There are many varieties of apple trees and they all differ in some way from others. One of the most common, in recent times, winter-autumn varieties of apples is Antovnoka vulgaris. This variety was especially common from the mid-20th century to the present day. Although today it is losing its popularity, many gardeners still love and happily grow this variety. This is because his apples have an extremely pleasant aroma and a very good presentation, they are just perfect for sales. Despite its popularity, this variety also has some drawbacks, apple trees bear fruit periodically, the fruits are not stored for long and deteriorate rather quickly if they are not harvested on time.
Antonovka storage rules
The Antonovka vulgaris apple variety has remarkable growth properties, however, the fruits are rather poorly stored, so you need to know well how to store them correctly. In fact, there is nothing complicated in storing these fruits, you just need to follow a few rules, which include:
- Fruits should be collected with the utmost care and only on dry days to keep the fruits dry. Apples of this variety are quite large and are often subject to mechanical damage during harvesting, so this must be carefully monitored.
- After harvesting, the fruits must be sorted, taking away all damaged and wormy apples.
- It is best to store apples of this variety in wooden or cardboard boxes, and it is better to sprinkle the fruits with sand. In the case where there are only a few apples, each fruit can be wrapped in paper and carefully placed in boxes in several layers.
- Usually Antonovka does not last long (maximum 90 days), but if you maintain an optimal temperature close to zero degrees in the place of storage, they can be stored a little longer. During storage, the air humidity should be between 90 and 95%. Such humidity is needed so that the apples do not wilt, since they are large and this is especially dangerous for them.
- If possible, apples of this variety should be periodically inspected in order to remove rotten fruits, since they will infect healthy ones and then the entire harvest may be lost. These fruits are very large and when they rot, they do not dry out, but become soft and emit an unpleasant odor.
Antonovka ordinary is certainly one of the best varieties of the last century, but it does not last long and not very well, so these fruits must be well monitored during the entire storage process. Despite this, this variety has very high quality indicators and is very much appreciated among ordinary gardeners who do not want to mess with new varieties. This variety does not require any special care and has very tasty and juicy fruits.
In good years, when apple trees do not rest, even from one or two trees you can harvest a decent harvest, not to mention an apple orchard. And then a natural question arises - how to store apples in winter? After all, you can’t digest everything for drying, compotes, jams and marshmallows - in winter you can even eat a fresh apple.
For storing apples for the winter, not only the choice of boxes or materials for pouring fruits play a role, it is very important to properly calibrate them, provide the appropriate temperature, humidity, ventilation, take into account the variety, and also choose the right “neighbors” for storage. And if you're wondering, how to keep apples all winter, we propose to dwell on each point in more detail.
How to store apples in winter
We take into account the variety
Summer varieties of apples are not suitable for long-term storage, because. they retain freshness on average from a week to a month. For winter storage, apples should be of autumn or winter varieties.
- autumn apples can be stored for one and a half to two months
- winter apples - from 4 to 6 months, sometimes longer.
Naturally, a lot depends on the specific variety.
Temperature and humidity when storing apples
Before storing apples in winter, you need to take care of the optimal temperature in the basement, cellar or loggia (insulate, tuck cracks and windows). The ideal temperature is considered to be from 0 to 4 degrees, acceptable - from -1 to +5 degrees. As for air humidity, fluctuations within 85-90% are most favorable. Air circulation in the room where apples will be stored is extremely important; rooms without ventilation need to be ventilated from time to time.
Is it possible to store apples with vegetables?
Surely you know that ripe fruits - be it an apple, a tomato or a banana - emit ethylene gas, which promotes the ripening of neighboring fruits. Green bananas, which are more convenient to transport than ripe ones, are sometimes exposed to ethylene for ripening and giving them a marketable yellow appearance. The ripe the apple, the more actively it emits ethylene.
So, this same ethylene has an extremely negative effect on the storage of root and tuber crops. Potatoes, beets and carrots begin to quickly sprout and become unusable. For its part, long-term storage of apples with potatoes will lead to the appearance of a specific starchy taste in the apples.
Therefore, before how to store apples at home, take care of different storage areas for potatoes with root vegetables and apples. Or, at worst, isolate them from each other as much as possible.
How to sort apples before storage?
- by quality. Fruits with holes indicating the presence of a worm inside, or with dents or scratches will not be suitable. And since such damage may appear directly during sorting, do not overfill the apples, but shift them manually. Apples without stems tend to spoil quickly. And when picking fruits, try to preserve the waxy coating as much as possible - this is a natural barrier that protects apples from spoilage during storage.
- by grade. Autumn ripening fruits are stored shorter, winter fruits are stored longer, so you shouldn’t put them in one pile. It’s easier to collect each variety separately in the garden - then nothing will get mixed up.
- to size. Typically, larger apples, even if they are of the same variety, emit more ethylene. If smaller apples are nearby, they will begin to spoil faster. Thus, calibrating fruits by size before storage is another factor contributing to the good preservation of apples in winter.
Methods for storing apples at home
Storing apples in boxes or containers
Apples are placed in boxes by hand, row by row, while care is taken to ensure that the stalks do not damage the skin of neighboring fruits. If you stack apples not in rows, but in a checkerboard pattern, damage to the stem is minimized. You will do this with the stems up or down - it doesn’t matter, it’s more convenient for you. It is more important not to stuff the boxes to the eyeballs, so that when you install one on top of the other, the bottom of the upper box does not press down on the fruits of the lower one. The optimal number of layers is 4-5.
Boxes can be wooden, plastic or even cardboard. In the latter case, for reliability, pre-glue the entire box, or at least the corners and edges, with tape.
Storing apples on racks
A wonderful way, especially if there are not too many apples. It is convenient if the shelves of the rack are retractable, like kitchen drawers. In this case, it will be possible to inspect the apples on occasion and detect those that have begun to deteriorate. If space allows, place the fruits in one layer, leaving spaces between them.
Do I need to add something to the apples during storage?
The point of pouring and rearranging is to create a kind of buffer between the fruits, preventing the entry of rot and the aforementioned ethylene, and also being able to retain moisture. The material used is something simple, accessible and natural. For example:
- sand, sawdust or thyrsa. These are quite hygroscopic materials, thanks to which high-quality storage of apples at home will last for a maximum period. To do this, the bottom of the box is lined with paper and a thin layer of either heated dry sand or sawdust from deciduous trees is poured, whatever you have. After this, the apples are laid out in a thin layer, sand/shavings are covered on top, then apples again, etc.
- paper . Regular newspaper or paper towels are best. Each apple should be wrapped in paper before placing it on a rack or box. If you choose a box to store apples, it is recommended to put an additional layer in the form of corrugated cardboard between each layer.
- air, i.e. just leave empty space . So how to store apples at home The process is long, in five to six months even an apple that seemed intact in the fall can rot. But you won’t be able to notice this either in sand or paper. If you leave a small space between the apples, you can check their safety at any time and immediately remove the weak link. Even if you don’t have shelves, but only boxes and crates for storing apples, you can do this: place apples on the bottom of the box, leaving space between the fruits, and put a corrugated cardboard spacer between the layers.
Storing apples at home - a process that requires compliance with many factors. And not all of them in a simple apartment or country house, unlike specialized fruit storage facilities, can really be observed (humidity, temperature). However, you shouldn’t worry too much about this: an ordinary basement or cellar, and in apartment conditions a glazed loggia, are a good place to store apples in winter. The main thing is to carefully and without regret select high-quality fruits for wintering, carefully stack them according to the recommendations mentioned and look in from time to time, removing the “weak links.” In this case, you will not be left without apples until spring, and maybe even April.
Every gardener knows that apples can be kept fresh until spring. According to the rules, only a few people put fruits in storage. It only seems at first glance: neatly put beautiful fruits in a box - and the job is done. Not so! In order for apples to delight you with their freshness and presentation all winter and spring, you need to know some secrets. And the leading researcher of the storage and processing department of the Republican Unitary Enterprise "Institute of Fruit Growing", Candidate of Agricultural Sciences Maria Maksimenko will tell us about them.
- Maria Grigorievna, what determines the duration of storage in the first place?
How long apples will be stored depends directly on their variety. After all, not everyone is able to preserve food and nutritional properties. This quality of a variety is called keeping quality.
First of all, you need to keep in mind that long-term storage is not possible for all apples. There are varieties that, if the appropriate conditions are created, can last for more than six months without problems, while others, despite the most careful and careful care, begin to deteriorate within a week. The higher the shelf life, the greater the chance that your crop will survive until spring without showing signs of spoilage.
Early ripening apples, as a rule, do not last long and should be used immediately after picking. Otherwise, over time they will become wadded, losing their crunch. Mid-ripening apples can be stored in a cool place for several weeks. Provided that they are collected shortly before reaching full maturity. The best varieties for storage are considered to be winter varieties of apples, in which the period of removable ripeness begins at the end of September or beginning of October.
- Does the way the crops were harvested matter?
Only those fruits that have been removed from the branches by hand should be stored. When harvesting, they need to be grabbed with the whole palm, slightly lifted and, scrolling, plucked along with the stalk. In no case should you scratch the fruits, knead with your fingers and squeeze hard, because wounds and dents will only lead to faster spoilage. Therefore, it is better to work with soft gloves. Fallen apples are also not suitable for storage. When it hits the ground, the flesh is injured. Over time, a dark spot first forms in this place, and then the fruit begins to rot. Usually this becomes noticeable after 15 - 20 days. You need to start cleaning from the lower tier of the crown and carry out only in dry weather.
- Harvesting is also a kind of testing of the health of the garden.
Yes, you can learn a lot while picking apples by assessing their quality and condition. Including about pests that spoiled the fruits. Thus, codling moth larvae, as a rule, gnaw through the fruit, making a hole in its core. Many people call these apples wormy. Trapping belts and pheromone traps are effective against this pest.
The apple sawfly makes narrow holes that come out in different places on the fruit. This pest is not easy to get rid of. In addition, one insect most often affects several fruits at once. Therefore, it is best to destroy all affected fruits in the summer, before harvesting.
Scab is the cause of black or brown spots covered with small scales on apples and leaves, which also curl into a tube. If you spot scab in your garden, cut out dead branches, rake and remove fallen apples and leaves, where fungal spores can survive the winter and re-infect the tree next year. Scab does not affect the taste of the fruit in any way. But if the skin is damaged, it can reduce storage time.
Firstly, fruits of different varieties usually have different shelf life. Therefore, they must be stored separately. It is also advisable to sort the fruits by size. Large apples do not store well, so it is better to eat them first, and use damaged ones to make jam or compotes.
Medium-sized fruits without dents, scratches or other damage are best suited for storage. Why is calibration needed? Because of ethylene gas. Larger apples are more mature and release much more of it. And this gas accelerates the ripening of nearby fruits. And if apples are stored in one box different sizes, then due to the ethylene released by large fruits, medium and small fruits will begin to ripen faster. In addition, giant fruits will begin to deteriorate faster, which can also lead to a large loss of harvest. If you store apples of mixed sizes, you will have to sort them more often. And this is the time. And the fruits don’t need extra bulkheading.
- Do I need to send apples to storage immediately after picking?
Of course we should. But you should not immediately place the fruits in a cold room. Pre-cooling is necessary. Otherwise, at low storage temperatures, condensation may appear on the fruits, which can lead to damage and disease.
But the cellar, before bringing fruits into it, must be disinfected. The walls can be whitened with freshly slaked lime and copper sulfate (for 10 liters of water - 1.5 kg of lime and 150 g of copper sulfate). And spray the floor with a solution of iron sulfate - 450 - 500 g per 10 liters of water.
You can do it easier - fumigate the storage facility with a sulfur bomb "Climate". A briquette of fuming insecticide will work 100%! Sulfur bomb copes well with mites and other harmful insects, pathogens, fungi, and rot on wooden structures. The smell of gas will repel mice for a long time.
The most preferable temperature for storing apples is from plus 1 to plus 3 degrees. With more high temperature The fruits ripen and spoil faster. The lower the temperature, the less ethylene is released. Optimal humidity is 85 - 95%. In low humidity they wilt quickly.
- I know gardeners who wash fruits without fail before storing them.
This is a very common mistake, which even the most thorough subsequent drying of fruits in the sun cannot correct. The fact is that on the surface of apples (as well as other fruits) there is initially a thin coating of natural wax. It is not visible to the eye, but at the same time it perfectly protects the fruits from the harmful effects of microbes, bacteria and other microorganisms. Naturally, removing the wax layer will not have the best effect on the keeping quality of the fruit.
An excellent example would be the method of storing apples used by the Valaam monks. They dip the collected selected fruits into melted wax (paraffin is not suitable), then dry them and put them in barrels, which are lowered into water. With this technology, apples always remain fresh, as if they had just been picked from the branch.
- What and how is the best way to store apples?
Well, of course, not in bulk, like potatoes, but in containers. This will help, firstly, to protect the fruits from mechanical damage, and secondly, to create and maintain optimal conditions around them - temperature and air humidity. Ideally, boxes for storing apples should be wooden, with a capacity of 20 - 25 kg, with small (literally 5 mm) gaps between the boards. Boxes with large gaps are not suitable. It would seem that the fruits would be better ventilated in them, but it turns out that apples do not need this. And because of the strong ventilation of the internal space, they cool more than expected and lose a lot of moisture. The right container creates its own microclimate, in which the fruits are very comfortable.
Before laying the apples, the boxes should be kept in the sun for 2 - 3 hours (no more) so that the ultraviolet radiation kills the microbes. If the wood dries out, then in the cellar during storage it will take away moisture from the fruit. If you plan to stack the boxes one on top of the other, then do not stack the fruits in a heap - leave space. Otherwise, the top drawer will accept the apples from the bottom one, and they will begin to spoil.
- Are there any peculiarities in laying apples?
It is advisable to lay them in 2 - 3 layers with the stalks facing up. If the stalks are very long and injure the skin of other fruits, they need to be shortened. There may be many more layers, but if at least one diseased apple appears, the rot will quickly spread to neighboring fruits.
You can wrap each apple in paper or a paper napkin and place it in rows in a box or drawer. And again - with the stalks up. This method is good because even if rot appears, it will be isolated from other fruits.
- Instead of wrapping each apple in paper, it’s probably much easier to cover the fruit with sand or sawdust?
Yes, there are such storage methods. You can pour a 3-centimeter layer of clean river sand with ash at the bottom of a box or box and place a layer of apples on it so that they do not touch each other. Cover them completely with a mixture of sand and ash and lay another 2-3 layers on top in the same way. It is important that the humidity of the sand does not exceed 5%, otherwise the fruits may begin to deteriorate.
It is possible to interleave with other dry and bulk materials - onion peel, leaves, shavings or sawdust of hardwood trees. Softwood sawdust is not suitable for these purposes - it smells like resin, and apples can absorb this smell. Both sawdust and shavings are highly hygroscopic, or, to put it simply, they absorb moisture well. When humidity is high, they will absorb excess liquid, and when the air becomes too dry, they will release it.
You can powder apples with chalk. It will help prevent the appearance of unwanted moisture. I know gardeners who line boxes with bracken leaves: substances that protect the fruits from rot evaporate from them. Lemon balm can also serve as a good service. Transfer the fruits with it, and their shelf life will be extended.
The leaves must first be rinsed, dried and only then used for canning apples. But it is better to refuse straw - fruits acquire an unpleasant aftertaste.
Ideal additives for storing apples are dry sphagnum moss and sifted peat chips. They are natural antiseptics, and the fruits stored in them are simply amazing!
- How do you feel about all kinds of “washing” of fruits before storing them?
It depends we're talking about. You can't just wash apples like that. I have come across recommendations from experts who advise that before storing apples in the cellar, dip them in an alcohol solution of propolis: 100 g of propolis per 0.5 liter of alcohol. This volume should be enough for 100 - 150 kg of apples. There are summer residents who use water solution Iodinol (it is sold in pharmacies as a gargle). They keep the fruit in it for 10 - 15 minutes.
All these methods are good, but remember: after treating with solutions, the apples must be dried well (but not wiped, so as not to damage the wax layer), cooled and only then lowered into the cellar.
- What if there is no cellar or basement? Where can you safely store fruit?
In the ground. Dig a trench below the freezing level of the soil. And when the cold weather arrives and the thermometer drops below minus 6 - 7 degrees, pack 5 - 6 kg of chilled apples in plastic bags and place them in a hole. Place spruce or juniper branches at the bottom of the storage and on top of the bags to protect against mice. And then cover everything with earth and fallen leaves. And don’t forget to set up some kind of sign to quickly find the cache.
And to make it more convenient to get fruit, you can tie the bags with a rope before storing them, the ends of which are let out. Then it will be enough to pull the rope so that the bag itself “rises” to the surface. Buried apples keep well until spring.
- And if there is neither a basement nor a plot of land, is it possible to somehow store apples in the apartment?
Place the collected and cooled apples in plastic bags, filling them halfway, then tie them and in the middle of each bag make one hole with a diameter of 6 - 8 cm or several small ones for ventilation. Store apples in a cool room at a temperature of plus 1 to plus 3 degrees. Make sure you don't freeze. In such conditions, apples do not dry out for a long time, remaining fresh and elastic. As a result of fruit respiration, after 20 - 30 days, a special gas environment is formed in the bags, which protects against spoilage. This method is good for any varieties, but not for Antonovka: it deteriorates faster in polyethylene than with other methods.
In Soviet times, when siphons for carbonating water were in use, many summer residents used them for other purposes. They slowly pumped carbon dioxide into bags of apples using a siphon, and then sealed the hole.
Yes, it happened. And I must say that such a bag of apples was perfectly stored in the basement for a long time. Today, in industrial production, apples are stored in RGS, that is, in a controlled gas environment.
- What can you say about ultraviolet treatment?
I've heard about this method. The apples are placed in one layer and treated for 20 to 30 minutes with a bactericidal ultraviolet lamp (BUF-60), installed at a distance of 1.5 m. According to those who have tested this method, not a single fruit rotted during storage.
- Is it possible to store apples together with potatoes and other vegetables?
It is better to allocate a separate pantry or cellar for fruits, if, of course, you want to preserve them for a long time. When stored with vegetables for a long time, apples absorb their smell and lose their aroma. As a result, their taste is noticeably reduced. In addition, the increased content of ethylene released by fruits will accelerate the germination of potatoes, carrots, and celery. And vegetables will spoil faster. Apples should also be stored separately from strong-smelling crops such as garlic and onions.
Fact
Scientists have developed an unusual method for long-term storage of apples in vermiculite (rock of volcanic origin), treated with a solution of acetic acid at a concentration of 1.5 - 2.3%. To obtain it, it is enough to dilute 6% acid 3-4 times with water. For 100 kg of fruit, only 2 - 3 kg of vermiculite is required. The apples are placed in boxes and then covered with soaked granules. During storage, acetic acid gradually turns into environment and suppresses harmful microflora.
Storing apples in a specially designated place is a simple and reliable method that allows you to preserve the original appearance and taste of the fruit for a long time. Due to the fact that the modern buyer wants to buy only high-quality goods, farmers and agricultural companies are developing storage technologies. Such methods can be partially used to preserve fruits for the winter at home.
Principles for long-term storage of apples
There are a number of principles for storing apples that are recommended to be followed:
- Before placing fruit in the basement, the walls are treated with slaked lime. The proportions are 1.5 kg of product per 10 liters. water. The floor is wiped with iron sulfate (5%). The containers where the fruits will be stored are washed with soda ash. Experts also advise treating the room from mice.
- When selecting apples, you should remember that unripe or, conversely, overripe, as well as not fully fertilized fruits are not recommended to be stored in winter. Effective preservation is ensured by selecting medium-sized apples.
- Fruit picking should preferably be done with hands protected by cotton gloves. Each apple is slightly lifted, then scrolled and only then torn off.
- The collected apples are placed in wooden containers or cardboard boxes. In this case, it all depends on the variety. If the stem is too long, then it is cut off. Otherwise, there is a risk of damage to other fruits.
Attention! When laying fruit in a container, the stalk is placed up.
Traditional Fruit Storage Methods
The classical way of storage assumes the principle of high keeping quality of fruits. That is, apples should ripen during storage. Thus, food quality is achieved and a marketable appearance is acquired.
The following scheme involves the layout of fruits in special containers in rooms with low storage temperatures - 0°C-7°C. Some varieties of apples should be placed in refrigerators with a temperature range of −2°C to 0°C. The humidity level is constantly maintained in the range of 85%-95%.
Types of storage technology:
- Warehouse on the surface of the ground or underground premises. In this case, the temperature is maintained at +4°C. Due to this, heat resistance of wall surfaces and air exchange are achieved.
- Calders are special storage facilities equipped with a ventilation system for cooling apples. Air flow is expected to penetrate through the fruit. At the same time, the air in the calder is low, which is achieved due to the reduced temperature outside the storage facility. The microclimate in the room is provided by a special thermostat that records the volume of incoming air.
- Refrigeration chambers are heat-insulated rooms. Air cooling is achieved through special equipment.
Such conditions are intended for long-term storage of apples for a period of 4 months to six months. The remaining fruits after the period are disposed of or processed. It is noteworthy that only specially bred varieties can survive such a period while maintaining their original appearance.
Storing apples on an industrial scale in a gas environment
Modern industrial storage of apples is based on a controlled atmosphere. Thus, in warehouses it maintains a humidity level of 90% and controls the temperature in the range from −2°С to +7°С. Simultaneously with these conditions, the proportionality of elements in the atmosphere changes.
In other words, if apples were previously treated for long-term storage with special compounds, now they have been replaced by an oxygen-depleted environment. This atmosphere contains carbon dioxide and nitrogen. In this case, the oxygen level is no more than 5%, while the limits of carbon dioxide vary from 1% to 10%. The remaining portion of the air mass is made up of cheap nitrogen.
By reducing the oxygen level from 21% to 5% or less, companies achieve conservation of the fruit decomposition process. High level carbon dioxide normalizes the ripening procedure of apples. This allows the color to be retained for a long time and the occurrence or development of fungus is prevented.
Due to the fact that apples are deprived of natural oxidation, their appearance and taste remain unchanged. At the same time, nitrogen, pectin, carbohydrates, vitamins, lipids, pigments and other substances that make up fruits cannot develop after contact with oxygen. And excessive levels of carbon dioxide record this effect.
Preparation, container and stacking of apples for long-term home storage
To preserve apples for the winter, the fruits are carefully selected. During the bulkhead, attention is paid to the absence of crushed barrels, squeezing, wormholes and worms. In this case, fruits are sent for storage only if the stalk is present. If some fruit is left without it, then after a while it will deteriorate under the influence of the fungus. An additional condition for storage is the preservation of the natural waxy coating. Next, the apples are sorted by size and variety.
Small fruits are placed in a separate middle box. This process is more necessary, because Storing large fruits together with small ones in large volumes leads to accelerated ripening of small ones. For the same reason, large fruits are subject to oxidation and will be spoiled. Sorting by variety at home is much easier than on an industrial scale. As a rule, there are no more than 3 types of apples in the garden.
There is a variety of packaging for storing apples in winter. However, a number of requirements are imposed on the container - strength and sterility. In the cellar, fruits are stored in the following types of packaging:
- Wooden boxes. It is important that the upper tier does not put pressure on the lower one. Therefore, wooden boxes are not recommended to be filled to the top. Otherwise, the lower layers will suffer.
- Cardboard boxes. Such packaging requires sizing with adhesive tape to avoid tearing the material.
- Lattice chests made of plastic. There are gaps on the sides and bottom, so they should be glued or covered with paper. After that, apples are placed.
- Shelving. If there are installations with boxes, then this is a big plus, because. undeniable convenience of storage with preservation of the entire harvest. Before packaging the fruits on shelves, the inner walls are dried and covered with burlap.
In an apartment, when stored for a long time, apples become loose, because... it is impossible to provide complete conditions for savings. In view of this, late fruits are chosen, carefully packaged and distributed in cardboard boxes or on a rack. As a rule, the storage location is a balcony or loggia.
Correct placement of apples in containers
Experts recommend separating each fruit from the others. To do this, they are wrapped individually in paper or sprinkled with sand or maple leaves. If apples are packed in wooden boxes, then the fruits are placed diagonally and then vertically, i.e. It’s not possible to simply sprinkle and preserve the fruits.
When apples are stored on racks, they are sprinkled with oiled sawdust.
It is noteworthy that cling films are also suitable for these purposes. But the installation is carried out according to the following principle - put two layers of film on the bottom of the box - the first along, the second in breadth. After this, distribute the apples evenly. Finally, the top layer of fruit is covered with plastic wrap.
- If apples are sprinkled with sand, the humidity level should not be higher than 5%. Otherwise, the fruits will spoil.
- Laying fruits with straw does not bring high-quality results, because... apples emit an unpleasant aroma.
- To prevent apples from touching during storage, place cardboard partitions between them. Such cells can be made from sheets laid crosswise.
- If the storage method chosen is bags buried in the ground, then you should tie a rope with a stick to the top. After this, lower it into the ground and bury it so that the stick remains at the top. To remove the bag, just pull to fish out the bag of apples.
- Apples from trees that received too much fertilizer performed poorly.
- When a fruit-bearing tree ripens, there is no need to water it, because... this may affect keeping quality.
What is the shelf life of fruit in its original form?
The shelf life of fruit in the basement directly depends on the variety. For example, summer types of fruit are not intended for long-term storage, because... the peel is thin. Autumn and winter varieties are distinguished by their rough skin and last quite a long time. Thus, autumn apples can be stored for up to 60 days, and winter apples for up to seven months.
According to the duration of saving, first-born laurels are occupied by the following varieties:
- Antonovka;
- Antey;
- Calville;
- Bogatyr.
If saving is carried out in the cellar, then it is recommended to carry out an audit once a month.
To do this, each container is opened and rotten or decayed fruits are selected. This is necessary to avoid the process of rotting on other fruits.
By following the advice of experienced summer residents and industry experts, you can preserve the appearance and taste of apples for a long time. The basic rule is to correctly prepare for storing winter and autumn fruits. Placement in containers according to the instructions and treatment of the room while maintaining the required temperature is the key to winter storage of apples both at home and in industrial conditions.
First, let's talk about the features of these fruits. Apples, especially those that are riper and larger in size, produce large amounts of ethylene. And ethylene gas promotes faster ripening of both other vegetables and not yet fully ripened apples. Also, increased ethylene content promotes sprouting and faster spoilage of vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and celery.
So if you were wondering how to store apples in the cellar along with potatoes, carrots and other vegetables, then the answer is simple: “No way.” It is better to allocate a separate pantry or cellar for apples, unless, of course, you want to store them longer.
By the way, not only potatoes suffer from storing apples and potatoes in the same cellar; they begin to germinate faster under the influence of ethylene. Apples get it too. If you keep them together in the same room for only a day or two, then a disaster is unlikely to happen, but with long-term storage, apples will develop an unpleasant starchy taste.
At lower temperatures (about 0°C) the release of ethylene is less. Therefore, the best storage temperature for apples in winter is about 0°C. The minimum storage temperature for apples is -1°C, and the maximum is +5°C. Relative air humidity is desirable in the range of 85-90% (maximum 95%).
Three components of long-term storage
It turns out that preparing apples for storage is not such an easy thing. This only seems to be the case at first glance: carefully put the beautiful fruits in a box - and the job is done. Not so! In order for apples to delight you with their freshness and “marketable appearance” all winter and spring, you need to know three secrets.
Secret 1: choose the right variety for storage
How long apples will be stored depends directly on their variety. Not everyone has the ability to retain food and nutritional properties for a long time (which, in fact, is called keeping quality).
For middle zone these are: Antonovka vulgaris, Bogatyr, Vityaz, Northern Sinap, Zhigulevskoe, Mayak, Orlovskoe winter, Izanninitsa, Cortlandt, Bananovoe, Melba and Welsey. For the southern regions: Jonathan, Aurora Crimean, Renet Simirenko, Starking and Olympic.
The duration of storage depends on the variety:
- summer apples are stored for 2-4 weeks at a temperature of 2-8 degrees;
- autumn varieties - 1-2 months at a temperature of 0-8 degrees;
- winter varieties (Renet Simirenko, Babushkino, Rozmarin, Calville snowy, Bellefleur) are stored for 4–7 months at + 5 degrees.
Secret 2: Remove apples from the tree correctly
If you are planning to store apples in their natural form, then from the moment of picking you need to start acting according to the rules, because their “further life” largely depends on how you do this.
- you need to pick the fruits at the right time removable ripeness(when healthy ripe apples just started to fall - 5-6 pieces per day);
- pick fruit only in dry weather;
- don't tear it off stalk;
- don't wipe natural waxy coating (matte film);
- picked apples do not throw, and carefully place in prepared containers;
- so as not to injure the fruits when picking, you need to start from the lower branches, moving to the top ones.
Secret 3. Be sure to sort the apples
Some inexperienced gardeners, having removed apples from the tree directly into boxes, immediately send them to the cellar “for the winter.” And they make a mistake. Before sorting, it is really better to keep the apples for 2-3 weeks in a cool room so that signs of possible defects appear.
But then you need to do the following:
- select for storage only healthy fruits without mechanical damage, preferably with stalks;
- apples of different varieties preferably divide for storage;
- it's better to sort out the fruits by size: separately large, medium and small;
- There is no need to wash or wipe the apples!
Methods for storing apples
There are several ways to store apples at home:
- on the racks. It would be better if these were racks with drawers to make it easier to inspect the fruits and take them out for eating. On such racks, apples are stacked in 1 row and, preferably, so that they do not touch each other;
- in wooden boxes. If you stack the boxes one on top of the other, do not overfill them with fruits, otherwise the top box will take in the apples of the bottom one and they will begin to spoil. Fruits must be placed in boxes very carefully to avoid wounds and dents. Remember that apples can also be injured by the stem. At the same time, the stalk cannot be cut off. It is better to transfer the apples by hand, especially since you will still be sorting and calibrating them;
- in wooden containers. If you eat a lot of apples, you can store them in containers. But it seems to me that this is not very convenient, since the upper fruits will put very much pressure on the lower ones and, accordingly, they will begin to deteriorate;
- in cardboard boxes. It is advisable to seal such boxes with tape to avoid them breaking at the most inopportune moment. The principle of folding is the same as in wooden boxes. We recommend attaching a label to the boxes or shelves with information about the variety and date of storage. You can also indicate the size of the apples if you have them wrapped or sprinkled with something;
- in sawdust. Sawdust must be from hardwood. As a rule, it is recommended to use pine shavings for storing vegetables. But apples, as mentioned above, are capable of absorbing foreign odors;
- in sand. Sand for these purposes should be taken almost dry; it should first be sifted and calcined for disinfection. Sand is poured into a 10 cm layer at the bottom of the box, and the first layer of apples is laid. There should be small gaps between the fruits. After this, the first layer is completely covered with sand and the second is laid on top. This storage method, like the previous two, is good for small harvest volumes;
- in plastic bags. For this method we will need small plastic bags. Apples are packaged in 1–2 kilograms. The bags are tied and placed on racks for storage.
As for the best way to put apples in boxes...
There is no clear solution here. Some sources recommend laying the stalk up, while others, on the contrary, place it down. The main thing is just careful styling.
You can lay the fruits in even rows (when the fruits are located one above the other), as well as in a checkerboard pattern or diagonally. When laying in a checkerboard pattern, damage to the fruit by the stalk can be avoided.
Ideal for storage when the fruits do not touch each other. This is easiest to organize with rack storage. You can also try to organize this in drawers, but then you need to use some kind of spacers between the rows. There are special cardboard spacers with recesses for the fruit, but I don’t know if they can be purchased somewhere here. Do I need to wrap the fruits with something or sprinkle them? Well, you can pour them over and wrap them, but this is probably not always necessary, convenient or practical. It’s one thing if you have several tens of kilograms of apples, another thing if you have several hundred.
Storing apples in polyethylene
For this purpose, use cling film, or small bags, or large plastic bags.
- Cling film is placed on the bottom of the box in two layers crosswise so that the edges hang down. Carefully fill the box with apples, and then close the top with the edges of the film, like an envelope.
- The apples, without any packaging, are taken out into a cool room for a couple of hours, after which each is placed in an individual plastic bag and tied tightly. Then bags of apples are placed in any convenient container and taken out to the balcony.
- The apples are placed in a thick plastic bag, and a piece of cotton wool soaked in alcohol or vinegar is also placed there. The bag is tied so that air does not penetrate inside.
All methods of storing apples in bags are based on the principle of effective concentration of carbon dioxide. Since apples remain “alive” for a long time, that is, they breathe and emit carbon dioxide, after some time the optimal concentration of carbon dioxide is established in the hermetically sealed bag, which allows the metabolic processes in the fruit to slow down, thereby increasing their shelf life. By the way, apples packed in plastic can then be placed in a large travel suitcase, closed and placed in a cool place.
Processing apples before storage
There are several options for treating the surface of apples before storing them for long-term storage, but they are not suitable for everyone. Because they involve smearing, dipping, soaking and even irradiating apples with ultraviolet light. Not every gardener will decide on such experiments, but... what if there are brave souls?
- Before placing in prepared containers, apples are greased with glycerin.
- Each apple is dipped into an alcohol solution of propolis for a couple of seconds (100 grams of propolis per 0.5 liter of alcohol) and then dried.
- Apples are kept for a minute in a 2% solution of calcium chloride (sold in pharmacies).
- Before storage, each apple can be dipped in a 5% salicylic acid solution.
- Apples are immersed in melted paraffin or beeswax, and after drying, they are stored in boxes with sawdust.
- To prevent putrefactive diseases, apples laid out in one layer should be kept under a bactericidal ultraviolet lamp at a distance of 1.5 meters for half an hour. Then turn it over and irradiate the other side.
General rules for storing apples in the refrigerator
It is quite convenient to store apples in the refrigerator if you have a large one and have quite a few compartments.
In addition, there are general rules for storing apples in the refrigerator, which include:
- Apples should be refrigerated no later than 24 hours after harvesting. If you purchased apples at the store, you should immediately put them in the refrigerator.
- Under no circumstances should you wash apples before storing.
- For comfortable and isolated storage, apples should be packed in plastic wrap, 1 to 5 kilograms in one bag. Each bag must have holes so that the apples can breathe; if this is not done, the apples will rot.
- You should only pack apples of one variety in one bag; under no circumstances should you mix apples of different varieties and ripening periods.
- You can put apples in special trays or small boxes. This way they are preserved very well.
- Apples are best preserved in the coldest compartments of the refrigerator, where the temperature is 1 - 3 degrees with an optimal air humidity of 85-90%.
- If you are going to store apples for a long time, then before storing them you need to do heat treatment at temperatures up to 30 degrees for 3-4 days. This is done in order to remove ethylene from apple tissue. This way, apples will be stored better and will not emit dangerous ethylene.
Storing apples in the refrigerator is very practical and beneficial, and when you have a lot of apples, then you need to use other storage methods. This is the case if there is no very large refrigerator. If you adhere to the above rules for storing apples, then you will not have any problems storing these wonderful fruits.
To the point
Goodies from Sofia Tolstoy, wife of Leo Tolstoy
A book of recipes from the family of a Russian writer is very popular on the Internet. His wife Sophia ran the household zealously, but the table was always rich and satisfying. A vegetarian, Tolstoy still loved tasty things. Here are a few recipes for apples, of which there were many ripening apples at the Tolstoy estate.
- Apple scones . Cut 10 Antonov apples into pieces and simmer them in a saucepan until they become soft. Then rub them through a sieve. Put the pureed apples back into the pan and add one pound of sugar (410 grams) there, add the zest cut into thin pieces and stir it all with a spatula until it comes away from the pan. Place on an iron sheet (now you can use a Teflon sheet so that it does not stick to the baking sheet) and spread evenly to half a finger thickness. Cool and cut into flat cakes.
- Apple cream . 2 cups baked apples, 2 cups sugar, 1 egg. Spoon of gelatin. Vanilla – 1 piece. Take two glasses of baked mashed Antonov apples, two cups of fine sugar and beat one egg white thoroughly. Boil gelatin and add a piece of vanilla. Beat all this into apples with sugar and pour into molds.
- Pastila Tolstykh . Bake ½ measure of apples (about 10 kg) on a sheet, rub through a sieve, and place on ice. The next day, add 2 ½ pounds of sugar (1.1 kg) and 10 whites, which first “beat with a paddle in a tub until the whole mass turns white and rises” - that is, beat the whites with sugar, and then mix with mashed baked apples until smooth. Place in paper boxes (i.e. molds) and place on sheets in the oven until ready. You can bake in layers.