They wont drop unless they are damaged until they are dead ripe. I picked them here many times in the snow when we had early winters. Halloween came and went and it was mid november and 30 degrees , blowing , snowing and i started picking them. They are highly tolerant of cold. Remember these apple seeds i grew are from roadsides in the Northern United States and the forests. The question was never would they tolerate the cold it was if they would tolerate the heat and lack of chill hours. I was still zone 5b here when i grew those apples. We are upgraded to zone 6a now. They will definately hang on the tree to answer your question. If you want a wonderfull apple for hanging on the tree get butterball. I would not leave any for the animals myself because i love them also. 39thparallel trees like that look like a super highway of animals tracks in the winter. Clarks crabapple is huge in comparison. The deer would be your best friends if you left either on the trees.
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