Were these damage to my Honey Crisp caused by the apples being frozen?
I picked HC when night temp was around 32-33 F. I kept them in a bucket in my garage. One of the nights, temp outside went down to 24 F (maybe a few degrees higher in my garage).
I have had such damage on several apples that I cut up. I don’t know if my HC were frozen on the tree or in my garage. It looks like HC does not tolerate low temp very well.
Surely looks that way. Our temperatures are very off this year. It’s usually in the mid-sixties right into November.
Mrs. G.,
I think I read this thread Do I need to pick GoldRush apples before 27 degree night?.
.@alan mentioned in that thread that apples should be fine with temp at 24 F. Look like Honey Crisp is more tender than that. Lesson learned.
I wouldn’t even think about cold hurting apples till temps get below 24. As the thread you posted reminded me, some apples can be fine down to 20.
I’ve noticed that my apples that sustained extensive damage (from frozen) were those that had existing injury esp. cracking from the rain.
I think some of those cracked apples were frozen on the tree and some were frozen while in my garage.
My Korean Giant pears have had no cold-related damage. I still have a whole tree full of KG and Gold Rush. I have not picked Calville Blanc, Pink Lady, Fuji and Rubinette, either.
The general recommendation is to store apples at temperatures in low 30’s with 90% humidity, but there are a number of apple varieties that get damaged at these temps. Honeycrisp and Cortland are two that have warnings. Look up “Soggy Breakdown” or “Low Temperature Breakdown” in apples.
Thanks. Learned it the hard way, indeed.
They have learned to SLOWLY lower the temperatures of Honeycrisp in Washington State…before putting them in cold storage. So, this apple is “exceptional” in more ways than one!!!
(Good Fruit Grower and other sources.)
While many apples are OK into the mid 20’s F
not HC. It’s not very safe at under 40.
I pack and bring a lunch to work almost every day and will often include a Honeycrisp apple if I have them. I’ve learned not to let them rest up against the ice pack as that part ends up discolored and the texture is off.
Please post pics of your Caville Blanc. All of my dropped this summer!
Thanks, everyone for chiming in. This is another “issue” that backyard growers like us need to be aware of re. HC.
Mrs. G.,
I have taken pictures for you. I will post them on the Best Tasting Apple thread.
May be water core ? ? ?
Definitely not. I am familiar with water core. It is crunchy which I like. This damage area was spongy and tasted off.
