Beautiful Gala Apples
I have several apple trees. One of my apple trees is a "triple graft" that grows 3 different kinds of apples on one main rootstock. This is nice because we only had to dig one hole to plant this tree, but we get a variety of apples. Gala, Jonagold and Mutsu apples are all on this one tree.
The Gala apple blossoms are the pollinators for the other two varieties, and the Gala apples ripen earlier than the other two. Usually I can pick ripe Galas in late August, but this year everything was wacko and delayed a bit. I didn't get to harvest these nice eating apples until about the second week in September.
They were numerous for my small tree, but smaller in size than they have been in the past. All of my apples were small this year. Again, I think it was our crazy weather, especially the extended heat wave we had. I probably should have watered my fruit trees a bit more deeply and more often to help compensate for the extra hot weather. But I didn't.
Anyway, my Gala apples make very good fresh eating apples for snacks and they also add a nice sweet flavor to apple crisps and pies. They are softer than the more common pie apples like Granny Smiths or Golden Delicious, so they do break down more when cooked, but they are still very tasty. I've been snacking on them when I want something sweet instead of grabbing a cookie or some candy. (not that I keep any of those things around my house, mind you)
Gala Apples up close ~ you can almost just reach out and grab one!
Happy Autumn!
© Copyright 2009 Mountain Harvest Basket
5 comments:
YUM!!! We have lots of apple orchards up here so we have been getting some fresh picked apples. When we get back from SAFF we'll be going back to get more to make applesauce and pie filling for canning.
Grafting sounds like a very cool thing. One hole in the ground, resulting in several varieties of apples.
Sadly, I procrastinated in harvesting my one and only alien apple tree this year. The squirrels and birds didn't mind at all.
It's that time of year again for yummy apple pies, hot cider, and the scent of wonderful spices in the kitchen.
Happy Autumn to you too.
What a great basket of apples. Man, the kids would love to be able to pick apples right at home. And three diff ones on one tree? Now thats cool. I like this idea.
How nice to read about your three-in-one tree. Our daughter who lives up in our mountains plans on planting several fruit trees too. I bet she may come to you for advice when that time comes. Beautiful apples, I can almost smell them and feel their crunch and taste their sweetness!
Mmmmm! Gala apple are my fave! I've never seen them that light yellow color before, though. The galas I usually eat are brighter red.
I think it's awesome that you get three types of apples on one tree. My neighbor just planted one like that. I wonder how long it will take for it to produce.
Your apples actually remind me of those Honey Crisp apples that we picked while at the Living History Museum earlier this month. They may have been the most delicious I've ever eaten. lol!
Our freezer is packed full of apples and peaches picked from our tree, but even so, I don't think they will last through the winter. We enjoy them every day. One of my favorite snacks lately has been to take the cooked cinnamon sugar apples that I canned, and to mix them in with greek yogurt. Oh my! It's so yummy!
~Lisa
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