" Apples

Owners of private houses often have small Orchard at the end of the garden. This makes it possible to eat organic fruits all winter, especially apples.

But with the arrival of autumn, questions arise: when to harvest? How to get ripe fruits from the treetops? Are there special devices?

These are the questions you will find answers to in our article.

You can start collecting apples of autumn varieties in September-October. The main thing is to do it before the onset of frost, but no later than a month before the onset of persistent frost.

If it is too late to start harvesting, then you can harm the tree. Namely:

• the frequency of fruiting increases;
• reduces the frost resistance of trees;
• the ability to grow vigorously in spring is reduced.

At the time of picking, 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.

Apples of autumn varieties should not be allowed to ripen. Such fruits are stored worse. The harvested crop will not reach the correct taste and color ahead of time, and will also begin to wrinkle.

Picking ripeness of apples is determined according to several indicators:

• age of the fruit - 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;
• main and outer color of fruits;
• seed color;
• density of fruit pulp;
• starch content.

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

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

If in calm, windless weather there is no a large number of fruits without visible damage or disease - this is also a signal for the start of the harvest.

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

Harvest times for different varieties for storage

Antonovka vulgare

Grows in temperate and humid climates. It is resistant to severe frosts and scab damage. Tall trees with a branched crown.

Antonovka will be pleased with the first apples for 5-8 years. Fruits abundantly every year. Apples are oval-conical, weighing 100-200 grams. The pulp is white, juicy, the peel is yellow-green.

Removable fruit maturity - from late September to early October. Consumer maturity occurs in a month. In the refrigerator, fruits are stored until mid-winter, and in the basement the shelf life is extended until the beginning of spring.

Anise

Known for scarlet anise and gray or striped anise. Winter-hardy fruit tree with a round crown. Tolerates drought well.

The apple tree begins to bear fruit at the age of five. Yield variety, but the fruits are small, ranging from 65-90 grams.

The skin of the fruit is light green with a pink blush, while striped anise has an orange-red blush. The pulp is sweet and sour, dense, white.

Scarlet anise fruits for harvesting ready at the end of August - beginning of September. The shelf life of fruit is 3 months.

Removable ripeness of fruits of the striped anise variety lasts from late September to early October. This variety apples keep well until March.

Jonathan

Medium-sized variety. Prefers moist, fertile soils. The fruits are medium, round in shape, weighing 100-150 g. The skin is greenish-yellow with a blurred dark red blush.

Second ten days of September – optimal time for collection apples for storage. If storage conditions are met, the harvest can last until May.

Bogatyr

The tree reaches 2-3 m in height. Fruiting occurs in 5-6 years. The variety is characterized by early fruiting and high yield.

The apples are light green in color and turn yellow during storage. The fruits are sweet and sour, the flesh is hard and strong.

Harvest can be done at the end of September. At proper storage the fruits can last until May.

Aport

The trees are tall with a wide, rounded crown. Average resistance to low temperatures. The first harvest will appear in 6-7 years. The low yield is compensated by large fruits weighing up to 0.5 kg.

Fruit with weakly defined ribs, narrowed towards the apex. The pulp is juicy, loose and white. It has a sweet and sour taste.

Apple harvest falls in October. At the right conditions The fruits will be stored until March.

Rules for picking apples in the fall for winter storage

Harvesting is carried out only in dry weather. The fruits must be dry. Wet apples succumb to various diseases more quickly.

They begin to remove fruits from the lower branches. Then they continue to pick apples from the middle branches, gradually moving to the top of the tree. This will allow you to harvest without loss.

Don't try to harvest apples in one day. Harvest from the south side first, where the fruits ripen a little faster. After 2-3 days, start harvesting fruits on the north side of the tree.

It is advisable to use soft fabric gloves when harvesting, which will prevent damage to the skin.

When harvesting for storing fruits under no circumstances should you shake the tree. Each apple must be picked carefully along with the stem.

When harvesting, try not to break the branches. This will lead to a decrease in harvest next year. Collected fruits should not be thrown away. They must be carefully placed in pre-prepared containers.

How to harvest apple trees: choosing the right tool

The most in a simple way harvest is manual fruit picking. But this cannot always be done due to the height and spreading nature of the branches.

To avoid damaging tree branches, Climbing a tree is not recommended. It is better to use a stepladder or ladder.

To harvest a crop from a height, you need use special devices. It doesn’t matter what you use to pick apples, the main thing is that this device meets certain criteria:

• hold the fruit firmly;
• reach high;
• do not injure the fruit;
• be convenient to use.

Gardening stores provide a large number of fruit pickers of different shapes and materials. The fruit picker is a container with slots for fixing the fruit and its safe separation from the stalk. Let's introduce some of them.

Tulip device

Made from durable plastic. It has the shape of a glass with rounded petals. A long handle is attached to its lower part.

When harvesting, the fruit should fall into the glass, and its stalk should be placed between the petals. To disconnect the fruit from the branch, all that remains is to twist the fruit collector to one side.

Collet fruit pickers

Made from wire which is located in a plastic tube. At the ends the wire is bent into a circle. A fishing line is threaded through the rings of wire, which controls the mechanism.

The apple is placed in the center of the fruit collector and pulled by the fishing line. As a result, the wire on top is connected and the fruit is trapped. All that remains is to twist the device and tear off the apple.

With grip. Suitable for collecting small fruits that get caught in plastic parts. They look like a three-fingered hand.

Using a lever located on the telescopic handle, the cavities are closed and the apple is inside the device. All that remains is to tear the fruit off the branch.

Fruit collectors with bag. With this device you can remove several fruits at the same time. The bag is attached to a round shape with tin petals that act as a knife. A handle holder is also attached.

All that remains is to cut off the apple that will fall into the bag without being damaged.

Fruit Picking Device

Fruit Picking Device - the latest device for harvesting. It is a long pole that extends 3 m.

Secateurs are attached to its end, the control of which is located at the other end. A stocking net is attached along the length of the pole. After cutting, the apple falls into the net and rolls along it straight into your hands.

Fruit Picking Device - the latest and most convenient device for picking apples

How to make a device for removing fruits from the top with your own hands

Using available materials and tools, you can make your own device for picking apples.

2 liter plastic bottle cut into two halves. You will need part of the bottle with the neck.

A wedge-shaped slit is made at the cutting line, with the help of which the stalk will be separated from the branch. Attach a stick of the required length to the neck of the bottle.

The same two-liter bottle is taken, just don't need to trim it. A long pole is attached to the neck. A circle is cut out in the middle. It should be a couple of centimeters larger in diameter than the apples being removed.

In the cut out circle, a v-shaped cut is made with the sharp part towards the neck. By harvesting using a closed device, the apples are unlikely to fall out and be damaged.

Cut off the bottom of a 2 liter plastic bottle. On the same side, using scissors, we form petals, making two holes in each of them. We thread the fishing line through the neck, then thread it through each hole one by one and bring it out again through the neck.

The result should be a bottle with two ends of the fishing line coming out of the neck. We attach to the neck any holder available on the farm that is hollow in the middle (you can use a mop handle). We pass the fishing line through it.

During harvest you need place the fruit in the center of the bottle and pull the line. At the same time, the edges of the bottle will shrink and prevent the apple from falling out. By turning the handle of the device, the fruit will separate from the branch.

Do-it-yourself fruit picker from plastic bottle and slats:

Summarizing the above, we can come to the conclusion that It is not enough to properly care for apple trees for getting big harvest for storage.

And it is important to take into account the variety of apples, to clearly determine the removable ripeness of apples late varieties , rules for collecting bulk fruits, deciding on a device for harvesting.

Only by combining all this into one whole, you will be able to delight your family with homemade organic apples throughout the winter and spring period.

Apples are recognized as one of the most beneficial foods for human health. It would be great if we could consume them not only in late summer and autumn, but throughout the entire calendar year. Special significance healthy foods acquired during vitamin deficiency in winter and spring. But in order to preserve fruit for such a long period, certain requirements must be met.

When to remove apples for storage?

The freshness of apples is influenced by many factors:

• weather during the ripening period;
• age of fruit trees;
• variety;
• growing conditions;
• harvest time;
• storage conditions.

It is very important to choose the right varieties of apples, and not rely on the fact that any apple will be able to preserve well. If the rules are followed, the fruits are preserved quality characteristics from three to nine months. In this regard, Antonovka vulgaris, Melba, Autumn striped, Wellsie, Izanninitsa, Penin, Mayak, Aurora Crimean, Orange, Bogatyr, and Olimpiyskoe have proven themselves well.

One of the most important requirements is choosing the optimal harvest time. Apples picked on time are not only fully formed, but also more resistant to diseases and can be stored long time. Readiness for harvesting is determined visually.

Picking maturity is determined by the clearly defined color characteristic of each variety and the achievement maximum sizes fruits During this period, the skin of the fruit and the pulp become less dense, the aroma and taste intensify. Apples can be removed from the branches without any difficulty. The first fallen apples are a signal of full ripening of the crop.

Collect starting from the lower branches, gradually moving to the upper ones. Fruit must be picked in stable, dry weather. At the same time, the stalk is not removed and the natural wax coating is not erased. The picked fruits are not thrown away, but carefully placed in containers prepared for this purpose. Picked apples should not be kept in the open sun; they should be placed in a cool place.

Falling apples are already overripe and are unsuitable for long-term storage. They should be consumed fresh as soon as possible or dried or subjected to any preservation methods.

Place and conditions

To preserve fruits at home, cold storage rooms, cellars, attics or basements are used.

The room in which you plan to store the fruits should be prepared. It is important that the room has perfect cleanliness: It is recommended to disinfect and whitewash the walls in the cellar or basement. Shelves, drawers, containers, pallets must be thoroughly washed and dried before placing fruit in them. There should be no foreign odors in the storage, as apples absorb foreign odors. To the point that the storage of apples and pears should ideally be isolated from each other.

The room is ventilated for several days in advance. According to GOST there should be optimal temperature within the range from -1 to +4 degrees with relative air humidity up to 95%. High level humidity in storage prevents intense evaporation of moisture from fruits.

If there are only a few apples, you can store them in the refrigerator at home. There they will remain fresh for a long time. Before putting them in the refrigerator, fruits should not be washed, this will protect them from mold. To protect apples from premature spoilage, healthy fruits should not be stored together with damaged ones. It is necessary to place fruits away from other foods so that they do not absorb odors.

It is best to package them in 1-5 kg ​​bags in cling film, making sure to make holes in each resulting bag so that the apples can breathe. If it is necessary to ripen unripe apples as quickly as possible, they are placed in a paper bag. One package should contain apples of only one variety and ripening period.

For farms specializing in growing fruit crops, or for large farms, it is ideal to use reefer containers (refrigerated containers) for storing fruits. Such equipment not only maintains the required temperature and humidity. Such containers ensure gentle transportation even over very long distances.

Technology and other subtleties

For long-term storage, clean, blemish-free, medium-sized fruits with a rich color are selected. It should be noted that larger fruits ripen faster: they can be stored for no more than one to two months. When putting it into containers, this should be taken into account and the fruits should be packaged, distributing them by size.

In preparation for laying, it is necessary to carry out treatment to prevent the occurrence of rot and mold. For this purpose, use aqueous solutions of iodinol or salicylic acid, keeping apples in them for some time. A protective film for fruit can be made using glycerin. A cloth napkin is soaked in this product and the apples are wiped with it.

Effective treatment of fruits with a composition that includes the following ingredients:

• water (35%);
• crystalline iodine (2.5%);
• potassium iodide (7%);
• starch (53%);
• baking soda (2%).

Apples are immersed in this mixture for one to two minutes and then dried. This composition forms the finest protective film, which completely covers the fruit.

To keep the fruits until spring, they can be processed and chemicals. The most popular in our time is sodium pyrosulfate, which, thanks to the emitted sulfur dioxide, protects fruits from spoilage.

In winter, it is advisable to keep fruits in medium-sized wooden boxes or cardboard boxes. The gaps between the slats of wooden boxes should be minimal. It would be correct to rearrange the fruit various materials. Dry shavings are used for this purpose. deciduous trees, oak leaves or dried moss. Modern technologies For this purpose, they offer cling film or special packaging wrapping for products. Fruits with particularly thin and delicate peels can be wrapped in paper napkins, which are pre-soaked in Vaseline.

Under no circumstances should apples be covered with straw, since when the apples begin to spoil, the straw itself will become moldy and give the apples an unpleasant taste.

It is possible to place apples on shelves or racks in 2 layers. In this case, the layers are covered with matting, dry peat chips, sawdust or wood leaves.

For long-term storage, dug holes are also used. Their approximate depth is 50 cm. In severe cold climates, the hole should be made deeper. The apples are placed in plastic bags and carefully tied, then placed in a hole. To protect the fruits from rodents, the pit and bags are lined with spruce paws or juniper branches, after which the pit is buried.

To preserve the pure apple flavor, apples should not be kept near vegetables.

For the first 10-20 days, the storage should be ventilated to prevent accumulation of carbon dioxide, secreted by fruits. The apples are periodically inspected, sorting out spoiled specimens.

Before consumption, apples are brought to a warmer place and the ambient temperature is slowly increased. It will keep beautiful appearance apples

Common problems

Most often the following happens:

• the fruits of many varieties of apple trees are exposed to various diseases during long-term storage;
• in case of non-compliance temperature regime and storage at high temperatures apples develop bitter pitting;
• high humidity in storage, too late harvesting can cause metabolic disorders and lead to browning of the pulp;
• During long-term storage, internal decay occurs, intercellular connections are disrupted, and the apples become lethargic and loose.

One of the common causes of these and other diseases is a lack of calcium in fruits. This can be prevented by treating in advance fruit trees aqueous solution of calcium chloride.

Before storing for storage, it is possible to treat the fruits themselves with the solution. To do this, the fruit is immersed in a solution (10 liters of water and 400 g of calcium chloride) for 1 minute and dried thoroughly.

Apples all year round in our diet - this is quite possible if all the proposed recommendations are correctly followed.

To learn how to store apples for the winter, watch the video below.

A rich harvest of apples will delight any gardener. But at the same time, with joy, the question arises: how can all this wealth be kept fresh until spring? Which varieties are best stored, how to determine their degree of ripeness, what methods of laying apples exist - read about all this in our article.

Every gardener knows that growing a crop is only half the battle; you also need to be able to preserve it. Experienced gardeners the wisdom of “apple longevity” has been mastered for a long time, they have been experimentally developed to the maximum effective ways storing apples to preserve their benefits, aroma and freshness.

Choice the right varieties, harvesting according to all the rules, proper sorting, stacking, optimal temperature and humidity - these are the main components of long-term storage.

Choosing the right varieties

Will apples be stored for a long time without deteriorating? taste qualities, depends on their variety. Varieties have such a concept as keeping quality, that is, the ability to retain nutritional and nutritional properties for a certain, fairly long time.

Late (winter) varieties of apples, which are harvested starting in mid-October, are characterized by excellent keeping quality. Today the most famous and popular are the following winter varieties:

1. Aurora- variety resistant to low temperatures and fungal diseases. The fruits are large, round in shape with a diffuse, wide blush, and are distinguished by their pronounced aroma and juiciness. Harvesting begins in early October. This variety keeps well until spring, even in the refrigerator.
2. Jonathan- one of the most famous winter varieties. The fruits are small and different pleasant aroma and wine-sweet taste, subject to optimal conditions storage does not lose nutritional quality until mid-May.
3. Golden Delicious- American variety, medium-sized fruits, golden in color, juicy, valued for their excellent taste and aroma. Apples of this variety ripen by the end of September and are stored well until mid-April.
4. Calville snowy- Ukrainian variety of folk selection. The fruits are medium-sized, greenish-white. It stores well in the basement, without losing its taste and aroma until mid-April.
5. Renet Simirenko- the most common late variety Russian selection. The fruits are large, round in shape, have a pronounced aroma and sweet and sour taste. Apples of this variety are favorable conditions can be stored until summer.
6. King David- American late variety, characterized by high yield. The medium-sized fruits have a flat-round shape, a dark red blush covers almost their entire surface. This apple variety has a spicy aroma, juiciness and excellent taste.

It is very difficult to describe all the variety of varieties in one article. You can find out more information by consulting with specialists involved in growing apples in your region.

How to properly harvest

You should carefully prepare for picking apples: select tools, clean containers and storage, plan the order of work. IN in this case It is very important to determine whether the apples are ripe - under-ripe and over-ripe ones will not lie.

Defining maturity

You can determine when it’s time to remove apples from the branch visually, by looking at the carrion. If among the fallen fruits tasty large apples with characteristic varietal characteristics have already appeared, then the rest are ready for picking.

Ideal maturity can also be determined by the following criteria:

• press on the apple, if the dent disappears, the harvest is not yet ripe;
• if the peel bursts when pressed, the apples are considered overripe and are not suitable for storage;
• Ideal full maturity is indicated by non-leveling, sagging skin.

Maturity can be determined “scientifically”, in a special way chemically. To do this, dissolve 4 grams of potassium iodide and 1 gram of iodine in a liter of distilled water. The apple is cut in half and dipped into the solution. Maturity in this case is defined as follows:

• if after two minutes the edges and middle of the apple turn blue, it means there is a lot of starch in it, which indicates immaturity;
• if blue is observed at the edges and yellow towards the middle, the maturity is ideal;
• presence only yellow color- The apple is overripe.

Experienced gardeners believe that it is better for the apples to be unripe than to be overripe and begin to rot.

Correctly picking apples from trees

For harvest winter apples You should choose a warm, clear, dry day. It is better to do this in the afternoon, when the air is warm enough and the fruits are perfectly dry.

The fruits are picked very carefully so as not to damage them. Take the apple with all fingers, pressing the stalk with the index finger where it is attached to the fruit branch, and slightly lift the fruit up. Do not unscrew, break off or pull the apple down. In fruits intended for long-term storage, it is under no circumstances necessary to tear off the stem; this significantly reduces the keeping quality of the crop.

When harvesting winter apples, you should not wipe off the matte film, the so-called natural waxy coating, from them. Picked apples should not be thrown away; they must be carefully placed in a container prepared in advance.

Sorting apples

Immediately after harvesting, it should be kept in a cool room for 15-20 days, after which it should be sorted - during this time all signs of possible defects will appear. After this, it is necessary to sort through the apples, selecting for storage fruits with stalks without wormholes or mechanical damage.

Apples different varieties It is recommended to store them in different containers; you should also sort them by size - small, medium and large. After this, the crop is stored for storage using one or more of the methods listed below.

Storing apples

It is better to allocate a separate pantry or cellar for apples. The fact is that these fruits emit a lot of ethylene during storage - a gas that promotes the rapid ripening of other vegetables. An increased ethylene content in the cellar causes root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beets, celery) to sprout rapidly and spoil faster. Therefore, it is strictly not recommended to store apples together with these vegetables.

Before planting apples, the room should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. The walls are whitened with a solution of freshly slaked lime and copper sulfate in proportion: 10 liters of water, 150 g of vitriol, 1.5 kg of lime. The floors are sprayed with a solution of iron sulfate (450-500 g) per 10 liters of water.

Late apples, depending on the variety and temperature and humidity indicators, can retain their nutritional value for 4-7 months. Ideal conditions for storage in this case the following are considered: air temperature from 0 to +3...4 degrees, relative humidity at 85-90%. If the humidity is lower, the apples will wilt quickly.

For winter storage Any container is suitable, the main requirements for which are cleanliness and strength. These can be wicker baskets, wooden, cardboard or plastic boxes, which should be thoroughly cleaned before use.

You can store apples in winter in various ways.

Easy installation

The apples are laid with the stalks up in one, two or three layers, without shifting anything. You can stack a lot of apples in this way, but this method is considered the most “short-lived”; the stacks should be checked regularly to prevent possible areas of rotting from spreading.

Wrapping in paper

Each individual apple is wrapped in paper napkins or plain white paper and placed in a prepared container with the stems facing up. If all the fruits are healthy, then apples can be stored in this way for quite a long time.

Interlayering (overspilling)

Most the best way winter storage. The best material in this case there will be well washed and dried sand with the addition of ash in a ratio of 1:10. Sand and ash are poured onto the bottom of the prepared container in a layer of 3-4 centimeters, then the apples are laid out so that they do not touch each other. Cover it with sand again. This way you can lay 3-4 layers.

Instead of sand and ash, you can use other materials: sawdust, leaves or shavings of trees (not conifers), onion peels, sunflower husks, peat or moss.

Storage in the ground

If on personal plot There is no cellar; the apple harvest can be stored in the ground. To do this, dig a trench 50-60 cm deep and 30-40 cm wide in advance. The bottom of the trench is covered with coniferous spruce branches or juniper branches - this will protect the planting from rodents. Apples are packed in plastic bags of 4-5 kg ​​each and placed on the bottom, then covered with earth on top. To protect against severe frosts, you can sprinkle dry leaves on top.

Treatment with carbon dioxide or ultraviolet light

The apple harvest is perfectly stored in the cellar in plastic bags, into which carbon dioxide is pumped through a small hole using a siphon to carbonate water. The hole is then quickly sealed.

Some summer residents treat apples laid in one layer with a bactericidal ultraviolet lamp for 30-40 minutes. The lamp is hung at a distance of 1.5 meters, the apples are turned over once for uniform processing. This method allows you to destroy most harmful fungi and bacteria that cause the development of rot.

By storing your apple harvest, you can enjoy the fragrant apples all winter long. healthy fruit and be sure that your body will not be harmed by the chemicals that are often present in fruits sold in supermarkets in winter.

Harvesting is a seemingly very simple matter, but some obvious points can puzzle the gardener. For example, is everyone able to answer the question of when to harvest apples of each variety? Alternatively, everyone is sure that the fruits should be picked when they are fully ripe and this is correct. How to determine the day and month of harvesting a full harvest, what to focus on?

Varietal characteristics of maturity.

Before you start cleaning, you need to understand the process itself. For example, the time when to harvest apples early varieties, is almost unlimited, except by the understanding that overripe fruits are, at best, not so tasty, and at worst, they will quickly rot. You will have to work with the middle and late ones.

Early varieties– take at least “Melba”, the well-known “Papirovka” and “White filling”, plus the original “Anise”, “Candy” and many other summer ones. The time for their harvesting is determined by the end of June - beginning of August. At the same time, all harvested goes only to food or processing. In principle, there can be no discussion about any time limits for storing apples for long-term storage; they are not stored. It is possible to leave it for a couple of weeks, but again only for use in the near future.

Autumn varieties- require somewhat greater responsibility, since the question of when to put apples into storage has to be resolved to some extent. To some extent, because the fruits that ripen with the arrival of autumn are suitable both for storing for the winter and for eating. If anyone knows the varieties “Glory to the Winners”, “Streifling”, the same “Mackintosh” and “Orlovskoye Polosatoe” - they are all just so “universal”. True, in addition to versatility, autumn apples also have a drawback - a short shelf life. In the most proper storage, they do not deteriorate for 2, maximum 3 months.

Winter varieties – the most famous are “Antonovka” and “Simirenko”, the same “Jonathan” and “Aport”, popular among gardeners are “Winter Lungwort” and “Antey”. Suitable only for consumption after a certain time. They are not suitable for food right now, and therefore you need to know for sure the timing of when to harvest apples of late varieties. The fruits are picked well, do not rot or rot little, if the autumn is warm - until October 15, if the autumn is cold - before a significant cooling. The day of harvesting should be dry and warm, as warm as it can be in the fall. At the same time, “Idared”, “Minskoye”, as well as “Zaslavskoye” and “Boyken” are allowed to be filmed even when it gets very cold, but before frost.

External signs of maturity.

It would seem that if the time when to harvest apples is already known, why know what they will look like. Not rotten, not broken - that means everything is fine. As for late varieties, this approach to determining the start of harvesting work is quite suitable. In any case, the fruits must lie down, and therefore they all look the same - as if unripe. The situation is different with autumn varieties, especially with early varieties. If you want to eat not only “officially” ripe apples, but also delicious ones, it is advisable not to forget about traditional methods determination of ripeness. So, when is it possible to harvest apples, and what to pay attention to.

1. The first sign of general maturation that has begun is the presence of unspoiled carrion.


2. Apples of autumn and early varieties must have their own varietal coloring. That is, since ripe fruits are ready to eat right now, they should all be yellow, red, white, yellow-red, but not green. The exception is apples of late varieties; they are harvested based only on the month and weather.


3. Fully ripe fruits are easily removed and do not break off, causing branches to break.


4. The seeds have turned brown.


5. One more check. If you press down on an apple with your finger, a noticeable dent will remain on a ripe apple; on one that has not yet been pressed, the peel will appear; on a green one, even if a dimple appears, it will be very small.

In addition to all this, without pressure and determination by color, the day when to harvest apples can be found out in a home “laboratory”. You will need a solution:

• water -1 l;


• iodine - 1 g;


• potassium iodide -1 g.

Several cut fruits are thrown into the solution. If after a minute all the flesh turns blue, it is too early to pick the apples. If the blue color appears only near the peel, it is time to harvest.

To what extent this or that method of determining deadlines is the best can be verified in practice. In the garden, and almost everyone does this, the time when to harvest apples is determined in a “human” way. That is, a couple of fruits were picked, bitten, tasted, and then depending on the circumstances. This may not be entirely scientific, but as an option it is quite suitable.

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

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

Information. IN industrial cultivation For fruits, it is the winter varieties of apple trees that occupy a large area of ​​​​orchards.

Most popular types

• Bogatyr– large heavy fruits of light green color. The pulp is sweet and sour. Ripeness occurs by the end of December. You need to pick apples in October, when the fruits can already gain juice before the first frost.
• Aport– large red apples with glossy skin and crumbly pulp. The taste is sweet and sour, used fresh or used for juices, marmalade, jam. The harvest is 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. Fruit is harvested in September. Without processing, they are stored for three months.
• 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 rent for storage?

Winter apples are harvested in mid-autumn; it is important to finish the work before persistent 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 arrives.

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

The timing of crop ripening is influenced by weather conditions. In hot summers, the fruits ripen earlier; in the cold season, ripeness is delayed for several weeks. Besides the calendar Experts determine the time to pick apples for storage based on several criteria:

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

Gardeners just need to know the basic rules of when to remove apples for storage so as not to miss optimal time collection:

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

Advice. When in calm weather there are several good fruits, this is a signal that it’s time to pick the fruit for storage.

How to find out exactly the timing of harvesting apples for storage:

How to pick fruit?

Fruit harvesting 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 harvesting.
2. Choose dry weather for work. It is better to start by lunchtime, when the dew has dried. The fruits must be dry; humidity promotes the spread of diseases.
3. First of all, apples are picked from the lower branches, gradually moving to the top.
4. Fruits should not be pulled, as this will damage the branches. They are taken in the hand and rotated, lifting them up. 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 containers carefully, trying not to damage the peel and the waxy coating on it.
6. First, apples are picked from the south side of the tree, where they ripen earlier.

Attention. You should not shake the tree to get fruits that are on high branches.

If the fruits are damaged by falling, they cannot be stored. Such apples will quickly rot themselves and spoil the nearest fruits.

Apples are picked from high branches using a stepladder or special devices - fruit pickers. This is a purchased or homemade plastic structure with cutouts along the edges. It is attached to a long stick and allows you to carefully remove the fruits. Wormy, damaged fruits and carrion are immediately rejected for processing.

How to properly pick apples for storage:

Preparing to store for the winter

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

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

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

Advice. The optimal container for storing apples is wooden boxes. Before planting the fruits, they must be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate and dried.

How to store and pack?

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 between 85–90%. In a dry microclimate, fruits quickly wither and wrinkle.

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

There are several ways to stack apples:

The 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 emit ethylene, which is harmful to food.

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

Tree care after harvest

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

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

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