I have worked my plot for 5 years and have an established small orchard. There are two apple trees, which produce lots of apples, but they are not particularly sweet. I usually harvest them, and either cook them or freeze to make into pies.
Someone has said there is something you can add to the ground under the branches that will sweeten up the apples, but wasn't sure what it was.... has anyone on here got an idea of what this is?
I have no idea what type these apples are, one tree has redder apples than the other, but both produce quite sour apples... Linda
Not aware of anything you can put into the soil to specifically sweeten apples. Variety plays the key part. Providing of course that the apples have been allowed to stay on the tree long enough to ripen properly. It is tempting to pick them when they look ready, but really they are best when they come off with a very slight twist & tug. You can spray with things to improve cell structure and so keeping qualities, but think that's about it.
I would think, if sweetness could be influenced by some additive or other in the soil, then the juice manufacturers wouldn't spend fortunes adding things to fruit juices to control acidity levels.
There's some research I read a year or so back that concludes (I think) that apples from the sunny side of the tree store/taste better - which might seem obvious, but there you go. :)