Today there are a huge number of varieties pumpkins, Everyone can choose to taste which of the varieties to grow. The question is only about the storage of this tasty and healthy fruit. How long and in what conditions it can be stored, which varieties are best suited for this - we will find out in this article.
What types of pumpkin are most suitable for storage
The most comfortable and adapted for long-term storage of pumpkin varieties experienced gardeners call the following:
- "Kherson". The variety has a long shelf life pumpkin. This is a pumpkin with a dense gray skin that has either strips or spots. Peel without dents and bumps, the shape of a pumpkin - a flattened ball. The flesh of this variety is fleshy, juicy with a sweet, sugar taste.
- "Waiting". Early variety of medium or large size, oval. This ribbed pumpkin is juicy and sweet, it has firm flesh and gray skin. This variety withstands transportation, is immune to disease.
- "Slavuta". Late variety of medium size, pumpkin cleaning is carried out at the end of the season. Gray-green rind is firm, but the flesh is loose, not hard, sweetish." Slavuta is resistant to diseases.
- "Mozolievskaya 15". Large fruit varieties have an oval shape and well-pronounced ribs. The rind is orange, the flesh is soft and loose, with a sweet taste.
- "Yanina". This variety is used for the manufacture of dietary products. Pumpkin oval, slightly ribbed, orange peel with green specks. The flesh is thick, sweet, juicy. The variety is immune to powdery mildew.
- "Arbat". Pumpkin in the form of a cylinder, bright golden color. The variety is late, sweet.
- "Gilea". Color varieties ranging from yellow-orange to pinkish. Pumpkin with a thin peel and crispy, juicy pulp.
- "Polyanin". Sweet pumpkin with dense pulp, has the form of a cylinder, the color of the skin is light brown. The variety is well transported.
How to save pumpkin, harvest rules
One of the reasons why the pumpkin is rotting during storage is non-compliance with the rules of harvest. When harvesting pumpkin, remember that the fruit does not tolerate temperature fluctuations and damage. Pumpkins begin to collect when the color of the fruit becomes the most saturated, and the skin is firm. It is advisable to collect all the fruits before frost, the vegetable will transfer the temperature to -5 ° C, but not lower. Pumpkins cut off with a sharp shears, leaving a small tail.
The tail will become lumber with time, and the pumpkin, having no open wounds, will be kept longer. When collecting fruits, try not to damage them; mechanical damage is a direct way to purulent microorganisms. How to save a pumpkin during transportation? The place on which the pumpkin will be lying in transit, you need to impose on all sides with something soft, for example, sacking, the fruit is also placed on the litter.
Basic storage conditions for pumpkin
Consider the basic conditions of how to save a pumpkin for the winter. Collected pumpkins before storage, pre-hold in a room with humidity up to 90% and temperatures up to +28 ° C. In such conditions, the fetus will heal wounds, if any, and life processes will slow down, which will further help its storage. The best storage temperature for pumpkins is from +3 to +15 ° С, humidity is not more than 80%.
Did you know? Pumpkin originally from Mexico. On its territory, archaeologists have found the seeds of this plant about seven thousand years old. In Europe, the plant came after the discovery of America, and from there spread to other countries and continents.
Where is the best store pumpkin
The optimal place for storing pumpkins is the cellar or basement. How to store pumpkins for the winter in the cellar? Consider all the details. The room should be dry and clean, well, if it has shelves or a platform for storing pumpkins. If not, you can make a temporary platform of the boards. Lay the floor with paper or burlap.
Important! You can not store pumpkins, poured into a pile. Fruits should not touch.
Pumpkins need to be laid at a distance from each other, stem up. For better storage put straw in the fruit.
Can I save a pumpkin in a city apartment, the rules for storing a healthy vegetable at home?
What to do if there is no cellar - keep the pumpkin in the apartment. There are no particular difficulties in this. Fruits can be stored on the balcony if it is glazed and relatively warm there. Because of the cold, even if you cover the fruits with warm material, the pumpkin will spoil. The best option is to keep it in the apartment under the bed or in the pantry room. Fruits should not be located close to batteries and other heating devices. They need to be expanded so that they do not touch the sides of each other; it is not bad to wrap each fruit in a newspaper.. When wet cleaning the apartment before washing under the bed, remove the fruit and put in place only on a completely dry floor.
Attention! Check from time to time the status of pumpkins. If any traces of rot are noticed, it should be immediately removed so that other fruits do not get sick.
It happens that during storage the pumpkin grows inside, the question arises: is it possible to eat it. Eating such a fruit is not recommended: seeds germinated in it contain alkaloids in their composition. Storage in the storage room does not differ from the storage conditions under the bed. The main thing is that there was no dampness, it was dark, warm and dry.
Tips and tricks on how to save a cut pumpkin
Pumpkin can be stored in dried form. To do this, the flesh of the fruit is cut into centimeter pieces and dried in the oven. You can store in the pantry, shifted with wax paper and folded in containers, or in the refrigerator. Pumpkin can be stored frozen. Grate, chop with a blender or finely chop, fold into bags or containers.
You can store sliced pumpkin fresh in the fridge by wrapping it in foil, this will lengthen the shelf life, and if you smear it with sunflower oil, the flesh will remain juicy and fresh for a long time. Pumpkin can also be dried for any crafts. To do this, it is cleaned of seeds and put in a dark place until it dries. However, before putting on drying, it is desirable to treat the pumpkin inside with an antifungal compound so that it does not rot.
Interesting! In the German town of Ludwigsburg every year at the beginning of autumn a pumpkin festival takes place. Fruits of various shapes and sizes from all parts of Germany are brought to the feast. The most interesting part of the festival is the exhibition of sculptures from the pumpkin fruit and various handicrafts.
Pumpkin - useful fruit, it has a lot of carotene and other useful elements needed by the body. If you know where and how to store pumpkins in the winter, you can eat this wonderful product all year round.
