How to Store Apples
Late apples and recognised keeper varieties can provide fresh fruit through winter when picked, sorted and stored with care. Harvest dry, unblemished fruits without bruising them, and use windfalls first. Only sound apples belong in long-term storage, because a single rotting fruit can quickly affect those around it.
Best storage conditions
Store apples at 1-4 degrees C in a dark, cool, frost-free place with fairly high humidity and gentle air movement. A cool shed, garage, cellar or unheated porch may work, provided it does not freeze or become damp and stale. Keep fruit away from potatoes, onions and strongly scented produce. Slatted apple racks are ideal because they allow air to circulate while keeping apples apart.
How long it keeps
Most good keeper apples last for 2-5 months, while early varieties may keep only a few weeks. Storage life depends on variety, maturity and temperature. Inspect fruit at least weekly, removing any apple that is bruised, soft, mouldy or giving off a fermented smell before it affects the rest.
Storage methods
Pick apples on a dry day, lifting each fruit gently so the stalk stays attached. Do not wash them. Sort immediately, using windfalls, marked fruit and any without stalks first. Place the best apples in a single layer on slatted apple racks or shallow trays in a cool frost-free shed, garage, cellar or porch. Alternatively, wrap individual fruit in plain paper and arrange it loosely in shallow boxes. Ensure apples do not touch, keep the store dark and airy, and inspect every week. Remove deteriorating fruit without delay.
Preserving
Slice and freeze apples for pies, crumbles and sauces, treating them with a little lemon juice if desired to limit browning. Stewed apple sauce freezes well in portions. Apples can be dried into rings, made into chutney, jelly or juice, or bottled following a trusted preserving recipe. Use bruised fruit promptly for these methods rather than storing it.
Tips
Handle apples as though they were eggs: bruises may be invisible at first but soon spoil. Keep varieties separately labelled, since their ripening and storage times differ. Do not rely on a warm kitchen bowl for long storage. Check rack corners as carefully as the visible fruit; rot can hide where apples touch.
Storing Apples: frequently asked questions
How do I store apples?
Pick apples on a dry day, lifting each fruit gently so the stalk stays attached.
How long does apples keep in storage?
Most good keeper apples last for 2-5 months, while early varieties may keep only a few weeks.
What are the best conditions for storing apples?
Store apples at 1-4 degrees C in a dark, cool, frost-free place with fairly high humidity and gentle air movement.
Store only sound, dry produce and check regularly. For bottling and preserving, follow a trusted recipe. Page updated 18 Sep 2026.