We’re fortunate to have 2 mature apple trees in our backyard. One gives us Granny Smith apples while the other one McIntosh. Every year when fall rolls around I have to get creative on how I store freshly picked apples for long term use. I’m talking for several weeks to a few months of storage time. This helps me preserve our harvest and gives us fresh apples through half of the winter season.
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When selecting apples for long term storage you always want to start by using freshly picked or ones that you purchased from a local orchard or farmer’s market. Don’t use varieties pick up at the local grocery store which have been sitting around for weeks.
Sort all of the apples. Remove any that are damaged or getting soft. DO NOT WASH THEM before storing them!!! Wrap each apple in brown paper wrap, a paper bag or butcher’s brown or pink paper. Some people use newspaper, but I don’t recommend it. Newspaper has ink and chemicals which I don’t want touching my apples! Each one should be wrapped separately.
Place all the wrapped apples in a cardboard box or basket. Be careful when handling them. You don’t want to be banging them around causing bruising. You want to store the box or basket in a cool, dry and dark place. I keep them downstair in our basement in a pantry closet.
When you’re ready for a few apples take the top ones first. Unwrap them and place them into your refrigerator (so they’ll keep for a few days) or wash and eat them right away.
I’ve been successfully able to store our apples for up to 3 months by storing them this way.
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