Apples are by far the most popular fruit in Germany. As a true vitamin bomb, they are an ideal snack that is available all year round and fits wonderfully in a school bag or handbag. But how can the apples harvested in late summer and autumn be stored for as long as possible and at the same time remain nice and crunchy?

Some apple varieties can be stored well in the cellar

Table of Contents

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  1. Which varieties are good for cellaring?
  2. Apples and pears should not be mixed
  3. Apples are vitamin-rich chilblains
  4. Only store cool apples
  5. Store apples correctly: This is how you have to proceed
  6. Can apples go in the fridge?
  7. Freeze apples, is that possible?
  8. Apples, the ideal dried fruit

    9. Which varieties are good for cellaring?

    In the old days, apples that were properly stored and kept fresh throughout the winter were appropriately called storage apples. This term is hardly ever used anymore and if you ask for suitable varieties when buying an apple tree, many tree nurseries no longer know what to do with it. You can recognize good storage apples by the harvest time: The earlier an apple variety is ripe, the faster you should use up the fruit.

    You can store these varieties very well:

    • Red boskoop
    • Pilot T
    • Jonagold
    • Idared
    • Golden Delicius
    • Gloster
    • boskoop
    • rubinets
    • topaz

    Apples and pears should not be mixed

    That's an old saying. This is because apples, like tomatoes, should be kept separate from the rest of the fruit and veg. They release ethylene, a plant hormone that initiates a natural ripening process and causes vegetables and fruit to spoil more quickly.

    Apples are vitamin-rich chilblains

    Apples are considered a bit tricky when it comes to the right storage temperature. They love it very cool, but frost-free. The optimum temperatures for storing apples are between one and three degrees.

    If you want to store the apples properly, an old vaulted cellar, if possible with a clay floor, would be ideal. Unfortunately, this has become rather rare today. But an unheated basement room with relatively high humidity is also suitable. The summer house (€24.90) is an alternative, provided the temperature does not fall below freezing in the cold season.

    Only store cool apples

    Warm, sunny autumn days invite you to harvest fruit. However, you should not bring sun-warmed fruit directly to winter storage. In order to have a long shelf life, the fruit must be allowed to cool.

    Store apples correctly: This is how you have to proceed

    There are several things to consider here so that the fruit does not rot and spoil prematurely:

    • Check the fruit carefully for any damage before storing it, only perfect fruit goes into winter storage.
    • Make sure the apples don't touch each other on the sides.
    • Space apples in fruit crates or on shelves to allow air to circulate.
    • Boards and fruit crates must be absolutely clean and dry.
    • Store by type, so don't put Boskop next to Jonagold or Idared.
    • Make sure there is sufficient humidity and darken the room.
    • Check the fruit regularly for damage.

    Can apples go in the fridge?

    Due to the temperatures alone, the fridge is not the best place to store apples. However, if you have no other option, you can keep the fruit in the vegetable compartment for a short time. But make sure that the apples are kept separate from the fruit and vegetables. Wrap the fruit in a damp tea towel to keep it crunchy.

    Freeze apples, is that possible?

    Apples contain a lot of water, which forms small ice crystals when they freeze. Since these take up more space than the liquid, the cell structure bursts. This changes the consistency and the fruit loses a lot of its taste. If you only have the option of freezing, you should therefore process the apples into applesauce beforehand.

    Apples, the ideal dried fruit

    You can easily make dried apple rings yourself and in this way make the fruit durable for a long time. To do this, proceed as follows:

    • Remove the apple core and skin if desired and cut the apples into fine rings.
    • Infuse in a mixture of sugar, lemon juice and water for five minutes.
    • Place slices side by side on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
    • Alternatively, you can use a dehydrator.
    • Leave to dry in a preheated oven at 75 degrees for about two hours.
    • A little cinnamon sprinkled over the dried rings enhances the aroma.
    • Packed airtight, the apple rings will keep for at least a month.

    tips

    If you don't know what to do with all the apples from a large harvest, you can process excess fruit into delicious apple juice. You can easily produce smaller amounts of juice in your own kitchen, larger amounts can be juiced in a cider factory.

    The garden journal freshness ABC

    How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

    The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

    • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

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Trees