Winter varieties apples: when to pick and how to prepare for storage? Tips for caring for a tree after harvesting. Collection and storage of apples

He began to harvest the fruits of Moscow Grushovka 16 weeks after the start of flowering of hazel, Bulk white - after 17 weeks, Bulk scarlet - after 20, Anise gray - after 21, Antonovka - after 22 weeks.
I adopted this technique and it has never let me down. I always collect in three doses at intervals of 4-5 days, depending on how long the apple tree has bloomed. During the fruit ripening period, the weather is different, so slight deviations are inevitable. I take them into account when harvesting. If the summer is warmer than usual, then I spend the first collection 2-4 days earlier than the estimated date, if it is colder than usual, then 2-4 days later. In a typical summer, Antonovka blooms 37 days after the hazel. The fruit ripening period lasts 117 days. Total 154 days, or 22 weeks. Antonovka blooms for 9-10 days, so I spend the third harvest 10 days after the first, and the second harvest in the middle between them.
In the same way, he calculated the timing of the flowering of Moscow Grushovka. In normal weather, 35 days after the start of flowering of the hazel plus the period of fruit ripening (77 days). So, in total, she needs 112 days, or 16 weeks. It blooms for 8 days.
In my opinion, in vain all the manuals orient gardeners to one-time fee harvest. I consider this a fundamental mistake.

In this case, both unripe and overripe apples are harvested. As a result, the fruits are poorly stored. So I harvest three times. Moreover, the fruits remaining on the tree after the first and second removals grow more intensively. So the overall yield increases. The method of determining the date of harvest allows me to know in advance whether winter apple trees will be able to prepare for the upcoming winter, and take the proper measures in advance so that the wintering goes well.
For example, in 1995, a hazel tree bloomed on April 9, the date of the first removal of Antonovka and Kutuzovets was scheduled for September 10. Let's say the summer is colder than usual, then we will transfer the first collection to September 16, and the third to September 26. The end of the growing season in our area usually comes on October 10, and the apple trees of Antonovka and Kutuzovets, freed from the harvest, will have two weeks to prepare for winter. And that's okay. So already in April I knew that winter was not dangerous for apple trees of this variety.
I consider the old method of determining the calendar dates for the removal of apple fruits to be simple and reliable. It gives me the opportunity to pick apples at optimal harvesting maturity.
Therefore, gardeners who do not have hazel on the site, I advise you to plant one or two bushes. This will not be a big deal, and the benefit in determining the period for harvesting fruits will be great.

Pavel Avvakumovich BALYASNIKOV
amateur gardener, Samara
25.06.2010

Apple is the fruit of the apple tree, which is eaten in fresh, serves as a raw material in cooking and for the preparation of drinks. Apple tree is a genus of deciduous trees and shrubs of the Rosaceae family with spherical sweet or sweet-sour fruits. In addition to the delicious taste, apples have very useful and healing (healing) properties. Apples are the most common fruit in our country and it is very pleasant that it is apples that are extremely useful and necessary for our health.

Useful and medicinal properties apples are explained by their healing composition. Apples contain vitamins C, B1, B2, P, E, carotene, potassium, iron, manganese, calcium, pectins, sugars, organic acids. The composition of the fruits of various varieties of apple contains in%: Sugars 5-15, fiber 0.6, starch 0.8, pectin 0.27, organic acids 0.3-0.89 (apple 0.37, citric 0.11 , tartaric and chlorogenic acids). Apples are very rich in vitamins, in%: vitamin C - 8-22.4 vitamin P - 60-400, vitamin B1 - 0.8-2.3, vitamin B2 - 0.05, vitamin B6 0.08, carotene 0 .02-0.03. The composition of green apple varieties still contains Bis 0.07; E 0.63 mg% and biotin 0.30 µg%. Also contains apples a large number of trace elements: potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, aluminum, boron, vanadium, iron, iodine, copper, molybdenum, nickel, fluorine, chromium and zinc. The peel of apple fruits contains flavonoids. The composition of the fruit contains 84-90% water. Apple seeds contain up to 15% fatty oil, amygdalin glycoside up to 0.6%. The leaves contain vitamin C 450 mg% and amygdalin glycoside. This is the most common fruit crop in our gardens. Picking winter varieties of apples is a labor-intensive process that requires compliance with the timing of picking, preparation of containers and premises for storing fruits. Not experienced gardeners overexpose the fruits on the tree, because of which the apple tree is depleted and does not tolerate wintering well. Harvesting in time is half the battle in order to save it for a long time taste qualities, it is necessary to properly prepare for storage.

How to determine the right time to pick late apples from a tree

Start picking apples autumn varieties possible in September-October. The main thing is to be in time before the onset of frost, but not later than a month before the onset of stable frosts.

If you start harvesting late, you can harm the tree. Namely:

• the frequency of fruiting increases;
• reduces the frost resistance of trees;
• the ability of vigorous growth in the spring is reduced.

At the time of harvest, apples should be sour and firm. This will extend their shelf life. Depending on the variety, apples will reach consumer maturity after 2-3 months.

Autumn varieties of apples should not be allowed to ripen. Such fruits are worse stored. harvested prematurely will not reach the correct taste and color, and will also begin to wrinkle.

Removable maturity of apples is determined by several indicators:

• fruit age - you need to know how much time has passed since the beginning of flowering, take into account the air temperature during this period;
• apple size;
• the main and integumentary color of fruits;
• seed color;
• fruit pulp density;
• starch content.

Only a specialist can determine the harvest time according to these criteria. It will be enough for an amateur gardener to take into account such features:

• a larger number of fruits acquired a color characteristic of a particular variety;
• fruits are well separated from the stalks;
• seeds of apples of winter varieties have acquired a brown color;
• apples are sour and hard.

If in calm calm weather under a tree it turns out a small amount of fruits without visible damage and disease - this is also a signal to start harvesting.

Timely harvesting of apples of winter varieties is the key to proper fruit ripening, in which the pulp becomes loose, the taste improves, the aroma intensifies and the color characteristic of the variety appears.

How to pick apples

• Manual way

With all the development of technology in horticulture is still the most The best way harvesting - manual.

Apples must be picked carefully, carefully stacking them in boxes to avoid mechanical damage to the fruit.

• Via various devices

Today, the market offers many devices for picking apples even from the highest branches: a loop, a basket (or bag) with a long handle.

Many gardeners stretch a fruit picking net to keep the apples from falling and not coming into contact with the soil. In early summer, the same mesh can serve as a good covering material.

Articles for gardeners

Sorting apples for the winter

When considering how to store apples for the winter, one of key points is the stage of their sorting. What does it mean? After harvesting, you need to sort out the fruits, separating the beaten and spoiled by pests. Remember that only whole apples are suitable for storage.

How to process apples before storage for the winter

Processing with special compounds will help protect apples from all kinds of rot and fungi:

• fruits can be wiped with a soft cloth soaked in glycerin;
• collected apples can be dipped in a 4% solution of calcium chloride for 1 minute, then dried thoroughly;
• each apple can be sprayed with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Apples processed in any of these ways will keep much better. However, remember: before eating such apples, they will need to be thoroughly washed with soap and water.

Container for storing apples

Surely many are interested in the question: “What to store fruits in?” Boxes made of moisture-resistant cardboard or soft wood are best suited. Make sure they are stable and free of dirt particles. Also, they should not have large gaps.

Where to store apples for the winter

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.

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.

AT large rooms fruits are stored on special racks, shelves or in drawers. At the same time, apples are laid in one layer, in rows. In principle, they do not require cushioning material. You can separate all the fruits from each other with cardboard tabs or wrap each fruit separately in paper.

Of course, our cellars are still very far from industrial chambers with computer-controlled humidity and temperature. But if you follow our recommendations, your apples will lie much longer than usual.

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 less experienced gardeners also read us. 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 you need to grab the fruit with your palm, pressing with your 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 amount of fiber contained in the fruit helps to increase intestinal motility, so for chronic constipation, you should eat raw or baked apples 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 - acid.

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 the signs of readiness inside and out. winter apples, which would indicate that the crop is ripe and can be harvested by laying in 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! 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 for winter storage, we recommend that you inspect the fruits a second time. 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.

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 the fruit 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 more green apples, the amount in them beneficial vitamins and minerals will be minimal, and when the state is separated from the tree, the fruit 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 to warm 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.