Apple Picking Checklist

21 items · Lifestyle · Easy difficulty · 1 day

Plan a pick-your-own orchard trip: check what is ripe, what to bring, how to pick without damaging the tree, and how to store apples at home.

• Check which varieties are ready this week

  Orchards usually post it on their website or social page.

• Check opening hours and whether you need a timed ticket

  Some busy orchards sell weekend entry in advance.

• Check the forecast and the orchard's rain policy
• Find out how the orchard charges and what payment it takes

  Most charge by the bag or by the pound, and some farm stands take cash only.

• Ask about dogs before you bring one

  Many orchards keep pets out of the rows.

• Decide what the apples are for

  Firm, tart apples such as Granny Smith hold their shape in a pie. McIntosh breaks down quickly and suits applesauce.

• Wear closed shoes that can get muddy

  Rows are uneven and fallen apples are slippery.

• Pack water, sunscreen and hand wipes
• Bring a wagon instead of a stroller for small children

  Orchard rows are grassy and rutted.

• Put a sturdy box in the car for the ride home

  Apples rolling loose in a trunk bruise.

• Ask whether tasting in the rows is allowed
• Show children how to pick before they start
• Lift each apple up and twist it off

  Pulling down can rip away the spur that carries next year's buds.

• Leave any apple that does not come away easily

  A ripe one parts from the branch with a gentle twist. If you have to tug, it is not ready.

• Start with the outside and top of each tree

  The apples that get the most sun ripen first.

• Never shake branches or climb the trees

  Use the orchard's ladders only where it allows them.

• Set apples into the bag instead of dropping them

  A bruise turns brown and soft within days.

• Stop before the bag holds more than you can use

  A full bushel is roughly 40 pounds of fruit.

• Sort the apples when you get home

  Eat or cook the bruised and cut ones first. One rotting apple makes the ones touching it rot faster.

• Store the rest in the fridge

  They stay crisp far longer cold than on the counter. Keep them away from vegetables, which spoil faster next to apples.

• Wash apples right before you eat them, not before storing

  Damp apples rot sooner in storage.

Printed from TickYouOff — the interactive version tracks your progress and can be shared with others.