Apples

When we first moved into our “new” house, we started a garden. Among our first plantings were apple trees. I am excited to report that, after four years, some apples are beginning to appear.

To ensure that you have apples (and not just pretty apple trees), you need to plant at least two types so that they successfully pollinate. Gala and Fuji apple trees work well together, and they are my favorite types of the fruit, so I chose one of each.

The trees have grown well, but until now have not produced any fruit. Which is apparently not unusual. In some cases, it takes up to eight years to get an apple.

But the beauties you see above are happily hanging from the boughs.

So, I have been dutifully reading up on what I need to do now. It seems that I should take off the smallest of the fruit, and let the larger ones grow. Over the next month or so, they will begin to ripen and should be ready to pick in July or August.

The apples should start to turn just pink and perhaps begin to fall on the ground. I have read that it is best to pick the apples at the top and outsides of the tree first, since they get the most sunshine. Pick not by pulling, but by gently twisting the fruit. I may need to invest in a tool called (oddly enough) an apple picker, to reach the high ones.

For now, I am just admiring the apples and won’t start trying to pick them for a while yet. But I am thrilled that they seem healthy, and hopefully I will get to eat them before the birds figure out how tasty they are.