When the harvest was great, we wonder how to keep the apples fresh for the winter. Often the process itself seems easy, but in fact there are many exceptions and rules, the failure to comply with which will lead to the loss of most of the crop. Therefore, it is important to know about the varieties of apples with the best keeping quality, as well as the conditions of storage and processing.
Varieties of apples for long storage
In order for the fruit to remain high-quality and tasty in the cold season, winter varieties are needed. They are stored for four to seven months at 0 ° С (the correlation can be from -4 ° С to + 4 ° С). Autumn varieties retain their taste when stored for up to two months at 0 ° C. 
Among the winter varieties are the following:
- "Golden";
- "Idared";
- "Jonathan";
- "Renet Simirenko";
- "Antonovka".
These varieties are the most popular and well preserved. The harvest from them is collected from September 20 to October 10. Such terms are due to their maturation rate. If you collect earlier, the fruits do not have time to gain sugar content. If later, they will lose their freshness in the shortest possible time. 
Autumn varieties that retain their freshness during storage:
- "Welsey";
- Macintosh is the best autumn variety for winter storage. May persist until April;
- "Spartacus".
Did you know? One way to find out if the apples are ripe or not is to see when the first fruits begin to fall. In September, if the night is windless and there is no precipitation, some apples themselves fall. If they are good looking and not worms, then boldly harvest.
Rejection of substandard apples
Harvesting is best done manually. So less likely that the fruit of the tree will be damaged. But this process is time consuming. If you use a fruit collector, then carefully examine each apple. 
Storing apples at home is an excellent solution, if only because you will get a lot of stocks for the winter. Before you proceed directly to bringing storage in order, you need to cull the fruit.
A fruit that has any dark spots or a damaged surface should not be taken for storage. This is due to the fact that it will deteriorate faster. You can dry them and in the winter get a delicious compote.
Familiarize yourself with the rules for storing crops of corn, onions, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and watermelons.
If the fruit has small holes, then there is already a worm. The fruit can also be cut by removing the damaged part and dried. The wax coating, which is often found in various varieties, is a natural defense against diseases and pests. It should not be removed during preparation for storage.
Rejection is divided into the following stages:
- First inspection and removal of spoiled apples.
- Quarantine - the fruits are in a cool place, in any containers. Lasts two to three weeks.
- Second inspection. After quarantine, defects on “good” fruits may appear.
- Packing apples for storage.
Important! Leave the stalk. So the apple will be stored longer.
Optimum storage conditions
When properly created conditions, apples can be stored until May. All this is influenced by storage capacity, temperature, humidity, time of stacking of the crop, variety, capacity, and much more. Consider in detail some of the features of the wintering of apple fruits at home.
A place
Cellar, storage room and even a balcony suitable for storage. The main thing is to maintain the optimum temperature so that the crop does not freeze or vice versa. The choice of location also depends on the amount of harvest. If you have the amount of fruit in the hundreds of kilograms, it is possible with a separate barn. 
But for the winter, warm it well, and put the container with apples on the pallets so that the fruits do not freeze at the bottom.
Tara
In the form of containers can be used as baskets. and ordinary boxes. There are no exceptions to this question, except that it cannot be stored in iron containers. Otherwise, the rotting of the entire crop cannot be avoided. But do not forget that airing will ensure the safety of the fruit. Therefore, the container should be with holes.
Temperature
At high temperatures, fruits emit large amounts of ethylene. This will lead to the fact that they will deteriorate ahead of time. Therefore, temperatures up to +4 ° C will be optimal. But the cold, too, have a detrimental effect. The minimum storage temperature is - 1 ° C. 
Humidity
Humidity should be high. Relative humidity is 85-95%.
Popular storage methods for fresh apples for the winter
Each summer resident keeps his harvest in his own way, and, of course, it depends on the varieties and possibilities. But there are some basic rules for storage. First, it is the laying of large fruits at the very bottom, or the layout of the containers in size. So they will withstand the weight that will be on top because of the rest of the fruit.
Secondly, it is impossible to store near potatoes. Thirdly, straw is not the best solution as a supplement to the storage location. Because of it, the fruits get a bad taste and smell.
Simple packing in boxes
Simple installation, as a rule, perfectly allows you to save apples until spring. Fruits are laid out in a simple box, which must be pre-covered with newspapers or paper at the bottom. Laying is made as you wish. After all, it depends on the amount of harvest and the size of the fruit.
On the racks
Shelving - the most correct and convenient option. But it is suitable only if your harvest is small, otherwise the racks will take up too much space. After all, they put the apples in one row on each rack. They must be nominated.
Wrapping paper
Each individual apple is wrapped in paper or newspaper. The stem should be on top, that is, the position of the apple is natural, as it grows on the tree. Five to eight rows fit into the container. The storage temperature of apples should be from -1 to + 4 ° C.
Did you know? Paraffin preserves apples. To do this, just pour a small amount of it near the stem.
Overflowing
Boxes and wood chips can also be a fruit storage option. The shavings should be from hardwood. If there is none, then onions peel, dry birch leaves and even moss will do. Each layer of fruit in the box must be powdered, and the fruits will not spoil for a long time. 
In polyethylene
This method has proven itself from the best side. Polyethylene allows the crop to retain its sugar content and juiciness longer due to slower gas exchange. Usually plastic bags are used for such storage. They put no more than 4 kg of apples. Then they make holes so that the fruits still get fresh air and not rot. Temperature condition is maintained in the range from -1 to +4 ° C. 
For convenience, you can use pallets or thick cardboard. Apples are placed there and placed in a plastic bag.
In the ground
Although many are kept in storerooms or cellars, the earth also acts as a place for laying apples. Crop folded in a plastic bag of 6 kg. But all this should be carried out only at an average daily temperature of +7 ° C, so that the earth was already "cooled". The laying pit is dug up to a depth of 50 cm. Ordinary rodents can eat the fruit, so lay the entire crop with spruce branches. And in order to find your apple store in the winter, put a stick. She must peep through the snow. You can hang a colored flag on it. 
Pretreatment of apples before storage
Apples can not be processed before storage. Above it was stated that due to the natural wax coating they are protected from fungal infections, pests and other diseases. But sometimes you can be safe, so we will tell you what apples are processed for long-term storage in the winter-spring period.
Process the fruit with a solution of propolis on alcohol: 15 g of propolis is added to 85 ml of medical alcohol. Before this, propolis is placed in a refrigerator for several hours, then ground in a grater. Such a solution helps not only to preserve apples, but also works as a folk remedy in the fight against influenza. 
Calcium chloride is another option. A solution with a concentration of 2% is poured into any suitable container. There are fruits placed. Leave literally for five seconds. You can dry with a towel. Processed and cloth, which is pre-moistened with glycerin.
Important! Using calcium chloride, do not forget that fruits should be washed with warm water and soap before consumption.
Useful tips from summer residents
Having tried many ways to store apples for the winter, summer residents recommend the following:
- For different varieties - different packaging. This is due to the fact that some apples you can take for juice, and others - for baking. And in order not to get confused, it is better to label these containers with inscriptions or signs.
- Crop neatly, not all in a heap, but in rows, so as not to damage.
- Fetch the fruit during the winter. Rejecting spoiled, you save the freshness of the rest.
Thus, subject to all the above tips and rules, the harvest will lie in the winter for a long time and retain all its taste and appearance qualities. Do not forget that the temperature is the main condition that must be respected. And you can try each way of storing the fruit on separate varieties to see which one will be best for you.
