How to Preserve Apples for the Winter at Home: Tips for Storing the Harvest Until Spring

Most gardeners and horticulturists, having harvested a good crop this season, want to enjoy the fruits of their labor for as long as possible. So, they inevitably have to look for various ways to keep the fruit fresh and tasty for a long time. For example, the taste, aroma, and attractive appearance of apples can be preserved by storing them in a cellar or in a room with a similar microclimate. However, these are far from the only ways to preserve the apple harvest.

How to preserve apples for the winter

First of all, you should take care to select apples of the appropriate varieties. Naturally, winter varieties will store much longer and better, and (with certain nuances) they can quite well retain their freshness and in the home cellar, and in the vegetable cellar, and even in refrigerator.

Long-Storage Apple Varieties

If you want to enjoy fresh and delicious fruit even in winter, then you should consider planting and growing winter apple varieties.

Today, there are a wide variety of winter apple varieties. Here are the most popular and hardy:

1. Sinap OrlovskyIf certain storage recommendations are followed, it can last for an average of 250 days.
2. Red Delicious. A fairly strong variety that can be stored for 200–220 days.
3. BogatyrThese apples can be stored for an average of 6–8 months.
4. Reinette SimirenkoOne of the most durable varieties, it will last for 250–270 days.
5. Antaeus. Another good option with a shelf life of 240–260 days.

Storage conditions for apples

If you create certain storage conditions for apples, the chances that they will last until the New Year or even until spring will increase significantly.

Optimal storage conditions:

• temperature indicators – should vary within the range of 0…+4 degrees;
• the room where the fruits are stored should be dry and dark;
• The air humidity level should fluctuate between 85 and 90%.

If the room where you store fruit is too humid, ventilate it periodically to prevent the fruit from rotting.

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Rejection of low-quality apples

Any damage or signs of rot will not increase the shelf life of apples and will lead to spoilage of the entire crop (even if only one diseased fruit is included in the total mass), so before storing the fruit in the basement, you should sort them and remove unsuitable material:

1. First, let the fruit rest for 14 days in a cool place. This will allow even defects that weren't noticeable when picked to become apparent.
2. Next, remove from the total mass all fruits that have any defects (spots, signs of rot, signs of pest presence, mechanical defects, missing stalks, fruits that are too small or have an irregular shape).
3. Don't throw away rejected fruits immediately. Some of them may be suitable for drying, for example. dried fruits (remove damaged parts of apples first).
4. The remaining healthy fruits should be sorted by variety and size and stored in a suitable place.

How to store apples at home

You can keep your apple harvest safe at home if you know the right storage methods to use.

Before the New Year

Regardless of how long you want to keep your harvest intact, there are a few storage rules to follow:

1. Pick fruits carefullyNot all fruits are suitable for storage; only carefully picked ones (even from under the trees), with no signs of rot, defects, damage, or traces of harmful insects, are suitable.
2. Do not wipe apples before harvesting. Natural wax, which robs apples of their glossy shine, acts as a protective barrier for the fruit. It helps it last longer without spoiling. Therefore, wiping or, worse, washing fruit before storing is strictly prohibited!
3. Select suitable boxes. Experience shows that apples are best stored in boxes with holes. You can choose either plastic or wooden containers.
4. Don't lump all the apples together. Avoid piling apples into crates. It's better to arrange the fruit in two (or three) layers. Be careful not to puncture the sides of adjacent apples with the stems. Ideally, all the apples should be stacked with the stems pointing straight up or slightly to the side.
5. Wrap each fruit in paper. This life hack will help protect every piece of fruit from accidental damage and rotting.
6. Create optimal temperature conditions. The most difficult part, of course, is finding a suitable place to store apples. Choose a room where the temperature fluctuates between 1 and 4 degrees Celsius, with humidity levels of 85–90%.
7. You can't store apples together with potatoes and carrots. Many people believe that storing apples next to potatoes and carrots helps them retain their flavor longer. But that's not true! Apples won't tolerate such proximity. The gas they emit will cause the adjacent root vegetables to ripen prematurely, so if the root vegetables suddenly become limp, you know who to blame.
8. Sort through the harvest. No matter how carefully you prepare fruit for storage, the risk of missing a fruit with a microscopic crack or other damage is quite high. Therefore, it's important to periodically inspect the harvest for defects to promptly remove spoiled fruit and save healthy ones from spoilage.

Until spring

For those who want to preserve their apple harvest until spring, the same rules described in the previous section apply. Just remember to initially select winter apple varieties for long-term storage.

Tips for storing apples for the winter at home

The following recommendations will help you keep your apple harvest intact at home.

Preparation

Proper fruit preparation is 50% of success. It's important not only to store them correctly, but also to assemble them correctly in the first place:

1. Fruit harvesting should be done in dry, sunny weather. The fruit is usually ready for picking when an average of 5-6 healthy, ripe apples fall from the trees.
2. Apples must be picked with extreme care to avoid damaging the stem. Hold the fruit in your palm and gently twist it to help it slide off the tree. Pick from the lower branches, gradually working your way up to the top.
3. Don't throw harvested fruit into storage containers! Place them carefully and don't pile them up.
4. Store the harvested crop in a cool place for 14 days.
5. After the fruit has rested, it's time to select those suitable for storage. All apples that show no signs of damage or disease are sent to storage.
6. Don't wipe apples! This will damage the protective natural wax layer and reduce the fruit's shelf life.
7. Next, the apples are sorted by variety and size and put away for further storage.

Optimal conditions

Optimal conditions for preserving the apple crop:

• air temperature – 0…+4 degrees;
• air humidity – 85–90%;
• storage containers – wicker baskets, cardboard or wooden boxes with holes;
• The storage area must be dry and dark.

Storing apples for the winter in an apartment

Keeping apples fresh in an apartment can be challenging, as there aren't many options for storage with suitable temperatures. It's best to choose an insulated balcony or covered loggia, an unheated pantry, or a windowsill with regular ventilation.

There are several tricks you can use to extend the shelf life of apples at home, which we will discuss below.

Method with sprinkling of fillers

This method is also called the apple layering method. Any loose material will do:

• coarse sand;
• wood shavings;
• sawdust from deciduous trees (to avoid the smell of resin);
• peat;
• dry leaves;
• onion peel;
• husk seeds sunflower;
• buckwheat husks.

This material helps isolate fruits from each other and protect them from accidental damage. Storage boxes should be made of plastic, cardboard, or wood.

1. Spread an even layer of sand mixed with ash on the bottom of the storage container.
2. After this, lay out the apples so that their barrels do not touch each other.
3. Fill the voids with the chosen filler.
4. Place the second layer of fruit in the same manner.

Paper

Although apples stored with various loose fillings have a fairly long shelf life, this period can be extended by wrapping each fruit in a napkin or tissue paper.

Each paper-wrapped fruit should be placed in a box so that it is positioned with the stem facing up.

Storage on the balcony in winter

Special insulated boxes are ideal for storing apples on the balcony. In theory, you could make one yourself by lining a cardboard box with foam sheets on the sides and bottom (you'll also need to insulate the lid).

This procedure will help the fruit not to freeze and maintain a sufficient level of coolness inside.

In the refrigerator

Unfortunately, fridge It won't allow you to store a large number of apples for a long time. However, some fruit can fit in there quite well.

First, you should wrap each fruit in paper or distribute the harvest into plastic bags, and then place them in a vegetable storage box.

How to preserve apples in bags for the winter

Place an average of 2 kg of apples in plastic bags, and then transfer the prepared portions to the cellar or refrigerator for further storage.

Place a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol or vinegar in each bag of apples. This will help the apples accumulate carbon dioxide more quickly and ensure a longer shelf life.

Conclusion

You can enjoy delicious and juicy apples picked from your own garden all winter and even into spring if you know how to properly store your harvest. A few simple tips will help you keep your fruit fresh for a long time.