Are apples early this year?

[benner]

Picked a ripe looking Katy off my mum's tree today, sweet and crisp not much flavour though. Keep seeing loads of trees full of ripe looking fruit and several people have mentioned to me that they've seen lots of fallers already. Anyone elses ready for picking yet?

[Millymollymandy]

Mine don't ripen until September or October! Those that fall early are unripe ones, unless of course you've got a summer fruiting variety.

[Annpan]

My Brambleys and my neighbours unknown eating variety (HUGE tree, from which I am given 90% of the fruit ) failed to pollinate .... so maybe something went strange at pollinating time?

My James Grieve, that I only planted in March this year has 1 apple but it is still tiny.

We have been buying in apples I had been hoping to avoid that.

[MKG]

Hmmm - looks like a varied response. But as far as I'm concerned, the answer is yes - by a good three to four weeks - and a huge crop.

Mike

[Millymollymandy]

I have hardly any apples this year either Ann but last year was a bumper crop to make up for the lack of everything else. Not that I've got much of anything else this year though! Oh well swings and roundabouts where tree fruit is concerned, I seem to get a good crop of 'something' once every 5 years! In the meantime I'll make the most of this being plum, melon, nectarine and peach season in the shops because it will very soon be over and we'll be back to boring apples and oranges for the next 8 months.

[Mr and Mrs luvpie]

We've not got as good a crop as normal, but needed to do a fairly brutal prune, and left it very late this year, so weren't expecting as much as we have, but ours are a good month earlier than normal, as normally the kids took them to school for their class in september but there is no way we'll be still picking then.

Got a real problem with wasps in the ones that are ripe as well, so having to be very careful picking them, never normally have that problem as the boys normally help themselves but I can't let them this year as so many have stinging things burrowing into them

Sarahx

[MKG]

... and I've just noticed - some of my elderberries are ripe!!!

Yep - a month ahead of schedule, I reckon.

Mike

[Millymollymandy]

I noticed that too but I have one tree (my usual tree which is now enormous) with dark green leaves and the fruit is still green, and a younger tree with light green leaves which are nearly ready for picking. Yet the blackberries have hardly started to ripen yet.

Having gone on about everyone's plums being miles earlier than mine I've just discovered my damsons have started to fall (yes, about a month early!!!) so ladder out tomorrow. I think it's because we had over 50mm of rain in the first week of August which is extremely unusual - normally I'd be seep hosing the trees at this time of year.

[benner]

Right on!

Looks like I'll be scrumping early this year! Or maybe freecycle again, got loads last year.

Have noticed that some varieties of blackberry are ripening now too, normally we get apples and blackberries at the same time here. I guess it must be time already.
Some elders are ripening but not all.

Cider cider cider yum yum yum!

[Rosendula]

My apples seem really big, really early this year, and I did read on another forum that some are ready about 6 weeks early. I have noticed that rowan berries were a whole month early around here this year. Don't know if that's relevant.

[Annpan]

Half of my rowan berries are ready, but the other tree (more exposed) looks like it has another 3 weeks or so to go.

[Millymollymandy]

I wouldn't get too excited, what have you got to look forward to after harvesting your autumn fruit?


WINTER.

[benner]

Wow hazelnuts too!!

Noticed a squirrel or 5 in the trees at me mum's today. Shame, she's lived there for 20 years and this is the first time i've got some before the squirrels had the lot. Down side is, she's moving house end of this week. So i've got to empty the apple tree before friday!

Now all I need is a few of them squirrels to eat with the hazelnuts... one for another forum methinks!

[Thomzo]

Mine are very early. The unknown eater that I normally eat in August has been ready since the end of July but small fruits and not much flavour. The cooker is absolutely loaded and lots of windfalls.

I've picked a few blackberries and keep forgetting to get the plums, the slugs seem to have got there first!

Cheers
Zoe

[Millymollymandy]

I just read in last week's Weekly Telegraph that apples are early this year in the UK because the harsh winter followed by a warm spring was ideal growing conditions.