The harvest season is approaching, and every summer resident is tormented by the question of how to preserve the fruits that nature has so generously bestowed on us this year.
As a rule, summer varieties are not left for long-term storage, but their period can be extended by putting the fruits in plastic bags, tying them tightly and placing them in a cool place.
You can use glass three-liter jars. They are filled with fresh apples and rolled up with a metal lid. In this form, apples can be stored for several weeks.
For long-term storage lay only mature removable fruits without mechanical damage and signs of disease. Apples and pears must be picked by hand and with a whole stalk. When removing the apple, cover it with the palm of your hand and press the stalk with your index finger. At the same time, the fetus is slightly turned in the direction opposite to the slope, or slightly twisted.
Apples, stacking for storage, do not wipe, so as not to disturb the protective wax coating on the skin that protects the fruit.
The best temperature for long-term storage of apples is -1 C. At temperatures above +1 C, the storage time is approximately halved. But for Antonovka ordinary, for example, the most favorable temperature is +2 +4C.
How to prepare pears for the winter - useful tips
There is no single point of view on the temperature regime for storing pears: modes from -3 C to +5 C are offered. Most researchers recommend storing pears at the lowest possible temperature, which excludes freezing of tissues. However, there is evidence that at low temperatures, pears lose their ability to ripen. The fruits after such storage remain green, hard, tasteless, flavorless. According to the latest trends, pears should be stored at a temperature of 0 - 1 C.
Humidity is also of great importance. The optimum relative humidity for apples is 85-90%. If it is below 85%, apples lose weight, shrivel, and their taste deteriorates. The fruits of the widespread Welsea variety are particularly sensitive to low air humidity. It must be remembered that increased air humidity has less effect on reducing the quality and duration of storage of fruits than excessive dryness. To maintain the necessary humidity in the cellar (storages), dishes with water are placed, it is possible with snow.
At home, they use ordinary cellars built under a country house or garage. They must be ventilated to change the air. Potatoes, onions, garlic and other products should not be stored together with apples and pears.
Apples and pears retain their qualities best when stored in a thin layer on racks or in Bulgarian boxes. If they are not available, then use large (20-25 kg) boxes. It is enough to put a layer of shavings on the bottom, or you can use dried fresh moss.
Food-grade plastic wrap can also help out the gardener. For the preparation of bags, a gas-permeable film with a thickness of 15-80 microns is needed. Packet capacity may vary. After laying the apples or pears, the bags are hermetically sealed with a heat seal or tied with twine. When using a film that does not pass gases enough, punctures with a needle should be made in the walls of the bags after 14 days. You can store fruits in bags for up to 8-10 months.
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