Apple flesh firmness is one criteria that is used to determine the maturity, and quality, of apples. However, it is not the best single indicator to determine the harvest maturity for apples. Apples are harvested at different stages of maturity depending on how long they will be in storage before marketing. Apples to be used shortly after harvest are tree ripened and picked at a much later stage of maturity than apples that will be stored for 6-9+ months. Flesh …
Do apples need to be harvested with stems?
Harvesting apples with their stems intact will prevent fruit loss. Detached stems provide a point of entry for microorganisms and can result in decayed fruit. …