Store apples longer
Why deprive yourself of one of life’s crunchiest pleasures? Bob explains how you can preserve your apple stash
IF you’ve got some keeping apples you wish to store, there are a few simple ways you can get these to last longer. First, pick as late in the year as you can: the longer they hang on the trees, the better. However, once they start to drop, they need picking as soon as possible – and likewise if birds or other pests start robbing too many.
Ideally, you need to pick on a dry day as wet fruits seldom keep. Handle each one carefully, and ensure the little stalk (pedicel) remains attached because if this breaks off, rot will get in where it joined. Don’t even think about storing any fruits with holes, bruises or rots – and it’s pretty foolish to pick up windfalls, no matter how good they look.
Don’t store the fruits straightaway but instead leave them exposed in a dry, cool place for a few days to lose some moisture. Then lay them on shredded paper or straw (never hay) in trays, no more than a couple of layers deep.
The best place to keep apples is a room, garage or shed that’s not too dry. It also needs to be cool with a constant temperature, and pest-proof; it is common for rodents to come inside in autumn, so a store full of fruit will probably encourage them.
It’s not good to store long-storing fruits near others with shorter lives, as these may ‘encourage’ the keepers to go over. Avoid strong smells, onions and paint, as these can also taint.
Some find just stacking the crop in perforated plastic bags works for them. Others adapt old chests of drawers, but I find dead refrigerators and freezers are even better. Strip away some of the door or lid seal to allow a little ventilation, and these will give your harvest near-perfect storage conditions.
“Don’t even think about fruit with holes or bruises”