How best to store zucchini at home in a cool apartment or cellar
Zucchini is considered a healthy and tasty vegetable that is often used in cooking. Zucchini dishes can be prepared not only in summer, but also in winter. To enjoy them in winter, you need to familiarize yourself with the proper storage of zucchini.
The best varieties of zucchini for long-term storage
Before you start growing a vegetable, you need to find out which variety of zucchini is suitable for long-term storage in winter. There are several varieties that keep longer than others.
Aeronaut
Lovers of early-ripening vegetables can plant an Aeronaut in the garden, in which the crop ripens in 45 days. The variety has large cylindrical fruits, green in color. The weight of each ripe zucchini reaches one and a half kilograms. The harvested crop is stored for 4-5 months, if the temperature regime is observed.
pear shaped
It is considered the second most popular early ripening zucchini variety. Distinctive features of vegetables are considered their pleasant taste and long-term storage after harvest. In the process of ripening, the weight of the fruit reaches 950 grams.
with yellow fruits
Among high-yielding vegetables, the variety with yellow fruits is distinguished. It is possible to collect 7-8 kilograms of ripe fruit from one bush. The mass of each ripe zucchini is 900-1000 grams. Zucchini is yellow in color and has an oblong cylindrical shape. Harvested fruits do not deteriorate within 2 to 4 months of picking.
Asset
It is a high yielding hybrid vegetable that was developed by Dutch breeders. Active fruits do not spoil for a long time and have a tender, juicy pulp.
Anchor
Early ripening zucchini, which are fully ripe a month and a half after planting. The advantages of the anchor include resistance to sudden changes in temperature and humidity. In addition, zucchini has excellent keeping quality, due to which they do not deteriorate for 3-4 months after harvesting.
Optimal conditions for keeping vegetables fresh
It is recommended to familiarize yourself with how to properly store young fruits of squash at home.
Temperature regime
First, you need to decide on the optimum storage temperature for the harvested crop. Some claim they stay at room temperature for a long time, but that's not true. Zucchini does not spoil the longest in rooms with a temperature of about 5-10 degrees Celsius.Therefore, vegetables cannot stay in the apartment for a long time, as they will begin to deteriorate due to high temperature.
In addition, storage time is reduced under low temperature conditions. If the temperature readings are below 3-4 degrees Celsius, the zucchini will rot quickly.
Required air humidity
Another indicator that you should periodically monitor is the level of humidity in the room. Many gardeners in the summer after harvesting transfer it to the cellar.However, this room is not always suitable for harvested fruits due to humidity. Air humidity should not exceed 65-70%. Only in such conditions the fruits of squash will not spoil for more than six months.
In a damp basement or cellar, the storage time is reduced by 1-2 months.
Preparation of vegetables
Before collecting and storing the crop, you need to familiarize yourself with the main features of vegetable preparation.
First you need to know when to pick ripe zucchini. Experienced gardeners are advised to collect them before the onset of frost, since frozen fruits are not stored for long. A sunny and warm day is chosen for harvesting. Cut the vegetables very carefully so as not to accidentally damage them.
After harvesting, it is necessary to sort all the picked zucchini in order to select the ripest ones. When selecting, each fruit should be carefully examined and checked for damage or signs of rot. You should also check the tightness of the skin. Vegetable growers recommend selecting zucchini with the densest skin for long-term storage.
It is necessary to cut the leg of the picked vegetables well. Its length should be 5-7 centimeters.Over time, the cut site will dry out and become covered with a thin skin, which is a good protection against infectious diseases. Legs less than five centimeters long will not be able to protect vegetables from the penetration of pathogens.
Zucchini bookmarking rules and shelf life
People who plan to store zucchini at home should determine the basic rules for storing them in advance.
In the fridge
This method is most often used if 3-4 small zucchini are to be saved for the winter. Many people want to know how much they can be stored in such conditions. The vegetable can be left in the freezer for 4-5 months, after which it must be thawed.
Before storage, all fruits are wiped with a dry cloth and placed in plastic bags. Then, in each bag, several holes are drilled through which oxygen will enter. After that, the bags of zucchini are placed in the refrigerator. Vegetables should be inspected periodically to ensure they are not rotting.
In the cellar
Residents of private houses and owners of summer cottages prefer to store their crops in the cellar. There are three ways to store vegetables in the basement:
- In suspended position. To hang zucchini, they are placed in a net. Then hooks are attached to the ceiling, on which the trellis is hung. Vegetable growers recommend airing the cellar 3-4 times a week so that the crop does not begin to rot.
- In the box. In this case, zucchini is laid out in boxes and fenced from each other with wooden boards.
- On the bookshelf. Most often, gardeners arrange their crops on one of the shelves in the cellar.In this case, the zucchini are laid out so that they do not touch each other.
On the balcony
Not everyone knows whether it is possible to store vegetables on the balcony in winter. If the balcony is reliably insulated, zucchini can be stored there for 2-3 months.
How to prepare vegetables for the winter
Another way to store harvested fruits for a long time is to prepare blanks for the winter.
Preservation
There are two methods of canning, the characteristics of which should be determined in advance.
With sterilization
To prepare zucchini according to this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- five cloves of garlic;
- four zucchini;
- 250 grams of salt;
- 250 milliliters of vinegar;
- fresh herbs to taste.
First, the empty jars are sterilized, after which the marinade is prepared. To prepare it, boil water for 10-15 minutes, add vinegar to it with salt and herbs. After that, sliced garlic vegetables are placed in jars, everything is poured with marinade and re-sterilized.
Without sterilization
In this case, zucchini is canned, as in the previous recipe. The only difference is that you don't need to resterilize the jars when making winter spawn.
Store dried zucchini
Zucchini and other varieties of zucchini are often stored dry. There are two methods of drying vegetables:
- Natural. Using this method, the harvested crop is laid out in the sun. During the drying process, the fruits are periodically turned over so that they dry evenly.
- Artificial. This method is used to dry vegetables faster. Zucchini is cut into rings and placed in the oven for 3-4 hours.Dried fruits are stored in ordinary plastic bags or glass jars.
How to store peeled zucchini
Some people prefer to keep the squash peeled.
In the fridge
If you need to store cut and peeled vegetable fruits for a short time, you can use the refrigerator. To do this, all cut vegetables are peeled from seeds, dried and wiped dry. Then they are transferred to a bag and placed in the refrigerator. In this case, it is necessary to use paper bags, since vegetables can mold in polyethylene.
In the freezer
A freezer is used for long-term storage.
In circles
Only firm and not too ripe vegetables are selected to be placed in the freezer. They are pre-cut in circles 10 to 15 millimeters thick. Then they are dried, laid out on trays and frozen for 35-45 minutes. Frozen vegetables are transferred to a bag and placed in the freezer.
Cubes
Before freezing, the fruits are cut into cubes and wiped with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Then the rubbed cubes are laid out in bags and placed in the freezer. To prevent vegetables from sticking together, you must first keep them in the freezer for an hour and a half and only then put them in bags.
Pumpkin puree
To prepare squash puree, the vegetable is cut and boiled for 10-20 minutes. Then the cooked pieces of zucchini are poured into a blender and chopped. The resulting squash is placed in a plastic bag or container for further freezing. Cooked mash is stored for 8-9 months, after which it begins to deteriorate.
Conclusion
Many gardeners are engaged in growing zucchini.To prepare dishes from this vegetable in the winter, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic methods of storing the harvested crop.