How to store apples and pears properly

Few gardeners can process all fruits at once or right after harvest. The good news is that there are many ways to store your harvest. Take apples and pears. If stored properly, they will last significantly longer then say, cherries or apricots. So, you do not need to use all apples or pears right after harvesting. Great, but you need to provide the right conditions to prevent mould and rot. Here is how.

Collect ripe fruit only

Yes, it is necessary that you collect and store ripe fruit only and without any signs of damage of course. Any fruit showing signs of disease or damage must be removed. You can tell that the fruit is ripe when it has “its” typical colour, but if you are harvesting for the first time or from a tree you do not know yet, you can determine ripeness in the following way. Hold the fruit still attached to the branch in your hand and slowly turn it about 90°. If it separates easily, it is ripe enough and you can harvest. Another way is to cut the apple in half and look at the seeds. If they are brown, you may harvest.

With or without stem?

Fruit should always have the stem. A missing stem is a damaged spot on the surface of the fruit and may lead to infection and rot. You need to pluck each apple manually and carefully. Start with the lowest fruit and work your way to the top. Take the fruit in your hand, tilt it slightly and press on the spot where the stem (peduncle) touches the twig. Carefully place apples or pears in baskets – one fruit at a time. Do not drop them!

Photo: Pixabay

What is the best harvest time?

Cloudy morning or evening is ideal and if it starts raining you need to stop.

Storage conditions

Store fruit in one layer at a temperature ranging from 3 to 10 °C with a relative humidity between 75 and 90%. Crates where you store apples and pears should be disinfected and well permeable. Cold and dark basement is best but if we do not have one, you may use a cold corridor. You can use the balcony in your apartment but you need to wrap each fruit separately in a paper or bubble wrap. Also store in crates – if the temperature drop below zero, wrap the crates all around with Styrofoam plates.

Do not mix apples and pears

You should only store one variety of apples in one container and you should definitely not mix apples and pears. This is a big mistake. Potatoes, onions, beets and aromatic celery should not be near the stored fruit as apples can absorb foreign smells. Not good.

During storage

Check stored fruit regularly and remove any fruit that shows signs of rotting or disease. Ventilate the cellar or other storage spaces frequently.

Source: https://zahradnickakucharka.cz/jak-spravne-sklizet-a-uskladnit-jablka-i-hrusky/

Preview photo: Pixabay