We have a medium size Laxton's Fortune apple tree. This variety is
biennial for fruiting, and this is a fruiting year. The tree is covered
in apples, and they appear to be "ripening" early, as the skin is
reddening well.

The info on this apple says it should be left on the tree to ripen to
get the best from its flavour, and it doesn't keep well for long. It is
said to ripen from mid-September, but every day we find a dozen or so
large ripe apples on the lawn under it (they have usually been got at by
wasps or birds). If a ripe apple is picked off the tree, it has very
little flavour; it's not sour, but is rather bland.

I'm unsure what to do with this year's crop. If I leave them to ripen,
most will end up on the ground under the tree (particularly with the
windy weather we seem to be suffering this summer). If I pick them a
month early, will they develop a decent flavour?

Anyone else finding their apple crop ripening early?

--

Jeff

In message <uavdbm$3q81r$1@dont-email.me>, Jeff Layman
<Jeff@invalid.invalid> writes
>We have a medium size Laxton's Fortune apple tree. This variety is
>biennial for fruiting, and this is a fruiting year. The tree is covered
>in apples, and they appear to be "ripening" early, as the skin is
>reddening well.
>
>The info on this apple says it should be left on the tree to ripen to
>get the best from its flavour, and it doesn't keep well for long. It is
>said to ripen from mid-September, but every day we find a dozen or so
>large ripe apples on the lawn under it (they have usually been got at
>by wasps or birds). If a ripe apple is picked off the tree, it has very
>little flavour; it's not sour, but is rather bland.
>
>I'm unsure what to do with this year's crop. If I leave them to ripen,
>most will end up on the ground under the tree (particularly with the
>windy weather we seem to be suffering this summer). If I pick them a
>month early, will they develop a decent flavour?
>
>Anyone else finding their apple crop ripening early?
>
Various vegetation seems to be producing seeds and fruits earlier than
usual. I guess this might be due to the unusual weather we've been
having - spells of very hot, then rather cold and sometimes wet. [This
year seems to be flying past. I can't remember what really happened, but
things were certainly not normal.] AIUI, this can cause plants to get
stressed, and to preserve their species in the case of their death
produce fruits and seeds earlier than normal. Obviously, fruits will not
have had time to fully form, and may be rather small and stunted.
--
Ian
Aims and ambitions are neither attainments nor achievements

On 09/08/2023 08:21, Ian Jackson wrote:
> In message <uavdbm$3q81r$1@dont-email.me>, Jeff Layman
> <Jeff@invalid.invalid> writes
>> We have a medium size Laxton's Fortune apple tree. This variety is
>> biennial for fruiting, and this is a fruiting year. The tree is
>> covered in apples, and they appear to be "ripening" early, as the skin
>> is reddening well.
>>
>> The info on this apple says it should be left on the tree to ripen to
>> get the best from its flavour, and it doesn't keep well for long. It
>> is said to ripen from mid-September, but every day we find a dozen or
>> so large ripe apples on the lawn under it (they have usually been got
>> at by wasps or birds). If a ripe apple is picked off the tree, it has
>> very little flavour; it's not sour, but is rather bland.
>>
>> I'm unsure what to do with this year's crop. If I leave them to ripen,
>> most will end up on the ground under the tree (particularly with the
>> windy weather we seem to be suffering this summer). If I pick them a
>> month early, will they develop a decent flavour?
>>
>> Anyone else finding their apple crop ripening early?
>>
> Various vegetation seems to be producing seeds and fruits earlier than
> usual. I guess this might be due to the unusual weather we've been
> having - spells of very hot, then rather cold and sometimes wet. [This
> year seems to be flying past. I can't remember what really happened, but
> things were certainly not normal.] AIUI, this can cause plants to get
> stressed, and to preserve their species in the case of their death
> produce fruits and seeds earlier than normal. Obviously, fruits will not
> have had time to fully form, and may be rather small and stunted.

I noticed a lot of very ripe large blackberies ib the fields at the weekend.

Apples and ripening:

As your apples begin to look thoroughly ripe, varieties like Laxtons #
should be handled careully to see if they /came off in me 'and, Luv/ and
used quickly. I have a tree of some variety of Laxton and (thanks for
warning me!) I will, being now immobile, try and get someone to pick
them as they ripen.

I save the plastic trays from boxes of apple pies, mince pies, etc. and
wrap some of the apples in paper (tissue, for prreference) and stack
them in a cool place - they last a *little* longer that way.

You'll just have to live with the blandness, I fear.

Me, I'd find someone with a tree of good keepers (eg, Charles Ross, Cox,
Russet) and acquire a few buds. Read up on 'budding, and graft these in
to have a 'family tree'. Charles Ross is a favourite of mine and is a
good keeper, an eater *or* a cooker, and *GINORMOUS*, and incidentally
why I have a quince...

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On 09/08/2023 09:11, Polly@golly wrote:
> On 09/08/2023 08:21, Ian Jackson wrote:
>> In message <uavdbm$3q81r$1@dont-email.me>, Jeff Layman
>> <Jeff@invalid.invalid> writes
>>> We have a medium size Laxton's Fortune apple tree. This variety is
>>> biennial for fruiting, and this is a fruiting year. The tree is
>>> covered in apples, and they appear to be "ripening" early, as the
>>> skin is reddening well.
>>>
>>> The info on this apple says it should be left on the tree to ripen to
>>> get the best from its flavour, and it doesn't keep well for long. It
>>> is said to ripen from mid-September, but every day we find a dozen or
>>> so large ripe apples on the lawn under it (they have usually been got
>>> at by wasps or birds). If a ripe apple is picked off the tree, it has
>>> very little flavour; it's not sour, but is rather bland.
>>>
>>> I'm unsure what to do with this year's crop. If I leave them to
>>> ripen, most will end up on the ground under the tree (particularly
>>> with the windy weather we seem to be suffering this summer). If I
>>> pick them a month early, will they develop a decent flavour?
>>>
>>> Anyone else finding their apple crop ripening early?
>>>
>> Various vegetation seems to be producing seeds and fruits earlier than
>> usual. I guess this might be due to the unusual weather we've been
>> having - spells of very hot, then rather cold and sometimes wet. [This
>> year seems to be flying past. I can't remember what really happened,
>> but things were certainly not normal.] AIUI, this can cause plants to
>> get stressed, and to preserve their species in the case of their death
>> produce fruits and seeds earlier than normal. Obviously, fruits will
>> not have had time to fully form, and may be rather small and stunted.
>
> I noticed a lot of very ripe large blackberies ib the fields at the
> weekend.
Yes, long before the apples, and my gages are almost ready
--
"It is an established fact to 97% confidence limits that left wing
conspirators see right wing conspiracies everywhere"

On 09/08/2023 10:32, RustyHinge wrote:
> Apples and ripening:
>
> As your apples begin to look thoroughly ripe, varieties like Laxtons #
> should be handled careully to see if they /came off in me 'and, Luv/ and
> used quickly. I have a tree of some variety of Laxton and (thanks for
> warning me!) I will, being now immobile, try and get someone to pick
> them as they ripen.
>
> I save the plastic trays from boxes of apple pies, mince pies, etc. and
> wrap some of the apples in paper (tissue, for prreference) and stack
> them in a cool place - they last a *little* longer that way.
>
Its very variety dependent. I have a huge old tree of uncertain
parentage that produces huge quantities of apples that dont last worth a
damn, whereas e.g. a Bramley seems to last all winter if well wrapped.,

> You'll just have to live with the blandness, I fear.
>
> Me, I'd find someone with a tree of good keepers (eg, Charles Ross, Cox,
> Russet) and acquire a few buds. Read up on 'budding, and graft these in
> to have a 'family tree'. Charles Ross is a favourite of mine and is a
> good keeper, an eater *or* a cooker, and *GINORMOUS*, and incidentally
> why I have a quince...
>
Amen to *all* of that.
>

--
"It is an established fact to 97% confidence limits that left wing
conspirators see right wing conspiracies everywhere"

On 09/08/2023 07:56, Jeff Layman wrote:
> We have a medium size Laxton's Fortune apple tree. This variety is
> biennial for fruiting, and this is a fruiting year. The tree is covered
> in apples, and they appear to be "ripening" early, as the skin is
> reddening well.
>
> The info on this apple says it should be left on the tree to ripen to
> get the best from its flavour, and it doesn't keep well for long. It is
> said to ripen from mid-September, but every day we find a dozen or so
> large ripe apples on the lawn under it (they have usually been got at by
> wasps or birds). If a ripe apple is picked off the tree, it has very
> little flavour; it's not sour, but is rather bland.
>
> I'm unsure what to do with this year's crop. If I leave them to ripen,
> most will end up on the ground under the tree (particularly with the
> windy weather we seem to be suffering this summer). If I pick them a
> month early, will they develop a decent flavour?
>
> Anyone else finding their apple crop ripening early?
>

Not necessarily apples but fruit seems to need the right kind of weather
- enough water to perhaps swell the fruit and then enough sun to ripen
it or for it to form the sweetness.

My cherry tree had a lot of fruit this year but never reached the right
stage of being nice to eat before most of them went mouldy within the
space of around 3 days.

Yesterday I tasted some big blackberries from some hedgerows that had
already turned black but they were very bitter. I guess with the amount
of rain for the past four weeks in the area the remaining berries will
go off before being edible.

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On Wed, 9 Aug 2023 13:35:53 alan_m wrote:

>On 09/08/2023 07:56, Jeff Layman wrote:
>> We have a medium size Laxton's Fortune apple tree. This variety is
>>biennial for fruiting, and this is a fruiting year. The tree is
>>covered in apples, and they appear to be "ripening" early, as the
>>skin is reddening well.
>> The info on this apple says it should be left on the tree to ripen
>>to get the best from its flavour, and it doesn't keep well for long.
>>It is said to ripen from mid-September, but every day we find a dozen
>>or so large ripe apples on the lawn under it (they have usually been
>>got at by wasps or birds). If a ripe apple is picked off the tree, it
>>has very little flavour; it's not sour, but is rather bland.
>> I'm unsure what to do with this year's crop. If I leave them to
>>ripen, most will end up on the ground under the tree (particularly
>>with the windy weather we seem to be suffering this summer). If I pick
>>them a month early, will they develop a decent flavour?
>> Anyone else finding their apple crop ripening early?
>>
>
>Not necessarily apples but fruit seems to need the right kind of
>weather - enough water to perhaps swell the fruit and then enough sun
>to ripen it or for it to form the sweetness.
>
>My cherry tree had a lot of fruit this year but never reached the right
>stage of being nice to eat before most of them went mouldy within the
>space of around 3 days.

I don't know if this was widespread but none of my trees had a June drop
this year. And this was in addition to my Cox's tree having a decent
number of fruit for the first time in its life (I planted it on dwarf
rooting stock well over twenty years ago and it has never had more than
half a dozen apples each year) and am having to thin by hand!

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

On 09/08/2023 10:32, RustyHinge wrote:
> Apples and ripening:
>
> As your apples begin to look thoroughly ripe, varieties like Laxtons #
> should be handled careully to see if they /came off in me 'and, Luv/ and
> used quickly. I have a tree of some variety of Laxton and (thanks for
> warning me!) I will, being now immobile, try and get someone to pick
> them as they ripen.

I checked with a few of the more reddish apples yesterday and a couple
came away easily. Once cut open it was obvious they were not ripe at all
- my rule-of-thumb is that the pips have to be at least slightly brown
for the apple to have started ripening. These were still white. The
flesh had no flavour at all. I'll leave them for a few more days and
then check again.

> I save the plastic trays from boxes of apple pies, mince pies, etc. and
> wrap some of the apples in paper (tissue, for prreference) and stack
> them in a cool place - they last a *little* longer that way.
>
> You'll just have to live with the blandness, I fear.
>
> Me, I'd find someone with a tree of good keepers (eg, Charles Ross, Cox,
> Russet) and acquire a few buds. Read up on 'budding, and graft these in
> to have a 'family tree'. Charles Ross is a favourite of mine and is a
> good keeper, an eater *or* a cooker, and *GINORMOUS*, and incidentally
> why I have a quince...

For what incident do you have a quince? ;-)

I also have a quince but more for its attractive red flowers than the fruit.

--

Jeff

On 10/08/2023 13:53, Jeff Layman wrote:
> On 09/08/2023 10:32, RustyHinge wrote:
>> Apples and ripening:
>>
>> As your apples begin to look thoroughly ripe, varieties like Laxtons #
>> should be handled careully to see if they /came off in me 'and, Luv/ and
>> used quickly. I have a tree of some variety of Laxton and (thanks for
>> warning me!) I will, being now immobile, try and get someone to pick
>> them as they ripen.
>
> I checked with a few of the more reddish apples yesterday and a couple
> came away easily. Once cut open it was obvious they were not ripe at all
> - my rule-of-thumb is that the pips have to be at least slightly brown
> for the apple to have started ripening. These were still white. The
> flesh had no flavour at all. I'll leave them for a few more days and
> then check again.
>
>> I save the plastic trays from boxes of apple pies, mince pies, etc. and
>> wrap some of the apples in paper (tissue, for prreference) and stack
>> them in a cool place - they last a *little* longer that way.
>>
>> You'll just have to live with the blandness, I fear.
>>
>> Me, I'd find someone with a tree of good keepers (eg, Charles Ross, Cox,
>> Russet) and acquire a few buds. Read up on 'budding, and graft these in
>> to have a 'family tree'. Charles Ross is a favourite of mine and is a
>> good keeper, an eater *or* a cooker, and *GINORMOUS*, and incidentally
>> why I have a quince...
>
> For what incident do you have a quince? ;-)
>
> I also have a quince but more for its attractive red flowers than the
> fruit.
>
Um. I think that is the Japanese quince, Chaenomeles Japonica, rather
than a quince tree, Cydonia Oblonga which has white flowers and lots of
hard slightly bitter pear shaped fruits, which when cooked transform
into something akin to delicious.

--
Any fool can believe in principles - and most of them do!

On 10/08/2023 14:17, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 10/08/2023 13:53, Jeff Layman wrote:
>> On 09/08/2023 10:32, RustyHinge wrote:
>>> Apples and ripening:
>>>
>>> As your apples begin to look thoroughly ripe, varieties like Laxtons #
>>> should be handled careully to see if they /came off in me 'and, Luv/ and
>>> used quickly. I have a tree of some variety of Laxton and (thanks for
>>> warning me!) I will, being now immobile, try and get someone to pick
>>> them as they ripen.
>>
>> I checked with a few of the more reddish apples yesterday and a couple
>> came away easily. Once cut open it was obvious they were not ripe at all
>> - my rule-of-thumb is that the pips have to be at least slightly brown
>> for the apple to have started ripening. These were still white. The
>> flesh had no flavour at all. I'll leave them for a few more days and
>> then check again.
>>
>>> I save the plastic trays from boxes of apple pies, mince pies, etc. and
>>> wrap some of the apples in paper (tissue, for prreference) and stack
>>> them in a cool place - they last a *little* longer that way.
>>>
>>> You'll just have to live with the blandness, I fear.
>>>
>>> Me, I'd find someone with a tree of good keepers (eg, Charles Ross, Cox,
>>> Russet) and acquire a few buds. Read up on 'budding, and graft these in
>>> to have a 'family tree'. Charles Ross is a favourite of mine and is a
>>> good keeper, an eater *or* a cooker, and *GINORMOUS*, and incidentally
>>> why I have a quince...
>>
>> For what incident do you have a quince? ;-)
>>
>> I also have a quince but more for its attractive red flowers than the
>> fruit.
>>
> Um. I think that is the Japanese quince, Chaenomeles Japonica, rather
> than a quince tree, Cydonia Oblonga which has white flowers and lots of
> hard slightly bitter pear shaped fruits, which when cooked transform
> into something akin to delicious.

The label on my quince says "Chaenomeles superba ‘Pink lady’".
Correctly, that should in any case be "Chaenomeles x superba ‘Pink
lady’". And, although it's named "Pink lady", the flowers are more red
than pink! There are quite a few cultivars and hybrids of "quinces",
whether /Chaenomeles/, /Cydonia/, or even /Pseudocydonia/. According to
the wiki, the only Cydonia is oblonga, as japonica is now a Chaenomeles.
Well, that's this week, and we know how the taxonomists love to justify
their existence! ;-)

It does produce a few hard fruits, but I don't bother with them. I'm not
into sweet preserves, but, if it produced enough fruits, a jar or three
of chutney might result.

--

Jeff

On 10/08/2023 13:53, Jeff Layman wrote:

/prune/

> For what incident do you have a quince? ;-)

I bought a 'family tree' from**** because the main part was labelled
'Charles Ross'. It turned out to be (I think) some variety of Laxton. I
took a pic of the tree and took it back to **** who offered to refund.

I suggested that as it was a good tree otherwise (barring
the'Discovery', which I pruned-off as IMO it's a practically worthless
variety). leaving the possibly Laxton and a James Grieve, a good 'un IMO
and suggested that if they *had* a Charles Ross, to recompense me with
that, being a lot cheaper than a family tree.

Of course, they had no Charles Ross, so I suggested a quince instead.
Getting a 9-foot quince tree home (quite near th Styx) on the bus was
comical, but it's grown into a huge scraping-the-sky tree.

Nice one.

> I also have a quince but more for its attractive red flowers than the
> fruit.
>
Ah, Japanese quince. Ickle tree, ickle fruit. Mine's oblongata,
pear-shaped fruit on a Charles Ross scale with hyooge white flowers.

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On 10/08/2023 16:35, Jeff Layman wrote:

Chaenomeles superba ‘Pink lady’

and we know how the taxonomists love to justify
> their existence! ;-)

I found a mushroom a while ago and for several years of its appearance I
couldn't find it in any of my mushroomy books - and I have abouttwo
yards of them - so I joined a mailing list set-up by a German friend,
put-up (permitted) a couple of pics and Lo! An answer from two (also
German) mycologists:- Rhodocybe gemina.

This fungus isn't even mentioned in *any* of my books, and the genus,
only once. So, the only known clone in Norfolk is a few hundred yards
frommy back door.

Lookinh it up several times over the years I note that the taxonomists
have shuffled it into a numer of geni, but kept the specific.

> It does produce a few hard fruits, but I don't bother with them. I'm not
> into sweet preserves, but, if it produced enough fruits, a jar or three
> of chutney might result.

I'd forget chutney and think jelly.

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On 11/08/2023 08:50, RustyHinge wrote:
> On 10/08/2023 16:35, Jeff Layman wrote:
>
> Chaenomeles superba ‘Pink lady’
>
>
>  and we know how the taxonomists love to justify
>> their existence! ;-)
>
> I found a mushroom a while ago and for several years of its appearance I
> couldn't find it in any of my mushroomy books - and I have abouttwo
> yards of them - so I joined a mailing list set-up by a German friend,
> put-up (permitted) a couple of pics and Lo! An answer from two (also
> German) mycologists:- Rhodocybe gemina.
>
> This fungus isn't even mentioned in *any* of my books, and the genus,
> only once. So, the only known clone in Norfolk is a few hundred yards
> frommy back door.
>
> Lookinh it up several times over the years I note that the taxonomists
> have shuffled it into a numer of geni, but kept the specific.
>
>> It does produce a few hard fruits, but I don't bother with them. I'm
>> not into sweet preserves, but, if it produced enough fruits, a jar or
>> three of chutney might result.
>
> I'd forget chutney and think jelly.
>
>
Poach it in wine with cloves and cinnamon.

--
Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have
guns, why should we let them have ideas?

Josef Stalin

On 11/08/2023 08:50, RustyHinge wrote:
> On 10/08/2023 16:35, Jeff Layman wrote:
>
> Chaenomeles superba ‘Pink lady’
>
>
> and we know how the taxonomists love to justify
>> their existence! ;-)
>
> I found a mushroom a while ago and for several years of its appearance I
> couldn't find it in any of my mushroomy books - and I have abouttwo
> yards of them - so I joined a mailing list set-up by a German friend,
> put-up (permitted) a couple of pics and Lo! An answer from two (also
> German) mycologists:- Rhodocybe gemina.

Oh, a '...cybe', eh? Nudge, nudge, wink, wink...

> This fungus isn't even mentioned in *any* of my books, and the genus,
> only once. So, the only known clone in Norfolk is a few hundred yards
> frommy back door.

At <https://www.discoverthewild.co.uk/MushroomGuide/Tan-Pinkgill> it
states "A species that is not well illustrated in the mainstream field
guides", so perhaps not surprising that none of your books had it.

> Lookinh it up several times over the years I note that the taxonomists
> have shuffled it into a numer of geni, but kept the specific.
>
>> It does produce a few hard fruits, but I don't bother with them. I'm not
>> into sweet preserves, but, if it produced enough fruits, a jar or three
>> of chutney might result.
>
> I'd forget chutney and think jelly.

Jelly? I thought that grew in little packets on the /Agar robertsonia/
tree. :-)

--

Jeff

On 11/08/2023 08:31, RustyHinge wrote:
> On 10/08/2023 13:53, Jeff Layman wrote:
>
> /prune/
>
>> For what incident do you have a quince? ;-)
>
> I bought a 'family tree' from Notcutts because the main part was labelled
> 'Charles Ross'. It turned out to be (I think) some variety of Laxton. I
> took a pic of the tree and took it back to Notcutts who offered to refund.
/chop/

Sorry, sent brfore I unforgot the name of the vendor, to whom I would
always return...

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On 2023-08-09, Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> We have a medium size Laxton's Fortune apple tree. This variety is
> biennial for fruiting, and this is a fruiting year. The tree is covered
> in apples, and they appear to be "ripening" early, as the skin is
> reddening well.
>
> The info on this apple says it should be left on the tree to ripen to
> get the best from its flavour, and it doesn't keep well for long. It is
> said to ripen from mid-September, but every day we find a dozen or so
> large ripe apples on the lawn under it (they have usually been got at by
> wasps or birds). If a ripe apple is picked off the tree, it has very
> little flavour; it's not sour, but is rather bland.
>
> I'm unsure what to do with this year's crop. If I leave them to ripen,
> most will end up on the ground under the tree (particularly with the
> windy weather we seem to be suffering this summer). If I pick them a
> month early, will they develop a decent flavour?
>
> Anyone else finding their apple crop ripening early?

I haven't seen it mentioned yet, but when there are a lot of fruit,
there are also a lot of insect damaged fruit etc, which tends to fall
first and before being ripe. The insect damaged fruit also seems to
appear riper than undamaged, which stays on the tree to ripen in due time.

But yes, this year things do seem to be a bit earlier than usual.

Be patient.

On 11/08/2023 19:47, Jim Jackson wrote:
> I haven't seen it mentioned yet, but when there are a lot of fruit,
> there are also a lot of insect damaged fruit etc, which tends to fall
> first and before being ripe. The insect damaged fruit also seems to
> appear riper than undamaged, which stays on the tree to ripen in due time.
>
> But yes, this year things do seem to be a bit earlier than usual.
>
> Be patient.

I picked up one of the fallen apples off the lawn earlier. It looked
really good. Much to my surprise it tasted OK too. Not great, but I've
had worse from a supermarket.

And I managed not to eat the maggot... Just.

Andy

On 12/08/2023 21:06, Vir Campestris wrote:
> I picked up one of the fallen apples off the lawn earlier. It looked
> really good. Much to my surprise it tasted OK too. Not great, but I've
> had worse from a supermarket.
>
> And I managed not to eat the maggot... Just.

Legend has it that one of my school friends found a caterpillar on her
lettuce and asked the Deputy Head what she should do with it. "Eat it,
child! It's been eating the same thing you have."

--
Jenny M Benson
Wrexham, UK

On 12/08/2023 21:06, Vir Campestris wrote:
>
> And I managed not to eat the maggot... Just.

What's worse than finding amaggot in an apple?

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

In message <ub9de5$1madc$1@dont-email.me>, RustyHinge
<rusty.hinge@foobar.girolle.co.uk> writes
>On 12/08/2023 21:06, Vir Campestris wrote:
>> And I managed not to eat the maggot... Just.
>
>What's worse than finding amaggot in an apple?
>
Only finding the hole where it had been before you started eating it.
--
Ian
Aims and ambitions are neither attainments nor achievements

On 13/08/2023 10:34, Ian Jackson wrote:
> In message <ub9de5$1madc$1@dont-email.me>, RustyHinge
> <rusty.hinge@foobar.girolle.co.uk> writes
>> On 12/08/2023 21:06, Vir Campestris wrote:
>>>  And I managed not to eat the maggot... Just.
>>
>> What's worse than finding amaggot in an apple?
>>
> Only finding the hole where it had been before you started eating it.

I was *expecting* someone to say: "Finding half a maggot"...

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On 09/08/2023 07:56, Jeff Layman wrote:
> We have a medium size Laxton's Fortune apple tree. This variety is
> biennial for fruiting, and this is a fruiting year. The tree is covered
> in apples, and they appear to be "ripening" early, as the skin is
> reddening well.
>
> The info on this apple says it should be left on the tree to ripen to
> get the best from its flavour, and it doesn't keep well for long. It is
> said to ripen from mid-September, but every day we find a dozen or so
> large ripe apples on the lawn under it (they have usually been got at by
> wasps or birds). If a ripe apple is picked off the tree, it has very
> little flavour; it's not sour, but is rather bland.
>
> I'm unsure what to do with this year's crop. If I leave them to ripen,
> most will end up on the ground under the tree (particularly with the
> windy weather we seem to be suffering this summer). If I pick them a
> month early, will they develop a decent flavour?
>
> Anyone else finding their apple crop ripening early?

I picked a load of apples off the tree 10 days ago. The only condition
for picking an apple was that it was showing signs of ripening with a
reddish skin. They were left on a table in a very warm conservatory. I
cut one open today and it was ripe, and tasted sweet. I'll now pick the
rest and move them all to a much cooler place for longer storage
(although Laxton's Fortune is known for not keeping well).

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Jeff