I ate my entire apple harvest this weekend.
On Saturday, I checked the two apples remaining on my little tree, and when I gently lifted one up to see if it was ready to harvest, it came off in my hand. That was my clue, I guess, that it was ready.
I took it inside, washed it, polished it, and sliced it up. I liked it. It was crisp and a bit tangy without being sour. I decided right then that I would not get rid of my tree, as I had thought about doing. The tag on the tree said it was a Red Delicious, which I don’t really like all that much, but I think it is more likely a McIntosh, so I’m keeping my tree.
On Sunday, I harvested the second apple, or actually, it harvested itself. When I went out to the garden, I found it on the ground, so I ate it, too.
That’s it, the entire harvest, eaten in one weekend. I guess I won’t be figuring out how well this particular variety of apple holds up in storage, at least not this year. I still may get a couple more dwarf apple trees, either this fall or this spring, but if I do, I’ll probably mail order them so I have more choices.
The picture of the apple isn’t all that flattering. Trust me, after I cleaned it up, it looked quite nice. I never sprayed the tree, so the apples did have a few spots on them. But that didn’t affect the flavor. A lot of people don’t want to grow apples, because they think they have to spray them all the time. Not so, if you are willing to accept some imperfections.
I feel a bit guilty watching you do all that work and not helping on your “good day in the garden”. I also forgot to thank you for the nice iced green tea. As for the rain, there hasn’t been any in about five months and none coming from my direction for about another month. Just taking out the hoses? What a dream.
Hi Carol,
My apple tree has one apple for the first time this year too. It’s called opalescent and supposedly the most beautiful apple but I like you have not sprayed so there are a few blemishes. I almost cut down the tree because it wouldn’t fruit. I took out our other tree a russet apple because it was stung by too many insects, eaten by birds and the remaining fruit wasn’t very good to eat.
Goog luck with your fruit growing.
We had a grand harvest of 2 loquats last spring, and savored the couple of bites. Although we may not get physical nutrition from our “orchard”, I enjoy looking at the trees and the idea of a harvest.
Annie
I think it is too cute that you ate your “entire harvest!” We don’t have room for fruit on our current lot, but I daydream about a house in the country with a fruit allee and berry bushes.
Im hopeful my dwarf 5-in-1 grafted apple tree will produce in a couple years. I planted it this year. Kasmira, you can even grow the dwarfs in pots, and they have viarities that grow strait and take up no room at all.