By Barbarak
North Yorkshire,
United Kingdom 
Crab apples. My tree still has all its lovely red crab apples in situ. This is its first year . Will the fruits shrivel and die before its comes into bud in the spring or should they be removed. I thought the birds would have had them but the tree is in the front garden with little shelter for the birds. They stay in the back where the feeders and hedge is.
19 Jan, 2016
Answers
You can make delicious crab apple jelly too. There is a religious sect in some states in the USA called the Amish (also known as the Plain People) and they shun anything that is operated by electricity among other things. Some of them sell their crafts, farm produce, jellies, preserves and baked goods at road side stands. Two of my favorites are apple butter and crab apple jelly.
20 Jan, 2016
I would leave them until Spring, though winter's not half over. The apples may start looking yummy to the birds later on when food supply runs low.
20 Jan, 2016
The crab apples should shrivel and fall off but if they don't you can certainly pick them off and put them somewhere safe for the birds to eat.
19 Jan, 2016