What's the best way to store apples?

[chickaD]

It's that time of year again, when we pick 4 bu of apples, and then struggle with how to store them.........we've tried everything from in covered boxes on the front porch to in the basement, with varying amounts of success. ( I know to keep them separate from stored potatoes.)

What have you found works the best?

 

[ams3651]

i worked at an orchard for several years, they kept them in a dimly lit cooler room. The average person doesnt have access to something like that but a cool dry dark place is best.

 

[patandchickens]

If you want to keep them longer, I was under the impression that a cool fairly *moist* place was best, so they don't start shrivelling up (or at least not as fast). Which they will do in a typical garage or such.

You want something above freezing (that is, never actually freezing) but below 40 F, if you can manage it. Store them in some way that retards the spread of rot - in a single layer, or in very small airy baskets, or wrapped individually (loosely) in crumpled newspaper, or sumpin' like that, and check them regularly. My m-i-l swears by dipping them in a dilute bleach solution then letting them airdry before storing - her apples keep well, but I don't know how much the bleachy dip does/doesn't contribute.

Oh, and set a few mousetraps

Good luck,

Pat

 

[chickaD]

My m-i-l swears by dipping them in a dilute bleach solution then letting them airdry before storing - her apples keep well, but I don't know how much the bleachy dip does/doesn't contribute.

Thanks! Of course, the tricky part is finding ANY place on the premises that's remotely cool with this kooky heat wave..........it never fails to raise the temp, just coming home with a carful of apples!

Pat, how dilute a solution do you suggest? I'll have to try that, at least with some of them. It would be nice if it acted as a mouse repellent!

 

[ams3651]

If you want to keep them longer, I was under the impression that a cool fairly *moist* place was best, so they don't start shrivelling up (or at least not as fast). Which they will do in a typical garage or such.

You want something above freezing (that is, never actually freezing) but below 40 F, if you can manage it. Store them in some way that retards the spread of rot - in a single layer, or in very small airy baskets, or wrapped individually (loosely) in crumpled newspaper, or sumpin' like that, and check them regularly. My m-i-l swears by dipping them in a dilute bleach solution then letting them airdry before storing - her apples keep well, but I don't know how much the bleachy dip does/doesn't contribute.

Oh, and set a few mousetraps

Good luck,

Pat

i know they kept it around 40 and now that you mention it, it was a little "crisp" like a cool damp fall day.

 

[chickaD]

I can get some nights that are 40 (soon), it's just the balmy days that are a snag!...
I guess the plan for this year is to keep them in boxes/baskets on the covered front porch, open them to the cool night air, and then cover them with old rugs to hold the temp during the day.
Thanks for everyone's input!

 

[blurose]

If I'm not mistaken, the bleach solution, probably 1 T. to 1 gl of water, is more for removal and killing of bacteria and mold spores, thus prolonging the life of said apple. I'm not sure if the bleach solution will kill any fly or other bug eggs that are layed on the surface of the apples. Back years ago, and maybe still in some places, they used to store apples in wooden barrels in the root cellars or other cool dark place. I too have heard that it is best to wrap them individually in newspaper and store them in a single layer. I do know for sure that like any other fruit if they touch together, more of the fruit will go bad on you just from the proximity of them. I definately don't think you should store them in anything airtight as this would trap the gases they give off and rot them faster. It's really late here now and I hope that this post makes sense to somebody else besides me.

 

[chickaD]

That makes perfect sense to me! My, what a use for all those newspapers (wrapping those gazillion apples, that'll be when I'll wind up noticing interesting articles, you just wait! lol)

Doesn't it make you wish for a root cellar? (I guess a leaky basement isn't QUITE the same thing??? :/ )

 

[Cassandra]

I know you meant storing fresh apples, so I'd like to veer slightly off-topic if I may. I mainly wanted to add, don't forget why there's such a thing as canning in the first place. It's so we can keep things to tide us over during the time for the year when the food is not available fresh.

So, I would suggest making apple sauce and apple pie filling and apple jelly with at least some of it. (I'm sure you already thought of this.) Plus dehydrate some.

I'd also like to ask if apples get mealy after you store them a long time? I get mealy ones from the store sometimes and they are nasty. I wonder how they taste if stored properly for a few months. And would this upset the nutrient content, too? I don't know anything about it really, except what I have read, but isn't it supposed to be better to quickly preserve food than to let it stay in storage for a while?

I'm not trying to discount anyone's advice. I am sincerely asking because I don't know. I have some apple trees (too young to produce yet) so I hope I will have need of this information for myself pretty soon!

Cassandra

 

[chickaD]

Cassandra, you must be a mind reader, because that's just what I'd planned to do with a lot of the apples: applesauce, apple butter, dehydrated slices, frozen slices....and store the ones in top condition. They make dandy baked apples: cored, with brown sugar, cinnamon & a dot of butter (oops, this has nothing to do with storage...)

We don't notice ours getting mealy or pulpy, thank goodness, but after months most aren't quite as firm. I'm not sure what the effects on the nutritional value would be...I'm just guessing that if they still taste good, the value is there.