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Cooking or eating apples?
Melski
Posts: 4
in Fruit & veg
We moved house a few months ago and didn't realise at the time we had apple trees in our new place, the garden was pretty overgrown and it was difficult to see what we had. But we've got two apple trees, the apples are slightly different colour and I'm wondering if one tree is eating apples and the other cooking apples as the apples are more green. Is there any way we can identify what apples they are?
0
Posts
Check out the National Trust Apple Days http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1355803506658/ They usually have someone who will have a go at identifying your apples for you if you take a few apples and leaves. Other organisations hold apple days in the autumn too, so Google and see what's on in your area
It's early yet to know what colour the apples are going to be - the greener ones may just be later ripeners.
The best way to find out whether your apples are cookers or eaters is by trial and error - your apples are ripe when you can lift the apple and with a slight twist it comes away - then try eating it raw, cooking with it using different types of recipe - some apples are fluffy when they're cooked, and they're good for purees, baked apples, apple sauce etc, whereas some hold their shape and they're good for pies and tarts.
Try storing a few - some apples are better after they've been stored a while https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=595
It's possible that the varieties you have will have been chosen to be in the same pollination group as each other, to ensure a good crop, so that may help narrow down the search a bit.
There's a hugh number of varieties http://www.orangepippintrees.co.uk/search.aspx
Good luck
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks! That's a big help!
And I forgot to mention - some apples are 'dual purpose'
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
That's good to know thanks!
If they grow beyond the size of, say, a supermarket Granny Smith, they're probably cookers.
As DFA says the easiest way to tell is just to eat them when they are ripe. Too tart to eat, then just use them for cooking.
Thanks, we'll just have to try them!