Christmas.
|
ninat
|
The seeds have a brown stripe down one edge but otherwise are a pale green so I'm presuming from this that they just aren't ripe?
The trees are in quite a windy spot & have have had a couple of howling gales here in the last 2 weeks.
Am i best to wrap them in paper & store them or have them out on the windowsill?
The Bloody Ploughmans are really great looking apples but the Falstaff have some brown spots on.
Thanks
|
Treacodactyl
|
I've also go Falstaff and down here in Surrey the apples are still unripe, i.e. they don't come off the tree when you gently lift them. It'll be at least another couple of weeks before they're ready. So I would expect your windfalls not to be ripe and hopefully the ones on the tree should ripen over the next few weeks.
|
tahir
|
We picked BP a couple of weeks ago but it was at least a week early. Sweetened up in store but the skins became unbelievably waxy. I reckon harvest one off the tree keep it at room temp for a couple of days and then try it.
|
ninat
|
Thanks Tahir- tried that and there is a definite improvement- could do with maybe another couple of days- at least the children will eat them now.
|
tahir
|
OK, that indicates that the real problem is judging when to harvest. There isn't any real dead cert way to know when exactly to harvest as dates vary year to year as does (to some degree) the colour. What I'd do (If I didn't have 300 trees of 125 varieties and very little time) is to look at them every couple of days, when they look ripe AND come away easily test one, if tastes good harvest, if it's a little sharp harvest a few, if it's sour leave on tree. Unless you've got so many you need to worry about storage, in which case you need to pick before they're fully ripe.
I've no idea how we'll ever know what to harvest when here  
|
Nick
|
What are you going to do with 300 trees worth of apples?
|
tahir
|
Get a juice press and a bigger fridge to store apples, obviously
|
ninat
|
thanks again Tahir, much appreciated.
With your set up, are you keeping records of what ripens when? 125 varieties is a lot to cope with.
|
Pilsbury
|
| tahir wrote: | | Get a juice press and a bigger fridge to store apples, obviously |
Might be in the market for a load of surplus apples next year, got some plans in the pipeline 
|
Nick
|
| tahir wrote: | | Get a juice press and a bigger fridge to store apples, obviously |
How big a press do you want? I'm happy to come spend a day building one with you.
|
tahir
|
| ninat wrote: | | With your set up, are you keeping records of what ripens when? 125 varieties is a lot to cope with. |
I wish, not even keeping up with harvest, managed a quick run round yesterday, harvested Red Windsor, probably a week too late.
|
tahir
|
| Nick wrote: | | How big a press do you want? I'm happy to come spend a day building one with you. |
Richard says he's seen an electric one at the college somewhere, he's going to try and do a deal on that for me, if not the build it yourself plan sounds good
|
tahir
|
| Pilsbury wrote: | | Might be in the market for a load of surplus apples next year, got some plans in the pipeline |
Hokey cokes
|
