North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Thomas Olenio <tolenio@sentex.net>]

Hello,

For optimum apple storage; cold and moist, 32-40F degrees and 80-90% humidity.

Dry air will shrivel the fruit.

Later,
Tom

del stubbs wrote:

> Thanks for the pics Terry, I will be soon walling off the NW corner of our
> basement in our in-process house. I had left the concrete out of this corner
> with a root cellar in mind. First summer it proved an addition to a terrible
> mold problem in our stored possesions in the basement.....new construction +
> wet summer + water seeping into that earth corner from uncompleted
> drainage..... Hopefully! all that is history. I wonder about your comment of
> folk adding a humidifier to concrete floored cellars, doesn't a humidifier
> add heat?  I was just reading one apple growers' apple storage
> recommendation and he says to use damp rags.....Do apples need such high
> humidity?
> Anywho, it was encouraging to hear of your 35 degree room next to 80. I
> bought white milkhouse paneling for the inside, and had planned to use
> fiberglass batting , but perhaps the polystyrene insulation you used is
> prefferable because of its moisture barrier quality. Del
>
> Del Stubbs  www.pinewoodforge.com  ag zone2/3
>
> >From: Terence Bradshaw <madshaw@innevi.com>
> >Reply-To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
> >To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
> >Subject: [NAFEX] Re: cold cellars
> >Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 10:52:37 -0500
> >
> >http://www2.innevi.com/~madshaw/ciderroom.html
> >
> >The attached link has some pics of my cider/cold cellar.  I use it only for
> >cidermaking and potato storage currently, but with a humidifier could
> >potentially store other produce as well.  I walled off the northeast corner
> >of my basement, insulated with pink foamboard (1.5"), and added a good
> >exterior door.  I have windows to the outside on the north and east to
> >regulate the temp.  With the wood furnace cranking on the other side of the
> >wall (And the general basement hitting up to 80 degrees), I can keep a
> >pretty constant 35-45 in the cold room.
> >I haven't tried any venting such as lower cold pipes with upper heat
> >exhaust, but I haven't needed it for my purposes yet.
> >
> >Terry B
> >Calais, VT
> >Zone 4
> >
> >>From: Mauch1@aol.com
> >>
> >>One other thought I had:
> >>Could I wall off and insulate a part of my basement and install a room air
> >>conditioner to cool off that room?  I probably would need to run some sort
> >>of humidifier as well.  The AC exhaust would go into the rest of the
> >>basement.  Any thoughts on the viability of this?  It would probably
> >>challenge my construction and technical skills.
> >>
> >>Chris Mauchline
> >>SE PA, zone 6
> >>
> >
> >and...
> >
> >>From: Thomas Olenio <tolenio@sentex.net>
> >>
> >>Hello,
> >>
> >>Partition off a portion of the basement.  Drill two 3-4" diameter vent
> >>holes in the new room.  Cover the holes with vent caps on the outside.  On
> >>the inside, from one vent hole drop a 3-4" diameter pipe (dryer vent pipe)
> >>to within 2" of the floor.
> >>
> >>Cold will be drawn into the vent with the pipe and warmer air will exit
> >>the vent with no pipe.  It makes a circuit.  Creates a pretty stable
> >>temperature.  Mine stays at about 45F all winter.
> >>
> >>Insulate and weatherstrip the door into the "cold room".
> >>
> >>Later,
> >>Tom
> >
> >=================================================================
> >Terence Bradshaw
> >Pomona Tree Fruit Service
> >1189 Wheeler Road
> >Calais, VT 05648
> >(802)229-2004
> >madshaw@innevi.com
> >
> >The views represented are mine and mine only...
>
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--

===
Canada plant hardiness zone 5b
Southwest Ontario
===