When to pick winter varieties of apples. Winter varieties apples: when to pick and how to prepare for storage? Post-harvest tree care tips

With the onset of autumn, the issue of harvesting apples, which are supposed to be stored, comes to the fore. However, different varieties are not harvested at the same time, and not all varieties of apples are stored equally well. At this stage, the most important task is to determine exactly when it is time to harvest apples, because there are few sugars in unripe fruits, and overripe ones will not lie in storage for a long time. When is the time to pick apples? How to prepare them for storage? Where and how to store apples in winter? Let's try to answer these questions in our article.

How to determine the ripeness of apples

With early varieties of apples, everything is clear: they are eaten, and what did not work out to be eaten, they are processed into jam, jams, compotes and juice. Or dry fruits. Because summer apples are unsuitable for storage.

But late varieties are suitable for processing and are stored for a long time, if they are removed in time, properly prepared for maturation and all storage conditions are observed. You can determine the maturity of apples by carrion: if among the fallen fruits you find ripe, large and beautiful ones, get ready to harvest. There are other signs that it is time to harvest the fruits from the apple tree:

• if the dent on the apple made by pressing a finger disappeared after a while, the fruits on this apple tree have not yet ripened, and if the dent does not level out, start harvesting;
• if the peel bursts when pressed on the apple, then you are probably already late with the harvest: the apples are overripe;
• the color of the fruits should be saturated, the size should be medium, there should be no wormholes in the fruits, the taste should be sweet and sour (except for varieties of sweet taste), the seeds are brown, the pulp is cream or white, soft.

And even if you make a mistake and pick apples a little earlier, it is still better than if you are late and put in storage overripe fruits that will soon begin to rot.

When to pick apples

summer varieties apples need to be harvested from the second half of August: at this time they already have enough sugars. They will lie no more than a month, so try to process as many fruits as possible.

Autumn varieties will be ready for harvest in late August or early September and can be stored for up to 4 months. Eat them and recycle them.

Winter varieties apples are the lightest. They are harvested from the end of September. If winter varieties are removed in time and properly stored, then they can lie until February-March. However, keep in mind that not all winter apples are immediately ready to eat after harvest: they usually need to lie down and accumulate sugar, and only after that they get their real taste. And some winter apples taste better the longer they lie.

How to harvest

Fruit picking is carried out on a dry, fine day, in the afternoon, when the air warms up and the night moisture dries on the fruits. First, apples are removed from the lower branches, gradually moving towards the top of the tree. Since apples ripen faster on the south side of the tree, you need to start harvesting from them, and after 2-3 days you can pick the fruits from the north side of the crown.

Apples are plucked carefully, grabbing the whole palm and slightly scrolling the fruit with your hand so that it is easier to separate from the branch, after which the fruit is carefully placed in a bucket or basket. Put damaged, diseased and wormy apples in a separate container. Do not tear off the stalk of those apples that are intended for long-term storage, since this negatively affects their keeping quality. And try not to erase the wax coating that covers the fruit: it protects the apples from mold and rot.

After harvesting, remove all carrion from under the apple tree, which serves as a carrier of rot and other infections.

apple storage

Apples are usually stored in cellars or cellars, and it is advisable to place fruits and vegetables in separate rooms. The optimum storage temperature for apples in winter is 0-2 ºC, and air humidity is in the range of 85-95%. The room must have good ventilation.

Sorted and sorted apples are placed in wooden or plastic boxes in such a way that the stalk sticks up or to the side. Each layer of fruit is shifted with sawdust deciduous trees, dry leaves or peat. You can wrap each apple in paper or shift rows of fruits with paper sheets. Apples keep for a very long time if wrapped in Vaseline-soaked paper.

It is most convenient to put apples in small boxes with legs, which can then be stacked one on top of the other. The fruits in such boxes are stored in one layer, so they do not require additional sorting during the winter.

Storage of apples in dense plastic bags with a capacity of up to 3 kg also has a considerable advantage: the fruits do not absorb foreign odors, so they can be stored even indoors with potatoes and other vegetables. Put the apples in bags and, without tying them, take them to the basement. Let them stand and cool for a day or two, and only then tie the bags tightly and place them on the shelf. For ventilation in bags, several punctures are made with a regular needle.

During storage, apples should be reviewed every two weeks in order to identify diseased fruits in order to prevent the spread of rot throughout the store. If you need to bring a box of apples into the house, first hold it for a while in a room with an intermediate temperature of 10 ºC, and only then bring it into a heated dwelling. Faster than others ripen during storage large and small fruits, so they should be eaten in the first place.

If you do not have a cellar or basement, you can store apples right on the site in the ground. Dig a hole or trench 65 cm deep and up to half a meter wide, throw juniper shoots or spruce paws on its bottom, then lower the stacked in plastic bags apples. The bags should be new, not previously used, tightly tied, but with small holes for the release of ethylene released by apples - just a few punctures with a needle. The fruits laid in the trench are covered with earth, and on top they are covered with lutrasil or roofing material, which will protect the apples from both frost and moisture. To prevent the coating from being torn off by the wind, press it with a stone.

After you sort the apples, place them for 2-3 weeks in a cool, semi-dark room. During this time, they will cool down and will be stored longer in a cold basement. In addition, previously unnoticed damage and infections will manifest as rot, and you can remove diseased specimens so that they do not infect healthy fruits.

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The past season was especially difficult for our country in general and for the North-West region in particular. The hot summer contributed to a decrease in the harvest of vegetables and fruits, and the past in the north Leningrad region hurricanes have deprived many citizens of light and outbuildings on their summer cottages. Therefore, the topic of stocks for the winter and preparing the site for winter is more relevant than ever.

Let's start with the basics. With the tools we need to harvest. old, experienced gardeners, of course, no longer need such advice, their sheds are full necessary inventory. But I hope that we are read and less experienced gardeners. So, for starters, you, dear gardeners, need to have on your personal plot some devices that facilitate cleaning: knives, secateurs, pitchforks, shovels and auxiliary devices (more on them below).

Knives and secateurs are used for harvesting green, bulbous, perennial and some other crops. They cut the greens of dill, parsley, cumin, celery, marjoram, asparagus, rhubarb. Cabbage is cut with knives. Forks are needed for digging up root crops: carrots, radishes, onions, etc. Shovels are used for harvesting potatoes. Most of the harvest, especially berries and fruits (currants, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, cherries, apples, pears), are harvested by hand.

ACCESSORIES

Harvesting accessories include ladders, pulling hooks, fruit pickers, and much more that can be found in gardening stores.

Ladders are needed in order to harvest trees: cherries, sweet cherries, apricots, apple trees and pears. For the same purpose, you can use hooks to pull branches.

In some cases, cotton gloves are used when harvesting. They are necessary in order not to accidentally damage the delicate skin of the fruit with nails. So, especially valuable varieties of pears are harvested with gloves.

Fruit pickers are bowls or nets mounted on long handles. However, it is not recommended to use them when picking berries and fruits intended for long-term storage, as the fruits, falling into the bowl, can be deformed.

It is necessary, in my opinion, to have these devices at hand in advance - after all, as you know, a summer day feeds a year, and especially if the day is fruitful. Don't waste time looking for inventory.

Having prepared the inventory, we proceed to the harvest. Especially if he is. Harvesting has its own rules. Here they are.

RULES FOR HARVESTING FRUIT

We start picking fruits only in dry weather. I would not recommend harvesting after rain or dew. Fruits are removed only in dry weather. If it so happens that you have to harvest your apples and pears late autumn and the air temperature has fallen below 0°C, it is necessary to wait until it warms up again and the fruits are thawed and completely dry. If the temperature does not fall below -2°C, apples and pears can be left for long-term storage. Remove them very carefully, being careful not to damage them. Shaking berries and fruits from trees is strictly not allowed. Such behavior with your fruit trees can only be explained by the fact that you want to “recycle” them immediately.

Sick, damaged, deformed or fallen fruits are collected separately, it is advisable to immediately bury them in a compost heap.

Remember that apples and pears are removed along with the stalk, which is carefully separated from the branch (without stalks, they will not be stored well).

If you decide to shoot with your hands, then the fetus must be clasped with the palm of your hand, pressing index finger on the stalk at the place of its attachment to the fruit branch, and, lifting it a little, separate it from the fruit. (Fruit - a fruit branch with traces of fruiting and a large number flower buds. Fruits are perennial, and if you pick them, you will lose your crop for several years). You should not stand on the branches with your feet, jerk them sharply, etc. To collect the fruits located on the tops of the trees, use ladders, benches or hooks to pull up the branches. Ladders are rearranged carefully, trying not to knock down fruits hanging on branches. Fruits that are very high are removed with fruit pickers, but not shaken off.

The keeping quality of apples is strongly influenced by the time of their collection. If you took them off too early, the fruits are stored poorly, wither, their taste deteriorates. Filmed late - although they have apples best taste, but are stored just as poorly, overripe faster, suffer from browning of the pulp. Therefore, they need to be removed when the main dark green color of the skin of the apples begins to lighten, and on the illuminated side there is already a cover color characteristic of the variety. Another sign: healthy fruits appear among the carrion. Do not wash the wax coating from the fruit. This is protection against water evaporation and damage by microorganisms.

Apples keep better if they are cooled to 4°C immediately after picking and placed on permanent place in storage.

Apples are usually stored in wooden boxes. They have long term services, but are heavy and prone to decay. Plastic ones are light, do not rot, they are easier to wash and disinfect, but they can crack if accidentally bumped.

Apples keep well when placed clean. sawdust or small shavings of aspen and other trees hardwood(but not conifers - due to the perception of an unpleasant resinous odor by the fruits), healthy clean oak and maple leaves, dry moss, sifted peat chips, which has antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. The shavings should have a moisture content of 15-20%, be free from foreign odors and be clean. You should not overlay apples with straw, because when the first rotten fruits appear or vapors condense from a sharp change in temperature, the straw becomes moldy and gives the fruits an unpleasant aftertaste.

Sort the harvested apples by size and variety. How larger fruit, the earlier it ripens, breathes more strongly, releases more substances that affect neighboring fruits, accelerating their ripening. Before laying the fruits, the containers (boxes with too large gaps between the planks are unsuitable for storage and transportation) are specially prepared: they are pre-washed with a bleach solution containing 20 mg of active chlorine, clean paper is placed on the bottom so that its ends can subsequently be covered top row fruits. A layer of shavings is poured at the bottom, lined with paper, on which the bottom layer of fruits is laid, and then the next.

The top row of fruits is covered with the ends of the paper brought out, a layer of chips is poured, after which the box is clogged. To ensure even more reliable preservation of apples, they are individually wrapped in parchment or oiled paper.

There are several ways to arrange the fruit: diagonal, checkerboard, straight row.

Diagonal stacking involves gaps between stacked fruits equal to half their diameter. Laying is carried out according to the width of the box. In the second row, the fruits are deepened by one quarter into the gaps left between the fruits in the first row. The advantage of the diagonal method is that the fruits exert minimal pressure on each other.

Checkerboard laying involves in each subsequent row the displacement of the fruits by half the diameter relative to the fruits of the underlying row. The fruits of the top layer are placed in the recesses between the fruits of the bottom layer.

Straight-row laying involves the location of the fruits of the second row exactly above the fruits of the first. With this laying, the fruits form regular rows.

The more points of contact between the fruits, the less they suffer from pressure on each other, the higher the safety of the crop. With the diagonal method of laying, the fruit is in contact with neighboring fruits at 12 points; for chess - at 8; for straight row - in 6.

In order to separate the layers of fruits from each other, honeycomb spacers made of synthetic materials, as well as pressed cardboard, can be used. This method of packaging allows avoiding fruit contact with each other, which means minimizing the risk of product contamination with diseases. In addition, when using cellular pads, the risk of fruit damage during transportation and movement of boxes is completely eliminated. Among the disadvantages of this method is the fact that the use of spacers reduces the capacity of the container.

In country conditions, apples are stored in the cellar. It must be dry and the temperature in it must be between 0 and 4°C. Carefully selected apples can be placed in thin plastic bags with a capacity of up to 3 kg, the bags can be tied up and hung up. The composition of the gas environment in the package changes as a result of the respiration of the fruits themselves, and after 15-30 days a certain ratio of gases is created in the package, which protects the fruits from premature spoilage.

Do not store apples with strong-smelling foods - onions, garlic, potatoes.

In general, the apple tree is the pride of our gardens. Among fruit trees it ranks first in terms of planting area. Apple trees come in early (summer), middle (autumn) and late (winter) varieties. Accordingly, winter varieties are removed from the trees later than others - they ripen already in storage.

The pulp of apples contains a lot of sugars (fructose predominates), organic acids (malic, citric), tannins and pectin substances, trace elements (iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium and others), essential oil; there are vitamins A, C, B1, B2, P, PP.

Many of these components are preserved both in soaked and dried apples, and in their processed products.

The people of fresh apples and juice have long been considered a cure for many diseases. They were used for sclerosis, rheumatism, nephrolithiasis, anemia, beriberi, migraine, as an antitussive and diuretic; with their help, burns, frostbite, non-healing ulcers were treated - gruel from freshly grated apples was used as a healing agent for abrasions and other skin lesions, as well as for cracked nipples in nursing mothers.

Apples, in fact, have no contraindications, they are used for almost any disease. A large number of The fiber contained in the fruits helps to increase intestinal motility, therefore, in case of chronic constipation, raw or baked apples should be eaten on an empty stomach.

The phytoncides contained in the fruits act detrimentally on the pathogens of intestinal infections. With gastritis with hyperacidity, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, sweet varieties of apples are recommended, and for gastritis with low acidity, spastic colitis, sour ones.

Apples are an excellent dietary aid in the treatment of atherosclerosis, and the low calorie content and the ability of apples to reduce fat absorption make it possible to include them in the diet of obese people.

Pectin substances of apples adsorb and remove various toxic compounds from the body. Apples are especially useful for those who have oxalate kidney stones (formed due to impaired calcium and oxalic acid metabolism), as they have the ability to remove oxalates from the body.

Here, dear readers, what are apples. Therefore, be careful and respectful with them when collecting.

P. Panov , ecologist

(Gardener No. 40, 2010)

If you do not know when to remove winter apples for storage, our blog will help you with this. Few beginner gardeners know inside and out the signs of readiness of winter apples, which would indicate that the crop is ripe and can be harvested and stored.

The apple is the most popular fruit among fruits. A rich apple harvest, harvested before winter, will please any gardener. In parallel with this, many people are wondering how to properly store winter varieties of apples until spring? How to keep them fresh and what varieties are best suited for this, what are the options for laying winter apples today and how to correctly determine their ripeness, read in this article.

Important! For long-term storage, late varieties of autumn or winter apples are best suited. If you properly organize their storage, the fruits can remain fresh and sweet until April.

The procedure for removing apples from a tree

Important! When putting apples taken from a tree in a basket and later shifting them to a permanent storage place, in no case should you pour the fruits, do it manually as you removed them from the trees. This procedure is necessary in order not to beat the apples and not damage their peel. It is also worth noting that the wax coating on the apples does not need to be removed, because it will keep your fruits for longer, preventing it from becoming moldy and rotten.

In the process of re-transferring apples to winter storage We recommend a second inspection of the fruits. Undamaged fruits, clean and dry, will lie much longer than beaten fruits and damaged by diseases and pests. When using a special tool (fruit picker) for removing apples from trees, be extremely careful with it, since this tool, although intended for removing fruits from trees, can still damage the delicate skin of an apple. On our site you can also find varieties of winter apples with a photo with a name and detailed instructions for their cultivation.

A place to store winter varieties of apples

If you have a big Vacation home, then, as a rule, winter varieties of apples can be stored in basements and cellars. It is worth noting that the room where the fruits will be stored must be dry, free of odors and mold, and at least somehow ventilated.

It is best if apples are stored in places where there are no vegetables, potatoes for the winter and various pickles. most optimal temperature in a room for long-term storage, it is considered from 0 to 2 degrees.

If you have a large storage room, then apples can be stacked on shelves, in drawers or special racks. Apples in this case must be stacked in rows in one layer. When laying some kind of cushioning material, the fruits do not require, the only thing you can do is to separate them from each other, for example, using tabs made of cardboard. If possible, you can wrap each fruit in special paper.

Factors affecting the shelf life of fruits

• Autumn types of apples are removed from trees when their skin begins to acquire a color characteristic of the variety, or when the seeds turn dark brown (usually this occurs at the end of September, beginning of October). If the fruits are removed from the tree very early or vice versa late, then they will be stored worse and become more mealy.
• Winter types of apples are usually removed in late October, mid-November. Just the time of harvesting coincides with their maturity. During this period of time, late varieties will be still tough and tasteless (not edible). After the storage time, the fruits will “reach” and their full ripening will come, it is at this moment that the apples will acquire their characteristic taste for the variety. One of the signs of the onset of fruiting late varieties it is considered - when in the morning under a tree you find from 4 to 6 apples on the ground, without any damage - pest diseases.

Antonovka is one of the most popular varieties of apple trees, which many summer residents like to plant on their site. Those who love to feast on the most useful product prefer Antonovka, because this tree does not require special care, but at the same time annually gives good harvest. But in order to keep the fruits for the whole winter, you need to know when it is better to pick Antonovka apples and how to pick them correctly?

When to pick Antonovka apples?

In order to correctly determine the time of harvesting apples, you need to be able to distinguish between consumer and removable maturity. Consumer will be determined by the full maturity of the fruit, when the apple has become as soft and fragrant as possible. These apples can be canned immediately after picking. The fruits of the apple tree reach this maturity by mid-autumn.

Removable maturity is when the fruit is not yet fully ripe. Such fruits taste hard, they have not yet filled the right amount sugar, but they contain a lot of acids. But at this time, the apple trees are already ready for collection and transportation. Such apples will be perfectly stored all winter, you need to start picking them from the end of September. The fact that apples can already be picked will tell them appearance: if you look closely, you can see yellow spots on their peel.

Do not wait for the moment when the apple turns completely yellow. This can only tell that the apple is fully ripe and will not be stored for long. Harvested for long-term storage, apples ripen in a container. But, in no case should you pluck green apples, they have not yet been enriched with vitamins and minerals, and when plucked, they will no longer be able to become as useful as possible. It is worth remembering that Antonovka apples never crumble, which means that you can wait for full maturity without loss.

How to collect Antonovka apples so that they can be stored longer?

Before you start collecting Antonovka apples, which are planned to be stored in the future, you need to prepare the appropriate container - boxes or baskets, completely dry. The bottom of the container must be covered with a film or cloth. Many summer residents prefer to store apples in straw, and as practice has shown, their shelf life is significantly increased. The room where the crop will be stored should also be prepared: remove dust, dirt and treat with a disinfectant solution. The fruits will last the longest in a cool and dry room.

You need to pick Antonovka apples in the morning, after all the dew has disappeared, but at the same time the sun has not yet come out and warmed the fruits. It should be dry outside so that the fruits are not wet when they fall into the container. You need to pick the fruits carefully, without damaging them. If during the collection the apples themselves fell, then they should be put in a separate container and eaten in the very first place. That's all the subtleties of collecting Antonovka, if you follow the rules of collection, then the harvest will delight with its aromas all winter.

Harvesting apple pears, occurs depending on the variety, and on the period of their ripening, from our article you will learn:

• When to pick apples

• When to pick pears

• How to keep fruits longer

• Table with the shelf life of apples

picking apples

The easiest and surest way to determine when pick apples, is, of course, a test of the fruit for taste, this works great with early varieties of apples, but here's how to determine ripeness for testing winter varieties will be problematic. The problem with the definition palatability, is due to the fact that the whole gamut of taste in winter varieties of apples, such as Jonathan, is fully revealed only after storing apples in a dark, cool place. In this regard, apples of late varieties are divided into 2 categories:

• Apples suitable for picking

When to pick pears

pear harvesting, also a very inaccurate matter, pear ripeness depends on many factors, primarily on the weather, in a dry and hot summer, the fruits ripen faster. As a rule, pear fruits are harvested while still green and firm, and stored in a cool place or refrigerator, at a temperature of about 2 ° C, where they ripen and become soft. Remove pears of such varieties as:

• Ilyinka
• Moscow
• Venus
• Elegant Efimova

prominent pear

late ripe "Pear Velas"

How to keep apples longer

In order to store apples, you will need a dark, cool place with a temperature of 2-5C. Where to store apples? As a rule, apples are stored in wooden boxes, put the apples there carefully and leave them a little space, do not stack them very closely, choose only healthy, undamaged fruits, slightly greenish for storage, below is a table, from which you will learn when to pick apples in what container and at what temperature to store.

Harvesting pear apples takes place depending on the variety, and on the period of their ripening, from our article you will learn:

• When to pick apples

• When to pick pears

• How to keep fruits longer

When to pick apples

Unfortunately, guess exactly when picking apples quite hard, because it all depends on the variety and on what kind of apples you like, a little sour or sweet. If you collect a little apples ahead of schedule their ripening, nothing terrible will happen, but to delay it and let the apples start to rot is already bad. Because in case of delay with the assembly, the storage of apples or their transportation becomes problematic. Also, a delay in harvesting can lead to problems with the next harvest because it can lead to inhibition of the formation of fruit buds. Early varieties of apples begin to be harvested as early as July, and this process can continue until last days October.

The easiest and surest way to determine when to pick apples is, of course, a test of the fruit for taste, this works great with early varieties of apples, but it will be problematic to determine the ripeness of winter varieties for testing. The problem with the definition of taste is due to the fact that the whole gamut of taste in winter varieties of apples, such as Jonathan, is fully revealed only after storing apples in a dark, cool place. In this regard, apples of late varieties are divided into 2 categories:

• Apples suitable for picking
• Apples to eat

When, however, it is impossible to determine the ripeness of the fruit by taste, it is determined by the color of the apple. The easiest way to determine the ripeness of red varieties, if you are not sure about the ripeness of an apple, try to remove it from the branch, this is done easily, this is a sign that the fruit is ready for harvest. Also good method determine when to pick apples, is the color of the pit, y ripe apples they are brown.

When to pick pears

Harvesting a pear is also a very inaccurate matter, the ripeness of a pear depends on many factors, primarily on the weather, in a dry and hot summer, the fruits ripen faster. As a rule, pear fruits are harvested while still green and firm, and stored in a cool place or refrigerator, at a temperature of about 2 ° C, where they ripen and become soft. Remove pears of such varieties as:

• Ilyinka
• Moscow
• Venus
• Elegant Efimova

For late-ripening pears such as: prominent pear» methods for determining ripeness are similar, the pear gives a signal that the time for picking the fruit has come by yellowing the skin. But with this pear variety, the approach to harvesting is different, you cannot harvest the fruits all at once, since this variety is not stored for a long time.

late ripe "Pear Velas" boasts of its exquisite taste, which is in no way inferior to the southern varieties of pears, and it is stored longer up to 3 months. In hot weather, this variety does not feel very good, so if there are problems, you can safely remove the pears and store them.

How to store apples

In order to store apples, you will need a dark, cool place with a temperature of 2-5C. Where to store apples? As a rule, apples are stored in wooden boxes, put the apples there carefully and leave them a little space, do not stack them very closely, choose only healthy, undamaged fruits, slightly greenish for storage, below is a table, from which you will learn when to pick apples in what container and at what temperature to store

apple storage table