You brought home a peck of apples and a jug of cider, and now it is Wednesday. Here are seven habits that keep both in good shape until you finish them.

1. Put apples in the refrigerator

Apples soften much faster at room temperature than in the cold. The crisper drawer is ideal, since the best range is 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. A fruit bowl on the counter is fine for the three or four apples you will eat in the next few days.

2. Add a little humidity

Apples shrivel in dry air. Place them in a perforated plastic bag or cover the drawer with a damp towel. The skins should stay tight and smooth.

3. Sort out the bruised ones

One bruised apple gives off ethylene gas and speeds up ripening for everything near it. Pull out any with soft spots and bake or slice them first. Do the same check every few days.

4. Store late varieties for the long haul

Varieties that ripen late tend to keep better than early ones. Northern Spy, Empire and Ida Red keep for weeks in a cold fridge. Early-season apples are best eaten within a week or so. Check Apples In Season to see which kinds are on the shelf and plan your meals around the softer ones first.

5. Keep apples apart from other produce

Ethylene from apples can turn greens yellow and make carrots taste bitter. Use a separate drawer if you have two, or a closed bag.

6. Refrigerate cider right away

Fresh-pressed cider is a perishable food, not a shelf item. Keep it cold from the car to the refrigerator and plan to drink it within about a week. After that it starts to ferment on its own. If the lid bulges or the cider tastes fizzy and sharp, it has turned, and it is better as a cooking ingredient or poured out.

7. Freeze extra cider in the right container

1. Pour cider into a freezer-safe plastic bottle or container, not glass.
2. Leave at least an inch of space at the top, since liquid expands as it freezes.
3. Label the date. Frozen cider keeps its flavor for several months.
4. Thaw it in the refrigerator for a day or two and shake before pouring.

When you run out

We press cider and stock apples on fall weekends, so a quick restock is only a drive away. Details on hours and u-pick are in the Visiting the Orchard guide, and if you are baking, our notes on the best apples for apple pie will help you pick the right bag.