Here’s one of my Calville Blanc d’ Hiver
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These are Redbyrd Bitter and Gnarled Chapman (top, left and right). Then the iodine starch tests (bottom). These seem almost fully ripe, say 7 on an 8 point low-starch scale, Redbyrd slightly more ripe than Gnarled Chapman.
I picked these two trees today, planning for cider. I would have left the Gnarled Chapman longer but most of the apples are showing some rot starting at the bottom end.
FWIW, Redbyrd Bitter is one of my favorite cider varieties. It is relatively trouble-free and prolific. The fruit is large. It has a great bittersharp flavor. As advertised, the apples drop when ripe.
So far I have it only on a dwarf tree but when/if I plant another semi-dwarf, this will be it.
p.s. It occurred to me later that my iodine solution may have been somewhat too dilute, so my test may underestimate the actual ripeness.
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I had to hunt online to find a drugstore near me that stocked Tincture of Iodine. CVS had at it some stores. I thought I was going to order some Iodine Crystals and mix up my own stuff according to online recipes but that seems to be restricted in shipping due to toxicity.
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Thanks. I obviously picked my only three Calvilles way too early. Still solid green.
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My Calville Blanc had never developed that red color. At best, a little red cheek but mostly green.
Your area must have intense sun.
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We have had blistering heat and very humidity this year. I have apples and pears baking in the intense heat. I can only guess that is the reason these are that red. I have others that have a little red on them. Not quite ripe yet but I have to keep checking all my fruit because the intense heat is making them ripen a lot sooner than normal. Plus I am trying to pick them a little early because I do not want them to bake in the heat. I made that mistake with some pears and they were all soft as if they were baked in an oven.
It may be better next year is the heat is not so intense. I have had a few Calville Blanc before and that have not been this red. Just a little pinkish on the sunny side.
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Some years a few of our Golden Delicious on the SE top part of the tree develop a red cheek. Not necessarily coinciding with other varieties baking on the tree, although I panicked and picked them just under-ripe this year.
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I am unexperienced on ‘when is the best time to pick’ apples and pears.
I had the same thing happen with my pears. The Bartletts - huge - but way too ripe and starting to brown inside around the core, by the time I decided to grab them.
I will just have to learn by trial and error. And I hope my memory can keep track of it all!
So far - I’ve had the best timing with my Harrow Sweets. I pulled them while they were still quite like rocks ! and let them sit on the counter for a little over a week before I tried one. It was amazing.
But - others - and apples too - have gotten too ripe, too fast. Or way too underripe when picked.
@Tana - I can relate to the panic! I do the same thing.
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It’s a little tricky with some varieties. It took me a few years to figure out that my Idared needs to be picked at least a week before they pass the usual tug/lift test. They are similar in quality to Northern Spy when doing this, else they are dry with diminished flavor when they start dropping from the tree. I’m not sure if this true for all Idared or just unique to my circumstances.
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With Bartletts, you’re probably the safest picking them a few days after the first wasp-ripened drops. They can all ripen and drop in a 1-2 week window depending on temperature.
They will take a while in a fridge or cellar. But I still have to jam about 4/5 in batches within a month if lucky (read as “they have no blemishes”).
My most problematic apple variety in terms of timing is Mother. It’s unripe and then cooked. No time in between…
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We have a kids orange red as well because of reviews, but our tree is young and so we will have to be patient for fruit, but I’m gonna be watching how it goes with you and see what you think of the fruit.
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how do they taste? i have only 1 bagged on my tree.
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I keep an actual notebook to put year to year information about my orchard and the ripening times in it. It helps me sort of figure out the fruit is suppose to be ripe. I know it depends on a lot of factors but it gives we a hint of when to start checking for ripeness. I’s nice to have more fruit on the tree than just a few so you can do sporadic ripeness checks.
Sounds like you are learning about the fruit you are growing.
With the severe heat here the “normal” ripening times are throw way off. Sometimes it is trial and error even if you think you know the fruit growing in your yard.
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I do not have that problem with the Idared apples tasting dry and having diminished flavor if they start dropping off the tree.
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A slightly out of the way for me produce market posted pics of their new arrivals. Would Idareds have much flavor picked as green in the photo?
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Yes. I always taste some of our late summer windfall and they are a bit starchy, but very tasty. Even much greener than this.
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As long as there isn’t any astringency, it should develop the usual flavor when ripened in proper storage. Even if there is some astringency, it can still be used for cooking.
First taste of Muscat de Venus crab. Shocking! Very much like Wickson crab but with instead of the acid and spice it has an intense muscat grape and honey candy flavor. Has some of the odd flesh patterns of Wickson and it’s strange savoriness too.
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