Dealing with constant falling apples

[asdffdsa]

Hi,

 

I have an apple tree in my small back garden which is very productive. When we get to this time of year we get at least 20-30 apples falling to the ground every day, which gets quite annoying to deal with. By the time I pick them up the majority need to be binned, but even if that weren't the case, I just don't have a use for such a huge amount of apples. I have invested in a long pole + apple collector to get them before they fall, but a lot of the apples on the tree don't look quite ready.

 

I'd like some advice on what people do in this situation. For example:

- do you usually harvest all the apples on the tree in one go, and when (considering they seem to ripen at different speeds).

- how do you store the apples? We are prone to get fruit flies in the kitchen, so just having them in a box in the kitchen doesn't seem ideal.

- any efficient ways for collecting trees from the ground? I'm considering one of those roller things, although I'm not sure how well they work (especially as the ground is quite uneven).

- I'm aware I should have thinned the apples out early on in the season, but how do you do this higher up in the tree?

- any other tips would be great - I'm pretty useless at gardening stuff. The apple tree was there already when we moved in, and I do like the idea of having it (even if the practicalities are less idyllic!)

 

Thanks.

[asdffdsa]

Hi,

 

thanks for all the responses. They are eating apples (pink lady I think), and they're nice, it's just the volume and the gradual daily drop of apples that make it inconvenient. Quite a few do seem to have holes in them even on the tree, so that might be a factor, but clearly I need to do a thorough thinning earlier in the season. I do have a juicer, which is what uses up the most apples, but even then...

 

In terms of storage, space is an issue (e.g. for freezing), but I hadn't though about keeping them in the shed. I know there is a cider place that takes apples in, so I could build up a stash and take them there..

 

Also, maybe a silly question, but what's a compost clamp? I do have a compost bin, which I use for many of the ones I discard, but I wonder if having predominantly just apples in the compost is an issue (as it will dwarf any other food waste I've got)?

[Stere]

Pink Lady® can only be grown under liecence so probably a diff variety.

 

You could also get a dehydrator if you want to preserve them

[sime42]

Or just stew and bottle them. They'll last for years, without taking up valuable freezer space and electric.

[sime42]

On balance I think I would eat as many of the windfalls as you can, if in decent condition. If there's still an excess, or they're damaged, take them to the local juicing place. Much quicker to juice them in bulk in a big machine. Or cook them up and bottle them, you can cut out any bad bits out then.

For good apples on the tree I'd dry store, (individually wrapped in newspaper, wooden trays, cool, dry pest proof place) the excess that you don't eat. Not sure if it's been mentioned already but the fruit have to be in perfect condition to be stored like this, if they're on the ground, windfalls, they'll inevitably be bruised. 

 

[peds]

Put apples, both perfect or bruised and blemished, chopped or whole, unpeeled, in a big pan with a bit of water. Boil until soft, then mash through a colander, or press through a food mill or moulin. Boil until a bit drier, then mix with about the same quantity, or a bit less, of sugar, and any spices you might want... cinnamon, clove, dry ginger, you know the story. Boil until it looks like it'll set, or Google the correct temperature to bring it to. 105° or something, probably. 

 

Look for recipes for apple cheese, apple jam, black butter, or something like that, if you need  to follow something more specific. 

[marktownend]

Regarding collecting the fallen apples from the ground, with our single apple tree I found a good technique was to kick the apples into small piles just a few feet apart, then crouch down and load into a bucket before chucking them over the fence into the field behind. Apparently one of the neighbours kept wondering how the apples got into the field from the tree. Alternatively walk round with the same bucket whilst stooped over, making sure you stay stooped rather than bedning up and down during the walking, far less uncomfortable for your back.

Edited August 19, 2022 by marktownend

[Doug Tait]

Snow shovel is quite effective for scooping up Apples from the ground