In community gardens and private plots, there’s a flurry of activity once again. It’s time to prepare storage spaces and containers for long-term fruit storage, gather the harvest, and put it away, till the soil, fertilize trees and bushes, prepare and plant cuttings of black and red currants for seedlings, dig up old and sick trees, harvest grapes, and more.
Preparing Storage Spaces and Containers for Fruits
Fruits can be stored in a summer cottage, in the basement of a residential building, or in a special cellar. The quality and duration of storage for late autumn and winter varieties of apples and pears largely depend on how well the storage areas are prepared. Primitive fruit storage facilities should first be cleaned of debris and dust, then sealed. Any gaps that rodents could squeeze through should be disinfected with sulfur. The sulfur consumption is about 10-20 grams per cubic meter of space. The sulfur is burned on a metal sheet in a closed room. After a while, the area should be ventilated.
Fruits, root vegetables, and potatoes store well when hay is burned before placing them in storage. While it burns, the door should be kept tightly closed, and any gaps should be sealed with materials that prevent smoke from escaping.
For disinfecting storage areas, a 0.5% solution of copper sulfate or a 0.2-0.3% solution of zineb, or a 4% solution of chloramine can be used. It’s best to whitewash the basements with lime, and if there are signs of mold, add 3-5% copper sulfate to the lime. Adding 0.7-1% chloramine to the lime effectively destroys mold. Boxes and other containers for storing fruits should be washed with a hot 4% solution of soda.
Ten days before use, the boxes should be moved to the storage area to ensure the wood reaches the necessary moisture level; otherwise, the wood will draw moisture from the fruits.
Harvesting and Storing Fruits
Late autumn and winter varieties of apples and pears can be stored for a long time. For this, select first-class fruits based on their external characteristics: healthy, without mechanical damage, with smooth surfaces and intact stems. The quality of the fruits significantly depends on the timing of their harvest.
It’s known that if fruits are picked too early, they lose weight, flavor, and storage potential. If harvested too late, most will fall to the ground, and those remaining on the tree will overripe. Their taste, at best, will be mediocre, and they won’t store well.
To harvest on time, one must monitor the color of the fruits and the seeds inside, as well as their taste. If the harvest coincides with cloudy, humid weather, when there is dew or raindrops on the tree, the fruits will be wet and will spoil quickly when stored. In this case, they should be dried under a shelter before storage.
In basements, it’s best to store fruits in boxes stacked several high. They should be wrapped on all sides with plastic wrap. This technique reduces transpiration (ventilation) of the fruits and contributes to longer storage, as carbon dioxide accumulates under the wrap, slowing the ripening process. The wrap also prevents the fruits from absorbing odors from other products stored in the basement.
When storing early and late varieties of fruits in the same section of the basement, the latter will also ripen quickly. This is because ripe fruits emit a significant amount of various gases, predominantly ethylene, which accelerates the ripening of other fruits. Despite this, to prolong the storage of winter varieties, they should be kept separately.
During storage, do not sort through the fruits to remove spoiled ones. Handling them can damage other fruits and transfer pathogenic spores from spoiled fruits to healthy ones. In storage areas, the temperature should be maintained between 32-39°F (0-4°C), and humidity should be 85-92%. Low temperatures prevent fruits from ripening, while high humidity significantly reduces transpiration. Excess moisture is harmful, so if humidity exceeds 92%, the area should be ventilated.
Temperature in the storage area can be monitored with a thermometer, and humidity with a hygrometer. If humidity is insufficient, place a basin or bucket of water and refill it as it evaporates. In the first weeks, when outdoor temperatures are still relatively high, the storage area should be ventilated frequently. To prepare for a drop in external temperatures, the storage walls should be insulated with insulating material.
The storage life of apples can be extended by placing them in plastic bags that hold 3-4 pounds (1.5-2 kg) and sealing them tightly. However, it is not recommended to store Antonovka apples in these bags. Wrapping each fruit in paper soaked in petroleum jelly also aids in storage.
Storing Apples in the Ground
Experience has shown that apples stored in the ground keep better than those in a basement or garage. For this method, select healthy, undamaged fruits that are free from pests and bruises from winter varieties. Before storage, pack them tightly in a cardboard or wooden box, layering each tier with double sheets of newspaper. The filled boxes are then placed in pits. They should be covered with boards and then buried with soil to a depth of 27-31 inches (70-80 cm). To prevent the soil from freezing, cover it with plant debris.