Time to collect antonovka for storage. When to remove winter apples for storage - advice from an experienced specialist

The Antonovka apple tree is the most common variety in domestic areas. Wanting to purchase an environmentally friendly, non-waxed fruit, buyers prefer this particular variety. Choosing an unpretentious apple tree, which annually gives a guaranteed rich harvest, gardeners plant Antonovka again. But in order for the fruits to be tasty, they do not lose their freshness and pleasant appearance during storage, it is very important to know exact dates ripening apples and The right way their collection.

When can you start collecting?

To correctly determine the time of harvesting fruits, it is necessary to be able to distinguish between consumer and removable maturity. Consumer readiness implies the state of fruit when they are already fully ripe, have become softer. Having collected them, you can immediately begin canning. In the case of Antonovka, such maturity occurs in the middle and at the end of October.

And removable maturity is the state of fruits in which they are not yet fully ripe, have a hard texture, contain a large amount of acids and a small amount of sugars. At this time, the apples are ready for picking and transportation. As a rule, the period of harvesting for storage occurs in late September - early October. The readiness of the fruit for picking is evidenced by its appearance: the apple in some places acquires a yellowish color.

You should not wait for the time when yellowness appears on the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe fruit. This means that it is fully ripe and will keep quite poorly. Apples collected for storage should gradually ripen in a container. Also, do not pick green apples yet, the amount of useful vitamins and minerals in them will be minimal, and when the state is separated from the tree, the fruits will no longer be able to replenish the composition useful elements, especially since the fruits of Antonovka never crumble, you can wait for the desired level of maturity without fear of losing the crop.

Proper collection and storage of Antonovka apples

Before picking apples, you must first prepare baskets or boxes. They must be absolutely dry. It is recommended to wrap their middle with a cloth or polyethylene, lay out hay. In this case, the fruits always remain dry, are not exposed to moisture, and their appearance is not damaged due to imprints from the hard surface of the container. The storage room is also prepared the day before collection. It must be carefully removed, cleaned of dust, rinsed the floor disinfectant solution. Apples will last the longest in a cold, dry place.

Picking Antonovka apples begins in the morning, when the dew has disappeared, but the sun has not yet come out, which will heat the fruit. The weather must be dry so that the fruits are never placed wet in the box. Fruits are plucked from the lower branches, gradually approaching the fruits located at the top of the tree. index finger press gently on upper part stem, being careful not to break it or the fruit branch. If apples fall by themselves during picking from a tree, they should not be put to the plucked ones. with my own hands fruit. Usually these fruits the worst quality and may not store well.

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 taste test of the fruit, this works great with early varieties 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

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 time 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 on a test. 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 the red varieties, if you are not sure about the ripeness of the 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

Pomological grade Removable maturity state when harvesting Storage temperature, °С Shelf life, months
Idared Full removable maturity +2…+3 7
Alesya Start of harvesting maturity 0…+1 7
Antonovka ordinary +3…+4 3
auxis Start of harvesting maturity 0…+1 6
Belarusian sweet Start of harvesting maturity +3…+4 5
Verbnae Start of harvesting maturity 0…+1 6
Vesyalina Start of harvesting maturity 0…+1 5
Veteran Start of harvesting maturity 0…+1 5
Jonagold Full removable maturity 0…+1 7
Elena Full removable maturity 0…+1 1
Zaslavskoe Middle phase of removable maturity 0…+1 5
Imant Start of harvesting maturity 0…+1 9
Imrus Start of harvesting maturity 0…+1 5
Kovalenkovskoe Full removable maturity 0…+1 1
Minsk Middle phase of removable maturity 0…+1 3
Overzeins Start of harvesting maturity 0…+1 8
Memory of Syubarova Start of harvesting maturity 0…+1 8
Paping Full removable maturity 0…+1 1
Glory to the winners Beginning or middle phase of harvesting maturity 0…+1 3
Freedom Full removable maturity 0…+1 4
Charaunitsa Start of harvesting maturity 0…+1 8
Champion Full removable maturity 0…+1 7

The fruits of winter varieties of apples have a harmonious taste and persistent aroma. They ripen towards the end of September or the beginning of October, when other fruits are already harvested. Varieties removed from the branches in autumn (before frost) have a long shelf life.

They have more large fruits with a high content of minerals, especially potassium and iron. Apples contain pectin, vitamins B1 and B2, dietary fiber. The fruits have a strong peel, dense pulp texture. They are suitable for long storage and transportation.

Information. In the industrial cultivation of fruits, it is precisely winter varieties apple trees occupy large area gardens.

The most popular types

  • Bogatyr- large heavy fruits of light green color. The pulp is sweet and sour. Ripeness comes by the end of December. You need to pick apples in October, when the fruits can already collect juice before the first frost.
  • Aport– red large apples with a glossy skin have crumbly flesh. Sweet and sour taste, used in fresh or go for juices, marmalade, jam. Harvested at the end of September, it ripens in a month.
  • Antonovka- an early winter variety that is especially popular. Apples have a green-yellow color, the flesh is juicy, sweet and sour. They pick fruit in September. Three months are stored without processing.
  • Jonathan- round-conical fruits of bright red color with a glossy sheen. The pulp is sweet, with increased juiciness and a pleasant aroma. Collection is recommended at the end of September. In cold conditions, they are stored until April - May, in warm storage - until February.

What time to store?

Winter apples are removed in the middle of autumn, it is important to have time to finish the work before the steady cold sets in. Unlike other types of apples, fruits intended for long-term storage are not allowed to fully ripen. They reach consumer maturity not on tree branches, but in boxes. The collection begins when the end of September comes.

Apples are still hard and sour, they contain a large amount of starch. After 2-3 months, in the process of ripening, the fruits acquire a color characteristic of the variety, a pronounced aroma appears. Starch undergoes hydrolysis, turning into sucrose and glucose. Apples become sweeter and juicier.

The timing of the ripening of the crop is influenced by weather conditions. In the hot summer, the fruits ripen earlier, in the cold season, maturity is delayed for several weeks. Besides the calendar experts determine the time when you need to pick apples for storage, according to several criteria:

  1. fruit size;
  2. age - time from flowering, taking into account temperature;
  3. cover color;
  4. the amount of starch;
  5. pulp density.

It is enough for gardeners to know the basic rules when to remove apples for storage, so as not to miss optimal time collection:

  • apples are easily separated from the branch along with the stalk;
  • the seeds have acquired a dark brown color;
  • the fruits are firm and sour, but large.

Advice. When in calm weather under a tree lies several good fruit, this is a signal that it is time to pick fruit for storage.

How to find out the exact time for picking apples for storage:

How to pick fruit?

Harvesting fruits has its own rules, ranging from the choice of weather and time of day, to the method of picking apples. For winter varieties that are placed in long-term storage, especially it is important to follow the collection rules:

  1. Do not water the tree before harvest.
  2. Choose dry weather for work. It is better to start by lunchtime, when the dew dries. The fruits must be dry, moisture contributes to the spread of diseases.
  3. First of all, apples are cut off from the lower branches, gradually moving towards the crown.
  4. Fruits can not be pulled, while the branches are damaged. They are taken in hand and rotated, lifting. With this technology, the stalk is carefully separated from the branch. Her presence is good guarantee for long-term storage.
  5. The fruits are removed and placed in a container carefully, trying not to damage the peel and wax coating on it.
  6. First, apples are removed from the south side of the tree, where they ripen earlier.

Attention. You can not shake the tree to get the fruit that is on high branches.

In the case when the fruits are damaged during the fall, they cannot be removed for storage. Such apples will quickly rot themselves and spoil the next fruit.

Apples from high branches are torn using a ladder or special devices- fruit pickers. Is it purchased or homemade construction made of plastic with cutouts on the edges. It is attached to a long stick and allows you to carefully remove the fruit. Wormy, damaged fruits and carrion are immediately rejected for processing.

How to pick apples for storage:

Preparing to bookmark for the winter

Before being placed in long-term storage, apples must be prepared. The first step is sorting. Fruits are selected according to several parameters:

  • size - small, medium, large;
  • quality - a whole peel, the absence of wormholes and other damage, the presence of a stalk;
  • variety - depending on the variety, apples differ in shelf life.

Apples should not be left in the air for a long time after picking, it is advisable to immediately send them to storage.

Advice. Best storage container for apples wooden boxes. Before laying the fruits, they must be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate and dried.

How to store and stack?

Long-term storage of apples is possible only when the temperature is low enough - 2-5°C. The humidity in the room matters, it should be in the range of 85-90%. In a dry microclimate, fruits quickly wither and shrivel.

Containers with wet sand will help to avoid this. If a basement is used for storage, it must be prepared. Clean up, whitewash the walls with a solution of lime and blue vitriol. Disinfection will get rid of bacteria and fungi that threaten the condition of apples.

There are several ways to stack apples:


Places where apples can be stored can be the following: pantry, balcony, basement, refrigerator.

Important! Apples should not be stored next to other fruits and vegetables. They release ethylene, which is detrimental to food.

During the winter, the fruits are regularly inspected., rotten apples are removed.

Tree care after harvest

Literate autumn care contributes to a safe wintering and a bountiful harvest next year. It includes several activities.


Some gardeners cover the trunk with burlap to protect against frost and rodents, but this is not necessary.

Apples are one of the most delicious and healthy fruits. Winter varieties are different large quantity vitamins and retain their qualities for many months. Fruits with sweet and sour pulp and dense skin provide gardeners with useful substances until next spring. Apples can be consumed fresh or processed into compotes, jams, dried fruits.

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 for storage.

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! Putting apples taken from the tree in a basket and later shifting them already on permanent place storage, it is impossible to pour the fruits in any case, do it manually the way they were removed 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. The most optimal room temperature for long-term storage is considered to be 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 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 still be 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 the removal of fruits of late varieties is considered - when in the morning under a tree you find from 4 to 6 apples on the ground, without any damage - pest diseases.

Apples are one of ancient cultures grown by people. Depending on the timing of fruit ripening, they are divided into three main groups: summer, autumn and winter. Medium (autumn) varieties have a positive effect on health and the general condition of the person.

They have a diuretic and choleretic effect, due to their low calorie content they are used in dietary nutrition. Regular consumption of high-fiber fruits improves digestion and relieves constipation. Apples are rich in iron, potassium, glucose and sucrose, pectin.

Autumn varieties are intermediate option between summer and winter. They almost have time to reach consumer maturity on the tree. Full ripening occurs 10-12 days after harvest. These fruits have the average size, bright color, pleasant dessert taste.

Storage periods vary slightly, they depend on the created conditions. Average indicators - 2-4 months

The most common

  1. Shtreifling or autumn striped- one of the most common varieties. Popularity deserved for high taste qualities fruits. The fruits are medium or large, the skin is thin, smooth, with a wax coating. Coloring in the form of red stripes on a speckled background. The pulp is yellowish, juicy, sweet and sour. Ripens in September, lies until December.
  2. Oryol striped- the fruits are large, oblong, the color is green with blurred crimson stripes. The pulp is white, fragrant, with sourness. You need to shoot in September, store in the refrigerator for up to four months.
  3. cinnamon striped- apples are medium or small, the color is green or yellow when removed. Gradually, red stripes appear. Valued for its tender flesh, pleasant taste and aroma. Lies up to two months.

Collection time

It is necessary to start harvesting on time, being late threatens with overripeness, and haste - the lack of a rich taste. Autumn varieties traditionally ripen in late August - September. There is no strict harvesting schedule, the harvest time is adjusted depending on weather conditions season.

When is it necessary to remove all the fruits from the shrub? One way to determine the time of picking apples is to follow the falling fruits. If there are good whole fruits on the ground, it is harvest time.

Knowing the signs of ripening will help determine the exact moment of picking apples.:

The degree of maturation is determined empirically using an iodine solution that reacts with starch.:

  1. when half an apple is immersed, the cut turns blue - the fruit is unripe;
  2. the middle of the cut is yellow, and the edge is blue - the optimal moment;
  3. the apple is yellow - it is overripe.

Gardeners believe that it is better to start collecting autumn varieties a little earlier than to miss the moment.

How to remove from a tree: instructions

Picking apples requires accuracy and knowledge of the specifics of actions. The fruit is taken with the palm of your hand, clasping it with all fingers. Carefully lifting and scrolling, it is plucked from the branch along with the stalk. You can not pull the apple down, it injures the branch, reduces the yield of the next year.

From the hands, the fruit is not thrown into a collection container (basket, bucket, box), but placed. Any impacts and mechanical damage adversely affect the shelf life.

The fruits contain natural protective layer in the form of a waxy coating. When it is erased, the surface of the apples becomes more vulnerable. Wax prevents rot.

The work of picking apples takes place in a certain sequence:


The harvested crop must be cooled and then transport or store.

How to remove fruits for storage: which ones are left?

When they start picking autumn apples from trees, they prepare two containers in advance: one for good and strong fruits, the other for wormy and rotten ones (including those picked up from the ground). Withered fruits can be eaten immediately, and whole ones can be removed for storage for the winter.

Before placing the crop for storage in boxes, it must be sorted. Size sizing into small, medium and large will help evenly distribute the fruits in the rows. Apples are inspected and only those that meet the criteria for long storage are left:

  • have a stalk;
  • no damage to the cover, wormholes, dents;
  • wax coating in place.

Several varieties can be grown in the garden, their storage time is different, so they are separated when sorted.

Boxes with apples should be signed, indicating the variety and time of laying. You do not have to waste time looking for the right fruit.

For long-term storage, it is necessary to slow down the processes in the fruits. This is facilitated by low temperatures. It is best to store apples in the refrigerator or cellar. The room must be dry, clean, free of foreign odors.

It is recommended to whitewash the basement with lime and vitriol. Optimum temperature for autumn varieties - 1-4 ° C. It is best to stack the apples in a single layer using shelving or low wooden crates stacked on top of each other.

Small fruits quickly lose their juiciness, and large ones are prone to disease., they go bad first.

For safety, the fruits are wrapped in paper. This is a reasonable way, but laborious. At in large numbers harvest is difficult to wrap. Fruits can be sprinkled with dry, clean sawdust, onion peel, sometimes sand is used.

At home, apples are stored in the pantry, on the balcony, in the cellar or in the refrigerator. Autumn varieties in any conditions do not lie for more than three months. Winter varieties are stored until spring.

Shrub care for the winter

After picking apples, gardeners do not have to relax. It is necessary to prepare the trees for wintering. Agrotechnical measures will help the tree survive low temperatures and give bountiful harvest next year. What is autumn care:


If you perform all the necessary actions, the apple tree will easily endure the winter.

Autumn apples do not last until spring, these are tasty and useful fruits eaten first. Collected on time and placed in good conditions fruits, stored until January. It is a constant source of pectin, trace elements and other healthy substances.

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