SPOTLIGHT ON: APPLES

You can’t eat your apple crop all at once so stagger the load by storing your surplus. Early varieties (George Cave, Discovery) are best eaten straight from the tree as they don’t keep.

Depending on the variety, earlies may be ready from late July onwards.

Mid-season apples (Worcester Pearmain, Egremont Russet, Ellison’s Orange, Greensleeves and most popular varieties) are fit to eat straight from the tree now, particularly when you like a slightly tart flavour.

They will also keep for a short while in the salad drawer in the bottom of the fridge.

Some midseason apples give you the best of both worlds since their character changes the longer you keep them. James Grieve is a star in this category.

Hard green apples are good for cooking in late summer, while the apples are good for eating now, with a firm, crisp texture.

But once they have been kept for a while they become softer and sweeter, making them ideal for stewing. Cox’s Orange Pippin behaves in much the same way. Picked straight from the tree it is great eaten, and

also survives well in the fridge. Kept cool, they will last until the end of the year.

Late varieties of apples (Ashmead’s Kernel, Suntan, Orleans Reinette) need keeping as they ripen in store. Leave them on the trees until mid-october to mature. Then keep them in a slightly chilly and moderately humid place, such as a well-insulated shed.