Seasonal produce
How to store apples for winter
Apples keep longest cold and humid. Extension guides put the ideal just above freezing with high humidity, and a plastic bag with a few holes gets a home refrigerator closer to that. Variety matters as much as method: some apples keep a few weeks, others for months.
The short answer
Purdue Extension: store apples at 30 to 32 degrees F with about 90 percent relative humidity and some air circulation. University of Wisconsin Extension gives a slightly wider range, 32 to 38 degrees F with high humidity. Clemson Extension puts the optimum at or just above 32 degrees F. Do not go colder: Purdue says apples freeze between 27.8 and 29.4 degrees F, and frozen fruit breaks down quickly. Not every apple likes it that cold: Oregon State Extension notes Honeycrisp and McIntosh are prone to chilling injury and recommends storing them at 38 degrees F.
In the refrigerator
UC ANR says apples keep best in the refrigerator, in the crisper drawer or in an unsealed plastic bag. Purdue notes that refrigerator humidity is quite low, especially in frost-free models, so put apples in plastic bags with some holes for air. Clemson suggests the same for the crisper: a plastic bag with a few holes. A few days in a bowl on the table is fine, but UC ANR says more time at room temperature leads to shriveling and loss of flavor and crispness. Purdue adds that the bottom of a refrigerator tends to run colder than the top.
In a cellar, basement or garage
Purdue says apples keep well in cellars that are humid and cool, below 40 degrees F, and in unheated outbuildings if they are insulated against freezing. University of Wisconsin suggests baskets or boxes lined with perforated plastic to hold in moisture, and wrapping each apple in tissue paper or newspaper. Clemson’s rule for a basement or cellar: cool, but never freezing.
Sort before you store
Clemson: start with clean, disease-free apples and avoid bruising, because decay from one apple spreads to the apples next to it. Remove any apple with spots or damage as soon as you see it. University of Wisconsin says late-maturing apples are best suited for storage and that stored apples should be sound with unbroken skin.
Which apples keep longest
Purdue Extension’s table gives approximate home storage times under good conditions: Gala 1 to 3 months; McIntosh 2 to 4; Empire, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and Cortland 3 to 4; Fuji, Stayman, Winesap, Rome, Northern Spy and Granny Smith 4 to 5. Clemson is more cautious: thick-skinned, harder apples such as Arkansas Black, Stayman Winesap, Rome, Fuji and Pink Lady can last five months or more when conditions are right, while softer-skinned Gala and Golden Delicious may last only a few weeks. If you are unsure, eat the Gala and Golden Delicious first and keep the late, hard apples for winter.
What to store apples away from
Apples give off ethylene, a natural ripening gas. UC ANR says to refrigerate apples separately from vegetables, because that gas can damage lettuce and other produce. University of Wisconsin adds that ethylene can cause yellowing, softening and decay in sensitive crops, and that onions should not be stored near apples, because the apples will absorb their flavor.
Small brown spots
Small brown pits on the skin of a stored apple, with brown tissue underneath, are a common disorder called bitter pit. UC ANR says these apples can be eaten without worry, though you may want to cut away the brown tissue first. Rot is different: Clemson says to remove spotted or damaged apples as soon as possible so the decay does not spread.
Recipes and related guides
When are apples in season? · How to store winter squash · November produce guide · Early fall apple skillet cake · Produce checklist
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