Is it time to pick the apples, or would a few more days help?
You say the fruit already comes away easily when lifted and twisted, and the apples on the tree vary a little in colour and ripeness. Timing is therefore more about picking the right fruit now than setting one date for the whole tree.
On your apple tree, fruit coming away easily when lifted and gently twisted is a clear sign that it is ready to pick. For eating fresh, this is just the point to take it, before it starts falling by itself or becoming mealy.
The photograph also suggests that the apples are not all at exactly the same stage, which is common. Pick only those that come away easily and leave the rest a little longer. In early September in Norrmalm, Sweden, harvesting gradually like this is quite reasonable.
How to tell when they are ready
- Lift the apple and twist gently: ripe fruit comes away without pulling.
- Look at the background colour: as it shifts from distinctly green towards a paler yellow-green, the flavour is usually further developed.
- Taste one apple from the sunny side and another from inside the crown, as they often ripen at different rates.
- Ideally, pick on dry days and handle the fruit gently if you want it to keep indoors for a few days.
If some apples are still firmly attached, they are not quite ready. Check the tree again in a few days and continue picking in stages as the fruit comes away easily.
Sources and images 1
- Original reader contribution ↗Reader question