by Pumpkin is a healthy and tasty vegetable. In order to be able to enjoy its beautiful aromatic fruits for a long time, you need to observe the storage conditions. Where can you store pumpkin and how to do it correctly?
Not all varieties of pumpkin are suitable for storage: only mid- and late-ripening varieties have a high shelf life. The conditions under which the crop is stored are also of great importance. Suitable conditions for storing pumpkin are considered to be:
- temperature – 5-15 ° C;
- humidity – about 75%;
- dark room;
- good ventilation.
If the basic conditions are met, late pumpkins can be stored without losing their taste and appearance for 8-10 months.
To increase shelf life, the fruits are not washed or even wiped before being stored, so as not to erase the natural protective layer.
When and how to store pumpkins
One of the main conditions for good storage of pumpkin is timely harvesting of the fruits. When it is best to harvest pumpkin depends, of course, on the region and weather conditions during the season. However, there are signs by which you can determine that it is time to harvest pumpkin:
- the bark became hard;
- a pattern characteristic of this variety appeared on it;
- the stalk has dried out and become hard.
Pumpkin harvesting begins before the onset of frost, since frost-bitten fruits are stored worse. During harvesting, the stalk is cut off, leaving a root no longer than 10-20 cm. Only ripe specimens without signs of disease or mechanical damage are suitable for long-term storage.
If a cold snap is forecast and the pumpkin has not yet reached full maturity, it is harvested unripe and then sent to a warm room (optimal temperature is 24-26°C) for ripening. Usually, two weeks are enough for the fruits to fully ripen.
How to Store Pumpkin in a Cellar
The best place to store pumpkins is a cellar, because it is easiest to create optimal conditions there for long-term preservation of the harvest.
- It is better to store fruits on shelves, having first placed a layer of dry straw or paper (for example, newspapers) on them.
- Place the pumpkins in one layer, not tightly, but leaving small gaps between them. In this case, it will be possible to avoid mass damage to the harvest if any fruit suddenly starts to rot. In addition, separate placement eliminates the possibility of their mechanical damage. Free space should also be left between the vegetables and the wall.
- The stem of all pumpkins should be pointing upwards.
- You can also store pumpkins in a cellar in boxes, covering the fruits with dry moss.
- Check the harvest regularly. If the litter has become damp, replace it with dry. If the fruits are damp, wipe them with a dry cloth. Remove damaged pumpkins from the cellar immediately, remove the spoiled areas, and process the rest as quickly as possible or use it for food immediately.
Do not store pumpkin together with apples, pears, plums and other fruits that emit ethylene, a gas that reduces the shelf life of other fruits.
How to store pumpkin in an apartment
In an apartment at room temperature, pumpkin can be stored for several months. The following places are most suitable for storing the harvest:
- кладовка: the temperature in the pantry is always a few degrees lower than in the apartment. In addition, sunlight does not enter this room, which also extends the shelf life of the fruits. Place the vegetables on the shelves with the stalks up (you can put them in cardboard boxes first) so that they do not touch each other, and inspect the crop from time to time;
- floor under the bed: it is cooler and darker here than in the rest of the room. However, it should be noted that if there is linoleum on the floor, then plywood or fiberboard covered with newspapers should be placed under the pumpkins. Otherwise, the storage rules are the same: the fruits are placed at a distance from each other and with the stalks facing up.
How to store pumpkin on a balcony or loggia
It should be noted right away that you can store pumpkin on a balcony or loggia only if they are glazed and insulated. Otherwise, these premises are suitable for storage only for a few months, until the onset of frost.
It is better to store pumpkins on shelves covered with newspapers. If there are no shelves, put insulation on the floor (for example, an old blanket), and place the vegetables on it at some distance from each other. In the fall, to protect them from the sun, cover them with thick fabric. After the frosts come, the harvest (or each fruit separately) is wrapped in a blanket or old warm clothes.
How to Store Pumpkin in the Refrigerator
You can also store pumpkin in the refrigerator. However, if the fruit is large, you will have to cut it into pieces, which reduces the shelf life to 10 days.
You can also store some of the harvest for a very long time (10-12 months) in the freezer. In this case, the pumpkin is washed, the bark is cut off, the pulp is cut into cubes and packed in bags or containers. After defrosting, the vegetable is used to prepare porridge, soups and other dishes.
What to do if the pumpkin starts to rot during storage?
