Store apples and pears
Not all varieties of apples and pears can be stored for long periods
without deteriorating. In general, all eating apples that are ready for
picking before mid September should be eaten fresh. Late-maturing
varieties of apples and pears, on the other hand, can be enjoyed right
through the winter if they are stored in the right way.
- Pick the fruit just under ripe with the stalk still in tact.
- Choose perfect, medium-sized fruits for long-term storage. Eat any that
are damaged and any very large fruits because they are prone to storage
rots. Small fruit are more likely to shrivel in storage.
- Keep different varieties separate because they tend to ripen at
different rates.
- Use the moulded paper or polystyrene trays - used by professional
growers to pack their fruit ? to hold the fruit. Varieties prone to
shrivelling, such as ?Cox?s Orange Pippin?, are better stored in clear
polythene bags punctured with several large holes for ventilation.
- Pack trays in ventilated cardboard boxes.
- Store somewhere frost-free but cool, dark and slightly damp such as a
garage or cellar.
- Check all stored fruit weekly and consume any that show signs of
deteriorations.
Skill rating
moderate