Harvesting and storing apples

Steve and Val explain the techniques that will enable you to store the most fruit

- Steve and Val

THE first few windfalls of autumn are usually the first indication that apples are close to being ready for picking. The fruit colour is also a useful guide, as even green-skinned varieties, such as ‘Greensleeves’, start to show a yellow tint on the skin as they mature.

Check ripeness

If you really want to be sure that fruits are ripe, cut one in half and look at the colour of the seeds: white seeds mean that the fruit has some way to go, while brown seeds indicate the fruit is ripening and close to ready for picking – and the darker the seeds, the riper the fruit.

Pick carefully

When fruits are ready for picking, grip the fruit firmly, lift it slightly and twist it gently. If it is ready, the fruit should come away from the tree complete with its stalk. Never be tempted to pull the fruit from the tree before it is ready. Doing this can result in the fruiting spurs being damaged, which will reduce the amount of blossom next year and can potentially reduce the crop in future years. It is tempting to do this if you are trying to pick all the fruit at the same time, but fruits do not work like that. Those with the highest seed count tend to ripen first, while those with fewer seeds take slightly longer.

If you wear a ring, it is worth removing it or wearing gloves when picking apples to avoid inadvertently bruising the fruit or scratching the surface of the skins.