Author Topic: Composting Apples (Read 8313 times)

simhop · « **on:** September 22, 2004, 14:01:55 »

Not sure if I am being a bit too fussy now with my compost but what's your opinion on composting apples (obviously the fallers that I can't use). I ask because I have over a hundred or so and I was thinking if they had 5/6 seeds per apple that would be 600 apple trees trying to grow over my veg patch? Am I being daft?
simhop

gilgamesh · « **Reply #1 on:** September 22, 2004, 15:55:02 »

Use em, I say. It's not that easy to germinate apple seeds, they will be killed anyway if the compost temp goes up where it should. If they germinate, pull them out.

derbex · « **Reply #2 on:** September 22, 2004, 16:09:47 »

Make cider -and put the filtered result on the compost. ;D

Jesse · « **Reply #3 on:** September 22, 2004, 16:54:54 »

Make apple juice and put the leftover pulp onto the compost. Apples that look too bruised for eating are okay to juice, just cut out the bits that are badly bruised, unless they're completely rotten. We have put apples (including the seeds) into our compost for the past 5 years and have never had an apple tree grow from the compost we make.

simhop · « **Reply #4 on:** September 22, 2004, 17:13:31 »

Excellent - thanks for help - on they go.

tim · « **Reply #5 on:** September 22, 2004, 17:28:52 »

hic??

Was watching the 'apples of my eye' last night - ABBA!! = Tim

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #6 on:** September 22, 2004, 18:33:41 »

oooooooooo good one Simhop. As I was gathering all th emouldy ones up today, I managed to fill a couple of buckets full and bunged them on my compost heap and then though....ooeer...should I be doing this! Well, I did and am glad tis an okay thing to do!

Palustris · « **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2004, 18:37:32 »

It is to be hoped you can compost them, we have been putting apple cores and peelings on the heaps for over 30 years, only problem is that wasps love them too.
By the way we have just put over 200lbs (no idea what that is in kilos) at least into store for Winter use. And there are still 4 well filled trees waiting to become ripe.
Don't you just love harvesting?

simhop · « **Reply #8 on:** September 22, 2004, 18:50:41 »

Tim - ABBA arae quite popular over here as well!!!!

EJ - Glad you thought the same, I was hoping it wasn't one of those questions everyone thought "Doesn't he even know that?"

Palustris - 200lb is roughly 90 kg which is a hell of a lot of apples. Anyway how do you store them, I have some vague recolloection of my Mum and Dad indivdually wrapping them in newspaper but it sounds lika a bit too much hard work for 200lb?

Palustris · « **Reply #9 on:** September 22, 2004, 19:49:29 »

The apples are stored in the boxes which Supermarkets use for their apples. We get them with the plastic inserts from our local one. The apples are thus kept separate and do not need wrapping. The boxes are then stored in a frost free shed. Main problem is mice who like a nice Winter fruit dessert as much as we do. The apples ripen slowly over the Winter and last till about the end of February, usually. Then they go on the compost heap! ;D

tim · « **Reply #10 on:** September 22, 2004, 20:09:00 »

We put ours on wire 'bakers' trays' in the cellar. Stand them on plastic pots to keep the mice at bay. I reckon the Bramleys do better than February. But this year there are only 40lb or so of keepers, & Sunset & Discovery are only just starting to colour.

That's the difference a 650' hill makes? = Tim

Andy H · « **Reply #11 on:** September 22, 2004, 20:30:11 »

Never heard of February Tim...Are they nice?!

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #12 on:** September 22, 2004, 21:47:56 »

heheheh Andy! ;D

I would love to have good enough apples to store some as I am picking them by the crate load but most of them have blemishes on their skins. However, I suppose these would keep for a few weeks in the shed????

Palustris · « **Reply #13 on:** September 22, 2004, 22:34:22 »

Depends on what the blemish is, if it is only on the skin then the apples will keep no trouble. If it is inthe flesh then the fruit will not keep as long, but even so they usually last for a few weeks, except when bruised to start with. Hope this is clear.

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #14 on:** September 22, 2004, 22:46:30 »

Tis clear. Some have, well, the only way I can describe them is uneven scabby like marks, but the flesh feels firm so I don't think they are bruised. I shall oik the best ones out and wrap them in paper and put on a tray in the shed and see how they get on. Thank goodness the free rag gets shoved through the door tomorrow!

tim · « **Reply #15 on:** September 23, 2004, 06:38:49 »

Just to be difficult - don't like wrapping. You can't keep an eye on them.
And - this is just me - I do think they like 'airflow'. = Tim

Tenuse · « **Reply #16 on:** September 23, 2004, 10:12:11 »

I don't think I will be storing my 12 apples for very long...

Oh well they are only young trees!

:D

Ten x

Andy H · « **Reply #17 on:** September 23, 2004, 17:41:11 »

We got 3 apples,1 lime and 1 of those silly horrible tiny orange things that look like they are made of marzipan...

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #18 on:** September 23, 2004, 22:14:59 »

Slice of apple pie, a G&T with a twist of lime and a touch of marmalade for tea then Andy!

I managed to sort through my crate full and at least three quarters of the apples are okay and I am going to try and store them in the shed in something...who knows what though! The carrier bag full of bruised or broken skinned ones are going to go into cakes and pies and crumbles and cakes and pies and crumbles! :-\

Debs · « **Reply #19 on:** September 24, 2004, 20:16:13 »

Why not puree some to accompany a nice roast pork :P yum!

or stew lightly and freeze for later use of crumbles etc..

I have lost my apple & pear supplier - as sister who had one of each has moved house !!

... she could have waited until after Autumn... ;D ;D ;D

Debs

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Author Topic: Composting Apples (Read 8313 times)