The message m
from jayjay contains these words:

Is there anyway you can make eating apples sweeter? or is it a daft
question? Should I have given them loads of water earlier on

We've got loads of apples and this year probably due to the lovely
summer we've had here in Manchester, they're really rosy red, look
lovely but they're a bit tarty tasting - they don't look like baking
apples so they must be eaters - don't know what kind they are - the
tree came with the garden - shall I leave them on the tree a bit
longer?
--
jayjay
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Different apple varieties need to be picked at different times, so it's
a question of trial and error if you don't know what type they are. They
should come off quite easily in your hand when they are ready to be
picked. If you need to yank them, then you're picking too early. Quite a
lot of varieties need to be picked into October.

Not only that though. Quite a lot of later varieties need to be left a
while even after they're picked, especially if you like them sweeter.
The advantage of the later ones is that they usually store well, so you
could have apples for a few months to come if you store them in the
right conditions.

The only problem with leaving them is that wasps, birds etc can get them
first or that they can fall off and bruise. I should just watch them
carefully and begin to pick them when you can see they're under threat
of getting damaged.

Janet G