Looks like an apple a day until Christmas thanks to a bumper crop

EARLIER this year I put my reputation on the line regarding horticulture – though fortunately I don’t have a reputation to lose when it comes to such matters.

In this column in April I made a rash prediction that my apple tree would bear a bumper crop this autumn.

The single tree was covered in blossom and fine weather meant the bees were all over it, pollinating the flowers with the promise of plenty of fruit to come.

Fortunately my forecast has borne fruit, if you’ll excuse the pun. The tree has been laden with apples, the branches groaning under the weight, and the ground beneath littered with windfalls.

Yesterday my colleague Philip Bowern wrote on this page about his plans to make cider. I don’t have quite enough for that, but my tree variety – red devil, which has a pinkish-toned flesh – does make for excellent rose-tinted juice and is also great for cooking.

The texture can be dry and hard, the flavour a little tart, but perfectly sweet when baked.

In my April article I was predicting apple crumble until Christmas.

And yet this year’s conditions have resulted in a surprising change to my apples. What once I considered cookers have transformed into eaters. They have softened and sweetened to the extent that they can be eaten raw – and I have always favoured a sweet eating apple.

The red devil has become devilishly delicious, which is going to save me a whole lot of crumble-making.

There are plenty to get through, mind. Two cardboard boxes filled to the brim already and quite a few left on the tree. Looks like I’ve a lot of apple eating ahead... I could be regretting my rash prediction by Christmas.