Get It Growing: Apples, figs and pears – picking and storage

Master Gardeners give tips with orchard fruit care in the coming weeks.

Care of picked apples

Once picked, handle apples with care. Gently place them into the basket to avoid bruising. Bruised apples spoil more quickly.

Wash apples right before you use them to prevent spoilage (do not wash and then store).

Keep picked apples cool to increase their shelf life. Kept at 34-36 degrees, fresh-picked apples usually will keep for several weeks, but some varieties are better than others.

Avoid freezing. Freezing will rupture the cells of the apple and cause them to spoil.

High humidity keeps the apples from shriveling, but do not get them wet. Placing a wet towel nearby can help.

If you are planning to store the apples over the winter, wrap each fruit individually in paper. Apples and potatoes should be stored separately. The ethylene gas released by potatoes as they age causes the apples to spoil more rapidly.

 

Get It Growing: Apples, figs and pears – picking and storage

Home orchard fruit should be picked at the proper stage of maturation and this may (or may not) be when the fruit is “ripe” or “when it tastes its best.”

For apples, figs and Asian pears, the time to pick is when the fruit is ripe. European pears should be picked before ripe and allowed to ripen off the tree.

The mighty apple

Taste apples to make sure they no longer have a “puckery” astringent quality. The seeds in a ripe apple are black or brown rather than green. Lift the apple and twist slightly.

The fruit should separate easily from the branch and the stem should remain attached to the fruit.

Apples that are to be consumed soon after picking should be fully ripened on the tree; apples to be stored should be picked a week or so before they are at their fully ripe stage. Be patient and check the apples frequently to assess ripeness. Apples picked overly early will never reach their “tastiest best.”

Pear power

Asian pears should be ripened on the tree. If left too long on the tree, Asian pears may develop a “winey” taste. They are ready to eat when they are sweet, crisp and crunchy. When ripe, Asian pears typically change from a greenish color to shades of yellow or orange.

Lift and twist the pear and it should separate easily from the branch.

European pears should be picked before they are ripe and allowed to ripen off the tree. Left too long on the tree, European pears will develop a gritty texture and the area around the core will become mushy and brown. Anjou, Bosc and Comice varieties develop their best flavor when stored for three to four weeks at 32 to 45 degrees.

Wrap the pears in paper to reduce shriveling while in chilled storage.

Fantastic figs

Figs should be left on the tree until ripe. The flesh of the fig becomes very soft and the proper color of the specific variety should have been reached.

The fruit will bend at the neck and hang limply from the branch. If the stem exudes a milky sap when the fruit is picked, the fruit is not yet ripe.

Only a few trees are needed to provide enough fruit for eating fresh, drying, freezing, baking, making jams and jellies, and sharing. A later issue of “Get It Growing” will discuss how you can establish your home orchard.

Judy English is a Washington State University-certified Clallam County Master Gardener.