Apple trees? I planted 2 this year and have 6 apples on them, when are they ready to pick?

Question

The apples are large and the trees are small.Thank you!

Answer 1

Don't tug at an apple, you might possibly do damage to the remaining branch.

The correct way is rest the apple gently in the palm of your hand.  Gently hold the apple, move your hand in a gentle upwards and sideways movement. If the stalk snaps you have a ripe apple in your hand.   If it doesn't - wait a few days.   When your tree is producing about 50 ripe apples, you will, by then, have had plenty of practice and find this trick totally reliable.

As these six apples are the first your trees have produced, don't be too disappointed if they are not exactly as you wanted/expected.  Next year will be better.  Technically, you should not allow the tree to fruit in it's first year but to put all its energy into producing roots. Obviously now the tree has produced, you will want to try them.

Hope this  helps.

Answer 2

It depends on the variety. Apples start to ripen in mid August for the earliest varieties but the latest varieties are not ready to pick until mid October. Around now or a week's time is about right for most varieties. Also, not all apples on the same tree are ripe at the same time.

The way to tell if an apple is ripe is to give it a gentle tug. If it comes off easily, it's ripe. If it stays attached to the tree it is not yet ready.

Answer 3

Apples are usually ready to pick in the early fall.

Answer 4

it is a usual practice that new trees are kept from producing fruit until they're a few years old, so that they can root well and be strong enuff to make fruit without straining the whole tree to do so..... nice that you got fruit, but at what cost to a young tree?..... I'd suggest you let it rest next year and don't let it fruit..... pay more attention to gettting the tree as healthy and well shaped with good pruning technique than any fruit that might appear.....here's a good site with help in pruning...

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/14...

Answer 5

not to sure hun best pick them before they and up on the ground and get bruised ,especially if you only have 6 apples. Nice to get something back from something you have planted you have grown yourself.