Fruit Ripening and Picking Guides
Meet the fruits of Toronto!
Crabapples
Cree: sâkîw
Summary
Crabapples are one of Toronto’s most under appreciated fruits, but when harvested and shared, they can be transformed into all kinds of delectable goods – think jelly, syrup, sauces and pies. Edible crabapples are basically mini apples that vary in size from about 3/4 to two inches – any smaller than this, and they are considered “ornamental,” and will be too bitter to be edible. They grow on long stems, similar to cherries.
Jump To
Average Ripening Timeline: mid July to mid October
Ripeness Indicators
- Color When Ripe: skin varies from deep red to yellowish-orange. Seeds should be dark brown or black
- Feel & Texture When Ripe: flesh should be firm and crisp but not so hard that you struggle to take a bite, and has a bit of give when squeezed
- Taste & Smell When Ripe: apples should be a mix of sweet and tart to taste – not bitter!
- Underripe if…crown-like sepals at blossom end still attached
- Overripe if…feel soft and mushy to the touch, skin is wrinkled
How to Harvest
Average Yield: 10 to 120 lbs
- Pick by hand or with fruit picking poles
- You can also gently vibrate the branches and let the crabapples fall onto a tarp below – they won’t bruise very easily so they can handle the drop
- Don’t force or pull apples off the tree!
How to Store and Eat
Storing
- Fridge: store them in a sealed container as crabapples can pick up flavours from other foods
- Freezer: Small crabapples can be frozen whole, after the stem and blossom ends are removed. Crabapple sauce or pulp can also be frozen. Use within 6-12 months
Ideas for Eating
Crabapples can be quite tart so you’ll usually want to process them rather than eating raw.
Jellies; Sauces; Apple butter; Cider; Baking; Pickling; Dehydrating
References:
- Indigenous names: Cree Dictionary; Ojibwe People’s Dictionary; Anishinaabemowin Theme-Based Resource Book