In praise of the apples on Crystal Palace Road

[TonyQuinn]

We were walking down Crystal Palace Road yesterday afternoon and as I usually do at this time of year I picked off one of the little apples on one of the apple trees down there. Really nice English apples....anyone know what this particular variant is called? Pretty Traditional has some similar at this time of year too.

[HonaloochieB]

'Scrumper' Quinn's at it agin.

[Sue]

If the apples you picked are on street trees, small and red, they're probably a crab apple, possibly John Downie.

[TonyQuinn]

Sue, that could be it. Many thanks Sue.

http://www.gardeningforyou.com/sites/fthorpe/images/john%20downie.jpg

People of Dulwich, get your ladders out and go and get some!

[Sue]

If they're crab apples, they are unlikely to be very sweet, so best to make crab apple jelly or something with :)

ETA: There's a tree full of plums up at the Harvester, overhanging Lordship Lane, but sadly I'm only five feet four and I couldn't reach them!

[TonyQuinn]

They're not sweet at all, which is great by me....get a bucket and shake something and I'm sure you'll reap a dividend! Go get 'em!

[candj]

Apples, pears and (I think) plums on our street. I see people picking them now, but you definitely need a ladder.

[katanita]

Bother, I was hoping that no-one else had noticed the crabapples so there would still be some left at the weekend for me to go nab. Save a few for me please :) They aren't just on Crystal Palace Road by the way, some of the side roads have them too. I think there may even be a couple of different varieties, they look different anyway.

A bit further afield, but I cycle past absolutely tons of elderberries on my way down the old Surrey Canal path, they're at the Burgess Park end. Anyone seen any closer?

[TonyQuinn]

Katanita, fear not........they will be there for a few more weeks to come. But if they run out pop down to Pretty Traditional and get their new wave of British apples! Fantastic!

[louisiana]

Perhaps we could get together and acquire an EDF fruit tree ladder...

[TonyQuinn]

Why? Half the fun is doing it like the secret lemonade drinker aka Elvis Costello's dad! See you at witching hour, you good folk of Dulwich.

louisiana Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Perhaps we could get together and acquire an EDF

> fruit tree ladder...

[louisiana]

Yeah, but I'm not six foot six, and there's always stuff at the top out of reach :)