Home-grown varieties are the apple of my eye
Home-grown apples are one of the joys of autumn. I have three apple trees trained along some wires at the back of my plot where they don’t cause any problems to either me or my neighbours. They don’t take up much room and still provide a worthwhile crop. Springtime blossom is an additional bonus, brightening up my plot as it emerges from winter.
For several months now the only apples in the shops have been imported. Home grown apples taste much better and smell lovely too – the aroma wafting from a bowl of them in the kitchen is hard to beat. Supermarkets are mainly interested in appearance, size and keeping quality at the expense of taste.
Now is the time to take advantage of one of the many apple days taking place this autumn, especially if you are considering planting one or two trees on your plot. Apple days offer an opportunity to buy some apples probably not available in the shops and provide a wonderful chance to sample a huge variety to see which ones are to your taste. Personal preferences are important.
My husband likes russet apples while I particularly look forward to discovery apples. Other family members favour sharper, greener apples. It helps to make a note of the names of ones that appeal, and see if any local nurseries can supply them. It can be a mistake to aim for one of the varieties commonly available in a supermarket as they may not be suited to our climate.
However much we love a Cox’s
Apple days offer an opportunity to buy apples not available in the shops
apple, they do not do so well in the north. There are so many alternatives. A discussion with your supplier will help you make a good choice.
This is also a good time to go and admire some old orchards. Orchards were important features of big houses when it was important to have a supply through the winter and into spring. Some of these houses have old apple stores where humidity and temperature can be regulated but I make do by storing apples in flat cardboard boxes in a cool shed. The National Trust for Scotland cares for some lovely orchards. Priorwood Garden, Melrose has an impressive range of heritage apple trees. To see what’s possible in a smaller space there are some glorious wall-trained apple trees at Culross Palace, in Fife. Pitmedden House, in Aberdeenshire, has a recently planted orchard of 200 fruit trees. n