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Anyone else's apples ripening earlier than normal this year?

matt_fendermatt_fender Posts: 169
edited September 2019 in Fruit & veg
A bit of a weird question perhaps, but I've got a Laxton's Superb apple tree that is in it's second year of fruiting, and the apples appear to be ripe already - a full month or so earlier than last year. Whether they are truly "ripe" or not, I'm not sure - but they are starting to fall from the tree with the slightest touch, and taste OK - not floury or too sharp. I'd probably just put it down to a young tree and changing habits early on (is that a thing?) but my Dad has the same variety up in London (at least a twenty year old tree) and he has reported the same. Anyone noticed similar? If so, I wonder why? Last summer was hotter, but drier. How does the season affect ripening time? I'm in West Sussex.

Posts

  • bookmonsterbookmonster Posts: 399
    ours look much less ripe here than they were this time last year but the conference pears are way ahead...
  • GrannybeeGrannybee Posts: 332
    Funny you should say that Matt - ours are the same, Laxton Superb. They too are ripe already! Sweet & juicy and falling off the tree like you say. Enjoy the early crop!
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    Easy, climate change! Yes some of the Apples on my allotment are ripening early, I have posted before about how many things are doing the same. I have a blackberry that is fruiting up to 6 weeks earlier (end of July rather than September) than it did when I first planted it about 10 years ago. Evening & night-time temperatures have almost as much effect as do daytime ones.
    AB Still learning

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    We had a couple of warm spells in the spring this year (including a really early one in February) so maybe they flowered earlier than usual?
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057
    After buckets and buckets of water 2 a day to be precise my apple tree only produce walnut size fruit and now it looks like it's dead. 
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