When to collect apples for storage: summer, autumn and winter varieties. How can you collect apples from a tree
Even a gardener with experience can not always accuratelydetermine when to harvest apples, since there is no single parameter that would determine the optimal degree of maturity of the fetus. Autumn harvest is mainly for storage, but not every apple is suitable for leavening: unripe contains less sugars, it is not tasty, and ripe for a long time does not rot, rot. Therefore, when harvesting these fruits, it is important to choose the right moment for maturity.
When to collect apples: determine the necessary ripeness
Determine the ripeness of the fruit can be by some indicators.
By hardness:
A dent obtained under pressure on an apple disappears, so it's too early to remove the fruit
If the peel bursts with pressure - the crop is overripe
The skin, which bends and does not align, indicates full ripeness of the fetus
By external and taste characteristics. Medium-sized fruits should be easily separated from fruit branches, have a brightly colored peel peculiar to a particular variety, and dark brown seeds. To taste the pulp should be juicy, sweet or sour-sweet, depending on the variety.
Chemically using an iodine solution. In the solution for a few minutes, lower the fruit cut in half:
The blue flesh will indicate the presence of starch, which is very much in green fruits
The blue color along the edge, and to the middle of the yellow indicates a sufficient ripeness of the apple
The presence of yellowish-white pulp signals that the harvest should be immediately cleaned
Experienced gardeners determine the ripeness of apples, suitable for storage, according to the fallow and, as they say, by eye. If large, beautiful fruits began to fall, it's time to harvest.
When you can collect summer, fall and winter varieties
The duration of storage of apples directly depends on the correct determination of their removable maturity. By the time of maturation, these fruits are divided into 3 groups:
Summer varieties begin to clean in August. By this time, the optimal quantity of sugars accumulates in the fruits, however they will be stored for up to a month, not longer. Therefore, some of the crop goes for food, and the rest for processing (cooking jam, juices, compotes);
Collection of autumn varieties falls at the end of August. They are stored relatively longer, 3-4 months, but their flesh becomes unpleasantly loose during storage;
Winter varieties are the most reserved. Collect them begin in the last days of September. With accurate, timely collection and proper storage, they will lie until the spring (February-April) or even before the new harvest. However, some varieties of apples immediately after harvesting are not yet ready for use. They have to lie down for a while, accumulate the optimal amount of sugars. Only after that they become especially tasty. If you try Antonovka, then at first it will seem sour. Only after some time the fruits will acquire their inherent natural flavor and aroma.
How to harvest apples from a tree
Harvest is desirable to collect on a dry and warm day,better in the second half. This is especially true for winter varieties. In the late autumn the air has time to warm up a little, and the fruits dry out. Usually on the southern side of the tree fruits ripen somewhat earlier, so you should start collecting it from it.
Sometimes summer or autumn varieties have to be removed after the rain. In this case, it is necessary to wait a while for the fruit to dry a little on the branch.
Begin to harvest from the lower tierand gradually move towards the top. Damaged or wormy fruit for storage is not suitable. It is not recommended to remove the apple and without the stalk, as this negatively affects the shelf life.
How to store a fresh harvest of apples, read here.
