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My one apple tree has been growing a lot of fruit, but I noticed today many of them are split on the bottoms.

It has been extremely dry here and I have taken to watering the veggie garden, which is right next to this apple tree.

Is it possible that the tree has gotten too much water and it made the apples split?

They are still small, but I plucked one off today and it tastes like a nice sour apple, my favorite! I also have to find something to feed the fallen apples too, many seem to fall and just rot. I am thinking I should collect them for the chickens...

Split pears in Wales, UK and split apples in Minnesota USA ... it's a small world isn't it

...from the evidence of my pears a dry / wet cycle has had a similar effect on your apples.

My chickens like apple, but only ripe ones. Try giving yours some and see if they like them. Otherwise you could compost them.

Hang on, I have just had a thought! You have horses!!! They like apples!!!

THe same's happend to my apricots. Best they've ever been, nursed them throught he cold spring snap. Only for the majority of them to split due to all the bloody rain!.

I pulled off a few handfuls of the split bottom apples and out of near 40 horses, only 3 like apples. And they become gluttons over them, so can't feed them all to those three.

I gave a few to the chickens but they weren't too crazy about them either. I think the compost is where most of them will go...

apple jelly?

Cider?

Can I use them for jelly or cider when they are split and black on the bottoms? Do you just cut it off? Would be nice if there was a better way to make use of them...

i would make jelly yeh - just cut off any manky bits.. it will be boiled after all