What should I do with the fallen fruit?

Pick up any fallen fruit within a couple of days and dispose of it in your curbside compost bin – not your home compost pile – before the maggot can crawl out of the fruit and continue its life cycle.

Should you pick up fallen fruit?

Fallen and rotten fruit should be picked up on a daily basis to prevent it from being infested and allow the breeding cycle to continue.

What happens when a fruit falls to the ground?

Fruit that has been pecked by birds or is overripe falls to the ground. Once on the ground, it will usually then develop brown rot (if it didn’t already have it). This is normal—fungal diseases like brown rot are incredibly useful in the ecosystem. They play a key role in returning organic waste to the soil.

How do you clean up fallen fruit?

Research shows that one of the best ways to clean your fruits and vegetables is to soak them in a mixture of baking soda and water before wiping them clean. While you can eat an apple that has fallen from the tree, it’s always better to err on the side of caution.

Should I leave fallen apples on the ground?

Even if you don’t want all the apples, don’t leave any on the tree over winter or any windfalls to rot on the ground. Rotting apples may result in canker or brown rot (Monilinia fruitigena) – a widespread fungal disease. The spores will overwinter in the fruit and re-infect the tree in spring.

Is it OK to eat apples that have fallen on the ground?

As you walk around the apple orchards this fall, you’ll likely notice a lot of apples lying on the ground. Well, it is safe to eat them, but not recommended (unless it fell when you were picking a different apple). You can pick them up, but they might be a little dirty and there could be bugs crawling all over them.

How do you pick a fallen apple?

Here is the prep stage: one smallish apple stabbed onto each end of the rake. Then you just rake! Easy peasy! The rake glides, the loose apples bumble themselves towards you, and you can corral the apples into a couple of piles.

How long do apples stay fresh after picking?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website, freshly picked apples left untreated will last a few weeks before they turn soft and rot, so they’re often stored under temperature-controlled conditions that allow them to last up to 10 months.

Do rotting apples attract rats?

If you have fruit trees in your garden it is always a good idea to collect the fallen fruit from the ground. We usually associate this with wasps, but in actual fact, rotting fruit on the ground can be a big attraction for rats as well.