How to store apples after they are picked?
It depends a lot on the variety. Choose unblemished and undamaged apples. Handle as little as possible and wrap in tissue or newspaper and store in a cool, dark, frost-free place in single layers. If you can get old apple trays from your local supermarket, they are ideal. Check them from time to time and take out any which are developing brown patches with little white spots round – they can be used in cooking after cutting away the rot. Blenheim Oranges and a number of others will store till Christmas and after. Although they are classed as a cooking apple straight from the tree (firm, green with a few red streaks and quite sour), they turn a beautiful golden colour by Christmas, develop sugar and are delicious eating. My dad used to store the best of the bunch in drawers in the spare bedroom (our house had no central heating!) and the faint smell of apples when you went into the room in October or November was glorious! Eating apples need to be colder to keep well. Again, store the l
