What to do with - suspected - self-seeded apple trees in my lawn?

[annedonnelly]

It's seems to have been a bumper year for most fruit so probably next year the trees won't be so prolific and difficult for you to manage.

Depending on what space you want to use you can get strawberry plants specifically for hanging baskets. I confess the ones I've had this year were rubbish but ones I had previously - different varieties - were much better. Being in hanging baskets means they're less likely to be attacked by slugs.

Raspberry canes are also pretty easy to grow though will spread underground and you'll find them popping up everywhere.

 

[wafter]

The flowers you have are Cyclamen. Probably hederifolium. Lucky you.

Thanks - there's just one small patch of them and they seem to have lasted well

It's seems to have been a bumper year for most fruit so probably next year the trees won't be so prolific and difficult for you to manage.

Depending on what space you want to use you can get strawberry plants specifically for hanging baskets. I confess the ones I've had this year were rubbish but ones I had previously - different varieties - were much better. Being in hanging baskets means they're less likely to be attacked by slugs.

Raspberry canes are also pretty easy to grow though will spread underground and you'll find them popping up everywhere.

Cheers - I'd not complain if I had half as many next year!

I was thinking raised beds for strawberries; but really that's a long, long way down the line as I'm still struggling with the basics and have a lot of more important stuff to sort out first. As it happens there are a couple of basket brackets out the front so I could use those as it'd be a lot less work. Great point about the slugs!

I love the idea of raspberries but given what you suggest about spreding / how prolific the brambles are (which I assume behave in a broadly similar manner) perhaps it wouldn't be such a good idea.. plus they'd probably go best in the bit of garden that's not mine.

 

[PaulSB]

Thanks - there's just one small patch of them and they seem to have lasted well


Cheers - I'd not complain if I had half as many next year!

I was thinking raised beds for strawberries; but really that's a long, long way down the line as I'm still struggling with the basics and have a lot of more important stuff to sort out first. As it happens there are a couple of basket brackets out the front so I could use those as it'd be a lot less work. Great point about the slugs!

I love the idea of raspberries but given what you suggest about spreding / how prolific the brambles are (which I assume behave in a broadly similar manner) perhaps it wouldn't be such a good idea.. plus they'd probably go best in the bit of garden that's not mine.

It's true raspberries will spread but they are nothing like as prolific as brambles, have a very different growth habit and are easy to pull up if a few runners do appear.

 

[Reynard]

The storage properties of apples will really depend on the variety. Sometimes catalogues are a bit vague, so you have to learn by doing. But generally, most varieties (especially the older ones) will mellow somewhat in storage.

I have some from the community orchard (cooker and dessert) that you pick now and they'll keep till late April / early May. The trick is to pick them over / check them regularly, and use up the ones that are damaged.

Codling moth has been bloody awful out here this year as well.

 

[wafter]

It's true raspberries will spread but they are nothing like as prolific as brambles, have a very different growth habit and are easy to pull up if a few runners do appear.

Thanks - in that case I'll give them some consideration as I've very much come to love them with a bit of Greek yoghurt, while buying them from the supermarket incurs a plastic penalty and they've usually turned to soup after the trip home in the panniers!

The storage properties of apples will really depend on the variety. Sometimes catalogues are a bit vague, so you have to learn by doing. But generally, most varieties (especially the older ones) will mellow somewhat in storage.

I have some from the community orchard (cooker and dessert) that you pick now and they'll keep till late April / early May. The trick is to pick them over / check them regularly, and use up the ones that are damaged.

Codling moth has been bloody awful out here this year as well.

Thanks - they certainly seem to be getting sweeter and a little softer with age, although those I harvested maybe 6wks ago seem to be doing OK.

It'll be interesting to see how this pans out; worst case I can always bung some more out the front (as I probably need to do anyway as I'll never eat what I have).

I appreciate the argument for checking them as I've already noticed a few where rot's spread from otherwise overlooked damage.

Interesting that you've seen a lot of moth damage too - inconguously the tree at the homestead got hammered in previous years but seems to have fared reasonably well; so perhaps this is due to local factors rather than more national stuff like the weather..

 

[Reynard]

Thought about frozen raspberries? They'll be around 1/3 cheaper than the fresh ones as well.

If you are planning on growing raspberries, then get a mix of early, mid-season and autumn varieties. That way you'll have fruit all the way through the season instead of a single large crop. Of course, excess can be frozen - open freeze them on a plastic tray, then pour into a plastic bag for storage. That way, they won't stick together in one large lump.

Codling moth has been bloody awful here this year. I've been really picky when picking apples - looking for the telltale little hole (sometimes it's just a pinhead-sized black callus).

Picked some medlars from the community orchard this morning. Bit like marmite - the parental loves them, I don't.