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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Picking apples

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  • From: "Kieran &/or Donna" <holycow@frontiernet.net>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Picking apples
  • Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:09:51 -0500

I've got to say that I'm amazed an apple can partially freeze without
damage. Do you know why that is, Doug? Usually, freezing breaks the cell
walls in fruit, right? So that's why they get mushy when thawed? But
that doesn't happen with apples?


Bill, It's all in the brix level. That's why orange trees comfortably take freezing temps down to about 25F, and why oranges are so much sweeter after a cold snap. The tree puts more sugar in the fruit, or changes starches to sugars. That's probably why hanging apples can lower the freeze hardiness of the tree. Stressed orange trees cannot handle low temps as well. Presumably one could test the brix of their leaves and see it coming. Donna




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