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How to grow Eating apple in the UK

• TypeTree
• Ready to pickAugust, September, October
• Space neededabout 3m x 3m

When is eating apple ready to pick?

Early kinds like Discovery from mid-August; Gala and Cox in September-October.

Cup an apple in your hand and give it a gentle twist - if it comes away easily, it's ready. Brown pips inside mean ripe.

Looking after eating apple

• Prune in winter (November-February) while the tree is bare - take out dead, crossing and crowded branches
• Spread compost round the base every spring (not touching the trunk)
• In June, thin each cluster of baby apples to one or two - you'll get bigger, better apples
• Most apples need another apple tree nearby flowering at the same time to make fruit - check the label for 'self-fertile'

Storing and keeping

Early apples are best eaten within a week or two. Later ones (Cox, Braeburn) keep for weeks wrapped in paper in a cool, dark shed.

Pests and problems

Maggots inside the apples are codling moth - hang a pheromone trap in the tree from May to July.

Good varieties

• Discovery: Ripe in August - eat straight off the tree. Doesn't keep long.
• Gala: Sweet and crunchy - children's favourite.
• Cox's Orange Pippin: The classic English flavour, but fussier to grow.
• Egremont Russet: Rough golden skin, nutty taste, keeps for weeks.
• Red Falstaff: Crisp and juicy - fruits on its own, no partner needed.
• Scrumptious: Sweet, red, and happy on its own - great for small gardens.