Pumpkin storage rules

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Pumpkin contains many vitamins, minerals, carotene and fiber. This vegetable is dietary and suitable for baby food. Consider how to store pumpkin at home and what conditions must be met.

Pumpkin storage rules

Overview of long-stored varieties

Now there is a huge demand for pumpkin, they began to grow it on an industrial scale. The varieties differ in ripening date, shape, color and taste.

The most mature varieties are presented in the table.

Regardless of the variety, planting time, you need to know how to store the pumpkin at home: in the basement or on the balcony.

Collection features

How to determine maturity

The ripeness of the pumpkin is determined by the stalk

It is difficult to say the exact date of the harvest, because it all depends on the variety and region. In any case, it ripens in the garden for about 140 days.

To determine the maturity of a pumpkin, you need to look at the stalk - it must be dry.

There is another way: you need to lightly scratch the skin with your fingernail. If a scratch remains, the fruit is not yet ripe.

When to start

You need to pick the fruits in dry weather, on a warm sunny day - this will significantly increase the shelf life of the pumpkin. It is important that there is no rain the day before harvest. Watering is stopped a week before the procedure.

No need to wait for frost. It is better for the pumpkin to ripen at home. To prevent rotting in sunny warm weather, it must be taken outside.

Cleaning technology

The fruits are removed carefully, it is important not to damage them. Gloves should be worn to prevent nails from accidentally scratching the peel during collection. You cannot throw vegetables.

To separate from the stalk, you need to have a sharp knife or pruner in your arsenal. The tool must be clean and the cut is straight. The stalk is 12-15 cm long.

So that it does not break off, you cannot hold on to it when removing the vegetable.

Important recommendations

There are certain rules to follow.

1. After harvesting, you need to turn the vegetable towards the sun with a bright speck. It occurs where the pumpkin touched the ground.
2. If frosts are outlined, and by this time the crop has not yet been harvested, you need to cover the plantings with polyethylene.
3. Healthy fruits are sent for storage, and damaged ones need to be prepared as soon as possible. Even the slightest scratch leads to rotting. It will lead to contamination of other vegetables.

Damaged fruits should be placed in the refrigerator or freezer, after cutting off all problem areas. The sliced ​​pumpkin can then be cooked throughout the winter.

If the harvest was in the rain, you need to dry the vegetable well. It is not necessary to wipe or wash it with a damp cloth, because the natural protective layer may be damaged. If you notice dry soil on the vegetable, you need to clean it with a dry towel.

Storage conditions

Seed

Seeds should be stored in a cool place

So that pumpkin seeds do not lose all their properties for a long time and lay until the beginning of spring, you need to find a dry and cool place for them in the house.

Seeds do not like sudden changes in temperature. They need to be stored in natural fabrics or special paper bags so they can breathe.

Fresh pumpkin

To maximize the shelf life of fresh pumpkin in winter, you need to adhere to certain rules:

• suitable temperature 3-15 ° C;
• air humidity 75-80%;
• the room must be well ventilated;
• the vegetable is afraid of the sun, so you need to protect it from direct sunlight;
• the fruit must be whole, without any damage;
• a basement or cellar is ideal.

Can also be stored on the balcony if you live in an apartment. The main thing is that the direct rays of the sun fall on it. It is advisable to cover all vegetables with a rag.

Be sure to lay straw, hay or sawdust on the floor or ground, and it is better to make shelves and racks. There should be a distance between the vegetables, they should not touch each other.

Advice

If you find a pumpkin that is slightly chopped or already spoiled, you need to cut off the spoiled part from it, peel it from the peel and seeds and put it in the freezer for storage.

The seeds can be put in a plastic container and dried in room conditions or on a battery. They are very useful, they contain a lot of vitamins.

Pumpkin juice

Fresh pumpkin juice is quickly oxidized, so it should be consumed immediately or within 2 days. Leave it in the refrigerator.

To extend its life, it must be thermally processed. This can be done at home.

There are 2 types of heat treatment.

• With pasteurization: add 5 tablespoons to 1 liter of juice. sugar, put the mixture on fire. At a temperature of 90 °, boil for 5 minutes and pour into sterilized jars, after which they should be rolled up .;
• No pasteurization. This option involves boiling the juice and packing it in sterilized jars. After that, pasteurize the jars for 10 minutes at a temperature of 90 °, at the end they must be rolled up.

Using one of the methods, you can enjoy pumpkin juice all winter. You can store it at home at room temperature.

Decorative vegetable

Fruits do not tolerate moisture

If you need to save a pumpkin in order to decorate an apartment or other premises, you need to follow simple rules.

1. There should be no moisture.
2. Air temperature from 10 to 30 ° C

Treat the crafts on top with colorless furniture varnish or nail polish - this is necessary to protect the vegetable from cracking and moisture penetration.

Pumpkin seed oil

You should pay attention to the date of manufacture of the oil in the store. It is best to take it in small bottles. The shelf life usually does not exceed 12 months.

Do not expose the bottle to sunlight and keep the temperature away from 10 ° C.It is best to leave the oil in the refrigerator or in the cellar.

Homemade pumpkin oil requires special conditions for long-term storage.

• Pour it exclusively into glass bottles. In plastic it will lose its aroma.
• After opening the package, the shelf life of the oil is no more than a month.
• The oil must be sealed and placed in complete darkness. The temperature is also no higher than 10 ° C.

Candied fruit

To prevent candied fruits from spoiling, you need to take an empty glass container that closes tightly.

Store in a dry, dark and cool place. The shelf life is usually no more than 1 year.

If candied fruits are in humid air, they will begin to stick together.

Pieces of pumpkin

To save space in the refrigerator and not put a whole vegetable there, you need to cut it into small pieces, cut off the peel before that and remove the seeds from the pulp, or grate it.

You can save the cut pumpkin in the refrigerator or in the freezer.

In the fridge

So that it does not become weathered and does not dry out, it must be wrapped in foil, having previously greased the pieces with vegetable oil. Sliced ​​and buttered pumpkin can be used for up to 2 weeks.

In the freezer

It is more convenient to freeze the pumpkin by cutting it into pieces

Store in the freezer for about 10-12 months, it will be correct to pack the pumpkin into portions, so that later you do not defrost the entire package.

You will need special freezer trays or plastic bags. They need to remove excess air, then close them tightly and freeze them.

Private home storage

You need to store pumpkin at home in the winter in the basement, underground or cellar.

It is best to place the fruits on the shelves.

In the summer, even before harvesting, the basement needs to be well ventilated and get rid of dampness. Air humidity - no more than 75%. A ventilation system must be present.

If there are parasites or mold in the room, you need to treat it. To do this, use lime or sulfur stick.

It is better to cover the shelves with straw or paper to keep the pumpkin warm. You need to put straw between each vegetable so that there is no touching each other and with the walls. The stalks should point upwards.

Once a month, it is imperative to double-check the stock in the warehouse to see what kind of vegetables they are. Spoiled fruit should be thrown away or cooked if they are not completely gone.

Storage in the apartment

You can save a pumpkin in an apartment in winter on the balcony. Conditions:

• optimal air temperature - not lower than 2 ° C;
• the vegetable must be covered with a breathable opaque material so that direct sunlight does not fall on it;
• the vegetable should not come into contact with the concrete floor, so it is better to lay some plywood or a blanket;
• at a strong subzero temperature, you need to use a heater.

General storage guidelines

Pumpkin is a picky vegetable, but still the most necessary recommendations should be followed.

1. When the crop is harvested, all the fruits must be laid out in the sun and dried for 1-2 days.
2. If you find damage or defects on one of the vegetables, you should not place them together with healthy fruits, because the dents will quickly start to rot and this will transfer to a healthy fetus.
3. If the stalk is torn off during harvest, the fruit can quickly rot. Therefore, it needs to be cooked and eaten or frozen in the freezer.
4. The room where the pumpkin will be located should have a temperature of 8-10 ° C, and a humidity of about 80% and darkness.
5. The room must have ventilation or access to good ventilation.

Typical mistakes

If the necessary conditions for a vegetable are not met, it does not withstand long storage and begins to rot. To prevent this from happening, you must always ventilate the room.

Do not forget about insects, which also harm the vegetable. When harvesting, you need to carefully look at the safety of the fetus. Many, without noticing it, damage it, leave scratches on it.

Pumpkin with apple, pear or tomato should not be stored in the same room, because these vegetables and fruits release ethylene, which leads to rapid spoilage.

Conclusion

If you want your family to feast on healthy pumpkin dishes and receive vitamins for a long time, right up to the summer, you need to adhere to basic rules - this will allow you to enjoy its taste all winter.