Apples in storage

[StephenH]

Here, waiting to be made into cider in early October. I've still got a fair number left on the tree, though now mainly way up at the top, out of reach even of my telescopic fruit-picker, unless I use the step-ladders as well, which is a bit dodgy because the ground's soft and uneven. I may have to let them fall of their own accord.

[chris]

Blimey, that's a load! How many trees do you have?

[StephenH]

Blimey, that's a load! How many trees do you have?

Five, but only the 'James Grieve' in production, the other four (three on M26 semi-dwarfing rootstock, one on MM106, which is slightly more vigorous) having only been planted in 2008. The crabs came from trees growing in hedgerows in the neighbourhood.

[Aberdeenplotter]

unless I use the step-ladders as well, which is a bit dodgy because the ground's soft and uneven. I may have to let them fall of their own accord.

Put down a bit of plywood under your stepladder

[StephenH]

I put planks under the feet when I use it in the garden, but it's still a bit dodgy, especially if I'm waving a ten-foot-long fruit-picker around, because that tends to unbalance me.

[northepaul]

I have a James Grieve too, although its only a baby. Do you also eat them or only keep for cider?

[StephenH]

I'm eating them as well, and have used some in apple and marrow chutney (the marrow being 'Lungo Fiorentino', and I used my own 'Ailsa Craig' onions as well), and I may make more chutney. There are plemty to spare, and still make loads of cider.

[StephenH]

Blimey, that's a load!

Actually, that's only 5/7ths of a load. I've got seven shelves full, and starting to put them two-deep as you can see - six of JG, and one, in the middle, of mixed crabs. I think this is my best-ever harvest, in 33 years in this house!

[StephenH]

I've just picked, and gathered as windfalls, even more, and am now seriously short of storage: all my shelves are two-deep, which is not ideal. I am, of course, checking every few days for rotten ones. Still a fair number on the tree. Any more will have to get frozen until I start making cider, although I'm running out of freezer space as well.

[taff]

Hee hee!!
I'm about to go scrumping, hopefully with permission, but I'm not even going to attempt that much storage!