Harvesting and storing apples correctly: helpful tips

When are the apples ripe on the tree and how can you enjoy them for as long as possible? Important questions to which you will find an answer here.

From harvesting your own apple tree (Malus domestica) one would like to consume as long as possible. But not all apples are ripe at the same time. Some are early and ripe as early as August, others are hardly edible before December. In addition, a distinction must be made between the so-called ripeness for picking and ripeness for consumption. The harvest period for apples can therefore not be generalized. However, there are a few characteristics that can be used to tell whether an apple is ready to be picked or whether it should be left on the tree. If the apple is harvested at the right time, the conditions for optimal storage are very good, depending on the variety.

Harvesting apples: when is harvest time?

The right time to harvest the apples is not the same for every variety. Early varieties can be harvested as early as the beginning of August, late ones until the end of October, and some are even only ready for consumption in December. Thus, with careful selection of the varieties, the possible harvest period of different apple trees in the garden can be extended up to three months if early and late varieties are combined in the garden will. Depending on the variety, you may have to compromise on taste, but apples from your own garden can be enjoyed over a long period of time.

Find out more in our Apple variety overviewwhich apple variety is to be harvested early or late and which taste suits you.

Harvesting apples: when are the apples ripe?

A distinction is made between two states of ripeness for apples: when they are ready to be picked and when they are ready to eat. The so-called summer apples can be eaten straight from the tree - they are "ripe to eat". In the case of some late-ripening varieties, one speaks of picking maturity when they have to be stored for a few weeks after picking in order to achieve their full aroma and ripeness for consumption.

The apples on a tree do not all ripen at the same time. This is a clear plus in view of the longer harvest period. However, when it comes to distinguishing ripe from unripe apples when picking, the delayed ripening can pose a problem. In general, one can be guided by the fact that the fruit on the side away from the sun usually ripens more slowly than those on the sunny south side of the tree. To see if the apple is really ripe, tilt it slightly or turn it carefully. If the apple can then be easily detached, it is ripe.

Picking by hand is particularly necessary if the apples are to be used as table fruit. A picking aid can be very practical in order to reach the apples more easily at higher altitudes and to harvest them from the tree without damaging them. On the other hand, if the apples are to be used to make apple sauce, apple cider or apple juice, you can use apples that have already fallen down, on the other hand, you can easily shake the apples on the tree to harvest.

The following factors should be considered when harvesting apples:

• Is it an early, medium or late ripening variety?
• Is the apple ready to be eaten or ready to be picked?
• Apples are ripe when they can be easily removed from the tree by tilting them slightly and without great effort
• Picking table fruit selectively by hand
• Apples for juice or applesauce can be shaken from the tree quickly and conveniently

Storing apples: helpful tips and tricks

The entire apple harvest should not necessarily be processed immediately, let alone eaten. It is therefore practical if the apples can be stored well. The selection of an apple variety that can be stored well is an essential criterion for a long storage period and the associated extension of the enjoyment period. However, there are a few things to consider so that the apples are stored optimally and therefore successfully.

Storing apples: keeping apples fresh for longer

Optimal storage begins with the harvest: make sure that the apples do not get any bruises. The fabric quickly becomes muddy at pressure points and begins to rot much earlier. Therefore, fallen fruit is not suitable for storage. Similarly, apples with a worm bite should not find their way into storage. The unwelcome critters cause premature death and also wander from one apple to another.

To store, place the apples in a box, preferably lined with newspaper, and in just one layer. You should avoid stacking the apples, as this can also cause unwanted pressure points. If you do not wash off or polish, the natural wax layer will be preserved. It improves the shelf life of the apple, because it reduces the apple's gas exchange and thus its respiration. This results in reduced production of gases such as ethylene, which accelerate fruit ripening.

Put the apple crates in a cool and dark place. The apples must be protected from temperature fluctuations and sub-zero temperatures. Check the stored apples regularly and remove bad specimens. Varieties that are particularly suitable for storage are, for example,Cox Orange', 'Jonagold' or 'Red Boskoop'. Early varieties, like 'Alcmene' and 'Gravensteiner', on the other hand, do not store well.

Storing apples correctly summarized:

• Cool and dark place
• Protected against sub-zero temperatures and temperature fluctuations
• Checking the stored apples: Never store apples with rotten spots, worm holes or dents
• Check stored apples regularly

Process apples and extend shelf life

Don't just throw away the apples that aren't suitable for storage. Damaged, worm-infested or undersized specimens can be processed into juice, jelly or mush, for example. Even fallen fruit can still be used, as long as it is not rotten, despite the bruises. The apples can also be used directly, for example in the form of a delicious apple pie.

tip: at many cider shops you can hand in your apples and exchange them directly for juice. Especially in years with a less plentiful harvest, apples are in high demand in cider factories.

tip: If you want to optimally supply your apple tree with nutrients and thus ensure a rich harvest, you can use our Plantura organic soil activator insert. This ensures active soil life and makes it easier for the apple tree to absorb nutrients.