In order to be able to store apples for the winter, ensure adequate humidity, temperature and ventilation in the storage room. Apples are, contrary to appearances, delicate fruits that need to be carefully looked after in order to properly mature and taste. Seehow to store apples for the winterto enjoy he althy fruit. Here's everything you need to know about the storage requirements of apples and the dangers of their storage.
How to store apples for the winter
Contrary to the general belief that an apple is a durable fruit, it should be handled very gently.Especially after harvesting, when it is most exposed to damage and kickback. In fact, when picked from a tree, an apple is just as tender as a peach or a strawberry. If we wantto store apples for the winter , we should pay more attention to their highest quality. The better quality apples, without damage or deflection, the better and longer they will be kept.
Note!Never take apples that are rotten to a minimum degree for storage, as storage diseases spread quickly from rotten apples. We only store he althy fruit without bruising or damage to the skin.
Under what conditions to store apples for the winter
Where to store apples for the winter?
Currently, it is best to store apples for the winter in cold stores, which are specialized in special equipment that helps to maintain appropriate conditions. However, if you do not have access to such a room,store applesin cool, well-ventilated rooms with high humidity.In amateur cultivation, these are most often cellars.
How to ensure adequate humidity when storing apples?
If you want to keep apples for the winterin the correct way , you should first of all make sure that they do not wither and overripe. For this purpose, adequate humidity should be ensured, which should be approx. 90%. This condition can be achieved by pouring water on the floor of our store.
At what temperature should the apples be stored?
The temperature that should prevail throughout the winter storage of apples should be from 0 ° to approx. 3-4 °. It is important that the temperature does not drop below 0 ° because then the apples will freeze very quickly. However, if we have a temperature higher than 4 °, then the apples will ripen faster and thus their storage period will be significantly shortened.
How to ventilate the apple storage room?
Another very important requirement for storing apples for the winter is good ventilation.Each storage room or basement should be equipped with an efficient ventilation system, thanks to which ethylene accumulating from the storage room will be efficiently removed. Ethylene is secreted by ripening apples, this compound accelerates fruit ripening, and this is not what we want during storage. That is why it is so important to remove ethylene from the storage room by means of ventilation.
How to store apples in crates?
Apples should be stored in wooden boxes with a capacity of about 15 kg. However, if we do not have such containers at our disposal, we can use other, e.g. wooden crates of citrus or other fruit. Remember to cover the bottom of the box with newspapers, preferably with a double layer, before putting the fruit in the box. To be sure, apples are also often covered with newspapers in advance. Thanks to this, carbon dioxide accumulates under the top cover, which additionally inhibits the ripening process of the fruit.
How to check the condition of apples stored for the winter?
In order tostore apples for the winterin a proper way, you should also constantly monitor their he alth. Apples are very perishable fruit. Therefore, it is necessary to observe whether the stored apples do not show symptoms of some apple storage disease, such as bitter rot, gray mold, brown rot or other.
If you notice infected fruit, remove it immediately. The infection with storage diseases of apples occurs already during the harvest or during the growth of apples on trees, which is why it is so important to monitor their he alth during storage. The best way to prevent this type of disease is pre-spraying the fruit in the orchard, for example with the biological agent Polywersum WP. We should also remember to carefully pick the apples from the trees and put them into boxes so as not to bruise them or damage the skin. Harvesting is best done on a dry day, in fine weather.
Katarzyna Matuszak
