[Zippy]

I had a go at storing a few apples to see how it would go and I'm glad I didn't store that many.

They were taken off the tree when ripe; not windfalls. winfalls were readily falling off so I guess the apples were ready for picking - maybe over-ripe?

Each apple was individually wrapped in newspaper and placed in a flat bottomed basket with plenty of ventilation.

I placed the basket in the dark of our attic. About six weeks later I went to investigate and found that every apple had become wizened, skin intact but dried out and putrifying.

So what went wring? Too cold in the attic? did they freeze and then thaw? 

I had a box of potatoes nearby which are still firm and just sprouting so need to be used up soon. Chemical reaction between apples and potatoes?

Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

[Fisherman]

What variety of apples were they as some keep for a good while and some only a matter of days?

[RichardA]

it depends very much on variety but an atmosphere that is too dry does not help so perhaps your space was just too airy especially if already wrapped in newspaper. Waxed paper is usually recommended in the books. I put my best cooking apples on slatted shelves in the garage detached from the house and unheated in any way, unwrapped and I keep an eye on them, using the most suspect first. Damaged ones and windfalls get frozen as slices or as crumbles etc. From the garage I keep apples to about Feb, marrows to about Jan, pumpkins only to about december, but good for potatoes to about late April and onions through to May.
Eating apples and pears get devasated by kids and grandkids so rarely does a surplus occur so cant advise on any experiences for storing eaters.
R

[DD.]

Attic, cold ?

Have you been there when the sun's out?

Everything you say points, my my opinion, to it being too warm, rather than too cold. 

Spuds spouting? Says the same.

I know it's warmer down there, but I also think you picked them before maturity.

[gillie]

Yes, it depends on the variety.    We are just picking our late storing apples now which suggests that if yours were ripe six weeks ago they were not long keepers.

We have two varieties (Howgate Wonder and Orleans Reinette) which will store until March but another (Ribston Pippin) which is past its best in a few weeks.  I put them in plastic bags and store them in an unheated utility room.  I check them every now and then and if there are signs of the apples sweating I poke a few holes in the bags, increasing the number of holes until any dampness disappears.   Occasionally I sort through the bags for any that have rotted.  We have far too many apples to wrap individually.  Our biggest problem is rodents!
 
Most fruit and vegetables do not freeze until things get very cold as they are living things that generate enough heat themselves to prevent it.  Last year I feared that they would get too cold, but they were fine.  

At one time I had a broken chest freezer.  We used to put boxes of apples in it and leave the lid open about an inch.  During very severe weather we would shut it completely.  That worked very well.

[Zippy]

Thanks for all your replies; the problem being, I think, a combination of your suggestions.

Not sure what variety as I was helping a neighbour who didn't know the variety either.

Having a re-think on the attic being a good cold store (thanks DD) as the potatoes I stored in my detacged garage are still firm and not sproting whereas the attic ones are. Thank you.

[JayG]

Like many houses of its age, mine is roofed in dark coloured, uninsulated slate (although the floor itself is insulated.)

It gets unbelievably hot up there on sunny days (even outside of summer) but it can get very cold in winter.

All in all not a good place to store anything perishable!   

[Zippy]

Yes, I did think the attic, being insulated from the house warmth would be a cold place but I have realised that on bright days the attic becomes a slow-cooker.

I think my apples went wrong, following a slow baking process. Oh, well - live and learn; apples now in compost heap, luckily only about twenty of them.

[shokkyy]

I was thinking of storing apples in an old fridge in the garage, switched off. Would that work or do they have to have air?

[gillie]

That sounds pretty much like our chest freezer experiment.  Yes it should work.  Keep the door open very slightly provided you can keep mice out.