You might like<\/strong>Why Is My Lemon Tree Losing All Its Leaves<\/span><\/div><\/a><\/div>The best time to harvest apples is when their colors have developed and their flesh is firm yet tender. An apple will be ready for picking when its color has become easily visible and when it pulls away from the branch with minimal effort. As a general rule, apples should be harvested when they reach ¾ of the mature size.<\/p>\n
It is also important to remember that some varieties ripen earlier than others. For instance, Granny Smith apples will be ready for picking sooner than other varieties. It is a good idea to check the harvest date recommendations for the types of apples you are growing.<\/p>\n
When harvesting apples, it is important to use the right techniques. When using ladders, make sure they are stable and be sure to use both hands when picking apples. This will help to ensure that the apples are not damaged or bruised during the process.<\/p>\n
Lastly, make sure to pick apples one by one. Never try to shake the trees or pull branches off to harvest apples as this can damage the tree. Once the apples have been harvested, it is important to clean and store them properly in order to ripen them off the tree.<\/p>\n
Storage<\/h2>\n
When apples are harvested, it is important to store them properly to ensure they ripen correctly and are kept safe from decay or fungal infections. Apples can be stored in a variety of ways, but the most common method is in a basement or root cellar. These locations are normally kept at cool temperatures, not too cold or too hot, which is perfect for long-term apple storage.<\/p>\n
Before storing apples, they should be cleansed of any dirt or debris. This can quickly be done by wiping them with a damp cloth or running them under cold water. Apples should also be inspected for any sign of bruising, soft spots, nicks, or other damage. If an apple has any of these signs, it should be discarded as it will not store as well.<\/p>\n
Once the apples are clean, it is important to keep them in a cool and dry place with good air circulation. Apples can be stored in mesh baskets, cardboard boxes, or paper bags. These will allow for good air flow and will not trap moisture which can cause mold or rot to form. The apples should also be turned every few days to ensure that they are ripening evenly.<\/p>\n
When the apples are two to three weeks away from being eaten, they should be transferred to a warmer location. This will help to further accelerate the ripening process. Apples are ready when their skins are slightly soft and they have a sweet aroma.<\/p>\n
Lastly, once the apples are ripe, they should be refrigerated. Refrigerating them will help them stay fresh and ripe for longer. When stored properly, apples can stay edible and juicy for up to a few weeks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Apples, once they’ve been picked off the tree, will not ripen any further. To ensure they are at the peak of ripeness, they must be … [READ MORE]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5171,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.branchthetree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18863"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.branchthetree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.branchthetree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.branchthetree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.branchthetree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18863"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.branchthetree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18863\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.branchthetree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5171"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.branchthetree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18863"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.branchthetree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18863"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.branchthetree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}