apples, pears

[ecb]

i have found an old abandoned garden,(actually a closed down city farm) with apple and pear trees. they have got lots of fruit in, but, when are they ready? do i pick them or wait for them to drop. i can't bear for them to go to waste, we had an abundance of blackberries, now in the freezer waiting to be made into pies/crumbles.

Hi ECB, the fruit should be ready now - I know the local orchard down the road is advertising "pick your own".
I used to do apple picking as a teenager and we used to pick from the tree and not wait for the fruit to fall.
You are very lucky to be able to help yourself to this fruit - you will have to make some room in your freezer amoungst the blackberries!!
Good luck and happy eating!

ecb, if the fruit comes off the tree as you touch it - it's ready. If you have to tug hard, then it's not ready yet. Varies wildly between varieties - we've been eating our own apples since mid aug (discoveries), now eating coxes, but i've plenty more that won't be ripe for another month or so. however if you do pick them and they are unrripe, wrap them in newspaper and they should ripen ok like that.

well i have been to harvest the fruit and someone(S) have got there before us.enough to make a crumble, and to eat for a few days.