I actually have several that do drop when ripe. However, a person could make the argument that even those are just slightly past peak ripeness by the time they drop…still perfectly good to eat but don’t seem to store quite as well if I let go until they drop. I get the feeling that by the time they drop they have already started to form some rot spots that are too small to be seen or might be under the peeling. That’s just a guess but the ones I let drop tend to not store as well. Of course, another explanation for that fact is that many of them get a bruise or dent when they fell, and certainly those spots are the first place rot starts, so that could be another reason. But all these are storage issues- my trees that drop when ripe mostly the apples are perfectly good to eat or process.
The trees I have that drop when ripe or slightly past ripe are yellow delish, red rome, and what stayman. Fuji sort of does but some hang on too long. Gala is more like enterprise- they hold on even after they rot!
I grow several types of Limbertwig apples that all ripen very late. @scottfsmith has emphasized that his limbertwigs need to be left hanging as long as possible to properly develop. Makes sense from my experience with them. This year I’m letting them hang til they drop, then will store at 33 degrees til New Years Day and sample then. If they didn’t store well then next year I’ll pick before this year’s drop date. I have deep mulch under all my trees so dropping may not hurt their storage life. Will see and report.
I don’t have many varieties that I let hang til they drop, and none of the later apples I can think of. I let the Limbertwigs hang late, but not up to when lots are dropping.
Right now I only have Yates left hanging. That one never drops, I have to harvest right before the first hard frost. They are really good right now and I hope they get better. Last year there was not as much accumulated heat before the first hard frost and the Yates were not as good.
Thanks Scott. Will go ahead and pick my remaining limbertwigs. All my Hall are still hanging. Anyone have experience when to pick it? Don’t think many people grow Hall, parent of Magnum Bonum.
Guess I’ll go by seed color, unless I learn a better test.