Fruit trees in gardens

[annedonnelly]

I wish that people who have lovely apple & pear trees in their gardens would either pick the fruit & use it themselves or invite others in to pick. It seems such a shame to let the fruit go to waste.

Though I managed to get a couple of pocketsful of windfall apples that have fallen onto the public side of a fence yesterday.

 

[All uphill]

I agree. If people really can't collect and use the fruit I'd rather see wildlife having a feast than seeing apples being cleared up and put in the bin.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

We've got fruit trees, apple, pear, plum, blueberry, grape, even had two fig trees, but I leave what fruit there is for the birds and squirrels. Actually planted a couple of hazelnut trees just for the squirrels.

 

[Mo1959]

My dad was a keen gardener and loved growing apple trees and spent loads of time grafting different varieties. Think he had at least half a dozen trees so there was lots of waste but he used as much as he could and let anybody that wanted some help themselves. The birds usually got the fallen ones.

 

[winjim]

Tarmac the garden, no trees equals no waste, problem solved.

 

[welsh dragon]

I wish my fruit trees had fruit on them. The ones that do produce fruit have all the fruit picked bare by birds.

And my Apple trees produce squat. I think I need to buy different ones

 

[Chief Broom]

At lease the birds can peck at them
I like espaliers as they make a great living boundary and social too if neighbours are given the ok to pick apart from the fruit you get the beautiful blossom in May. My elderly neighbour would help himself and make a crumble

 

[T4tomo]

I wish that people who have lovely apple & pear trees in their gardens would either pick the fruit & use it themselves or invite others in to pick. It seems such a shame to let the fruit go to waste.

Though I managed to get a couple of pocketsful of windfall apples that have fallen onto the public side of a fence yesterday.

apple scrumping used to be a sport when i was a lad?

more seriously knock on their door and ask them if they need a hand picking them - they will probably only be too happy to and some over, as you get masses all at once generally with fruit trees.

 

[annedonnelly]

Tarmac the garden, no trees equals no waste, problem solved.

Sadly I'm beginning to think that's the attitude of our county council. They have removed some trees because they needed cutting back & were starting to encroach on a footpath.

Take them out & they'll never cause that problem again I'm expecting them to replace the grass with concrete soon so that it doesn't have to be cut.

 

[Andy in Germany]

In a fairly small region around Stuttgart, you can legally pick an apple from any tree you can reach, as long as you eat it immediately. It's only theft if you put it in your pocket.

Meanwhile I know someone in Wales who has a smallholding and he's been known to let his animals "accidentally" enter a garden of a neighbouring holiday let to eat the windfalls...

 

[T4tomo]

In a fairly small region around Stuttgart, you can legally pick an apple from any tree you can reach, as long as you eat it immediately. It's only theft if you put it in your pocket.

In other regions if you can run faster than the orchard owner you are also in the clear.....

Our apple tree harvest quadrupled this year, to 4 apples.

 

[fossyant]

Not had the best of years with our apple tree.The last two were bumper crops.

It's actually an apple pie/crumble tree. Neighbour used to ask if she could pick them, we said yes, and they magically turned into crumble and pies. She passed away last year, so I think the tree is feeling sad as we've not had the same crop.

 

[HMS_Dave]

We used to have a bloody great Damson tree in the garden as a kid. My dad would climb a ladder to extract the fruit and my Nan would make the jam, My Grandad would make some Damson wine. Nothing went to waste. It is such a pity that it appears at least that it is getting less popular to use the food that grow around us. I do take interest in the foragers thread for this reason.

 

[Bazzer]

Have around 34 litres of pear wine to be bottled, pears and apples in the garage, bottled pears in the fridge and just munched through a freshly picked pear. Unless it's badly damaged as windfall, no waste here.

 

[dan_bo]

Not had the best of years with our apple tree.The last two were bumper crops.

It's actually an apple pie/crumble tree. Neighbour used to ask if she could pick them, we said yes, and they magically turned into crumble and pies. She passed away last year, so I think the tree is feeling sad as we've not had the same crop.

I'll swap ya a pumpkin for a bag of bramleys next year.