View Single Post
  #2   Report Post  
Old 05-08-2008, 08:27 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible
FarmI FarmI is offline
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,358
Default Identifying apples

"fmervin" wrote in message

My big apple tree right at the back of the garden is producing some
really nice apples. The problem is I don't know what kind they are.
I've read there are various kinds of apples including cooking varieties
so I'm not sure if these can be eaten, juiced or cooked. They are green
and that's about all I can say about them


It doesn't really matter too much what the variey is as you can find out
what they are good for with a bit of trial and error and really there won't
be too much error anyway. If they are green, there is more chance than not
that they will be cooking apples, but then I've even eaten some cooking
apples and cooked with eating apples and enjoyed them both.

I think the best thing is that they are YOUR apples and so you can pick them
at optimum freshnes and enjoy them, unlike the stored apples from the
greengrocer which are really very tired by the end of the season.

How do you guys recommend I identify these apples?


Pick some when they are nearing ripeness, try them by taking a bite and if
they are very tart, leave it a while and stew, bake or make cakes with the
one's you already have picked. Next week try again.

If you decide that you really hate them, then find some scions from known
varieties and do some grafting onto the tree. It's very easy to do and not
as difficult as reading the techo info makes one think.