Apple Tree
How to tell when it is ripe to harvest
Support the apple in the palm of my hand and give it a slight twist; if the apple is ready to harvest, it will separate easily from the spur.
Those that are not quite ready for harvesting often ripen very quickly, so it is a good idea to check the ground below the tree every couple of days, to collect up any windfalls before they start to rot.
-- Apples are often picked too early. Try tasting them. If they are not ready they will be puckery and have an astringent taste. If apples are picked too green, they will never really become sweet like they should, or develop a good taste. Except for solid red varieties, the ground color is always a good indicator of readiness. When this basic green ground color shows considerable yellowing, most apples will be ready. The seeds should have gotten pretty dark. Apples whose seeds are still green should not be harvested. Lift and apple and twist it slightly; those that are ready should separate easily for the branch and the stems should remain attached to the fruit. Apples which are to be eaten relatively soon should be allowed to ripen to the tree. Those to be stored should be picked a week or so before the ripe stage.
