Late maturing varieties of apples will store for use throughout the winter if the fruit is hard, mature, and in perfect condition. Apples picked too green are subject to a number of storage disorders, such as scald and bitter pit; if picked beyond maturity, they quickly become overripe in storage. Cool fruit as quickly as possible after harvest for best results. For most varieties of apples, the optimum storage temperature is 30 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit with a 90% relative humidity. Higher storage temperatures reduce the storage life considerably. Apples ripen twice as fast at 40 degrees Fahrenheit as at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. There are substantial storage differences between varieties. Goldrush, Fuji, Arkansas Black, and York all store exceptionally well.

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