Pumpkin is an extremely useful vegetable, rich in vitamins and minerals. It is unpretentious in cultivation and does not require special care. You can grow a pumpkin on the smallest piece of land, and the harvest at the same time exceeds all expectations. A reasonable question arises: how to store a pumpkin in the winter in an apartment, because the possibilities of the refrigerator are not limitless?
Many years of experience of amateur gardeners allowed us to identify several varieties of pumpkins suitable for long-term storage:
- Zhdana – resistant to transportation, immune-resistant to diseases. It ripens early, has juicy, bright flesh and a hard skin.
- Polyanin is a cylindrical vegetable that can be stored for up to several months. The pulp has a dense consistency and a sweet taste.
- Yanina – excellent for diet food, long-lasting.
- Slavuta is a late autumn variety that is resistant to diseases and may not spoil for a long time.
- Arbatska is a late variety, with excellent taste qualities, suitable for long-term storage.
We choose the fruits correctly
It is best to choose late fruits, Slavuta, Arbatska varieties are perfect.
- Vegetables must be whole, without dents, damage, soft areas.
- The skin is dense, shiny.
- The color is bright orange, sometimes with a reddish tint. Pale fruits are not suitable for long-term storage: they spoil quickly and become loose.
Where to store pumpkin
The most important thing when storing pumpkins in an apartment is to maintain a uniform temperature regime. Sharp drops in temperature can lead to looseness of the fruits and their rapid rotting. The main requirements are sufficient dryness, darkness and ventilation.
Experienced housewives choose the following places to store pumpkins:
- Under the bed, benches, away from batteries and heating devices. At the same time, you should avoid the proximity of other vegetables, for example, tomatoes, potatoes or cabbage.
- In an insulated balcony, with a temperature not lower than 5 degrees. At the same time, it is advisable to cover the vegetables and not put them on top of each other.
- A cool pantry that is uncluttered and clean.
- In the kitchen, under the table, in a spacious drawer or cabinet with a door.
You can place vegetables in specially made racks, filling the cells with dry straw. Some housewives use large boxes (for example, from under the TV), stuffed with pieces of foam.
Styrofoam perfectly keeps the same temperature and is therefore suitable for storing vegetables. Wooden boxes often turn gray, so it is better to fill them with dry straw and check for moisture more often.
Preparation of fruits
Before sending fruits for long-term storage, they must be selected.
- Be sure to clean the dust and soil with a rag.
- It is not recommended to wet or wash the fruits strongly, as this leads to the inevitable spoilage of the product.
- To store pumpkins, you need a floor in the form of straw, dry grass or rags. You can use old newspapers, but plastic containers are not recommended.
- It is better to plant the fruits separately, without cluttering them with each other.
Storage rules
In order for the pumpkin not to spoil prematurely, it is important to follow a number of simple conditions. So, for this you need:
- Avoid high humidity – the main reason for the development of fungal microflora. To do this, it is necessary to ensure storage away from sinks, refrigerators, bathtubs and places that often come into contact with water.
- Do not store pumpkin in drafts, for example, wide open balconies, corridors. At the same time, some oxygen access in reasonable quantities is necessary.
- Avoid direct rays, constant light. It is best to choose a darkened place. Musty places, however, are also unacceptable, everything is good in moderation.
- Do not allow the temperature to drop below 5 degrees and above 15. Temperature jumps are also unacceptable.
The temperature in the living room, as a rule, reaches 22-25 oC. Therefore, it is necessary to choose those places where the thermal regime is much lower. The principle follows here: the higher the ceiling, the higher the temperature and vice versa. In cozy dark places, it is usually no more than 15-17 degrees, while in open and filled with light – at least 20.
How to store cut pumpkin
Store the cut pumpkin in the refrigerator. It is interesting that a cut pumpkin with seeds is stored longer than without them.
Of course, the entire supply of pumpkin will not fit in the refrigerator, but there are still cases when it is better to prefer storage in the freezer. For example, when vegetables started to spoil. Even small loose dents can lead to rapid deterioration of the product. If this happened, it is better to cut the pumpkin, remove all questionable places, and cut the leftovers into portions and wrap in cling film. In the refrigerator, without deep freezing, it will last for two weeks, with freezing – longer.
It is very convenient to freeze grated pumpkin: so it can be used immediately to fill pies, add to porridge and soups. In addition, such storage significantly saves cooking time, as the hostess uses practically ready-made semi-finished products.
If the pieces are wrapped in foil, they can be kept in the refrigerator for at least a month. It is best to change the foil from time to time.
How long does a pumpkin last?
With proper storage of late varieties, a pumpkin can be stored for six months, with freezing – for several months to a year. However, it should be remembered that the taste qualities suffer after being stored for too long: the pulp loses its former juiciness, becomes sluggish and tasteless.
Cut pieces can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two weeks if there is an airtight package.
How to extend the storage period
- If the pumpkin was scratched during storage or cleaning, ordinary potassium permanganate or iodine will help to avoid harmful microflora.
- The bigger the pumpkin, the longer it is stored. This should be remembered when choosing large varieties.
- The bright, juicy color speaks for itself: such a pumpkin will be tastier and will last longer than its pale-faced relatives.
- When collecting, do not cut off the tail, as it helps to preserve the product. Vegetables with broken tails rot quickly.
- You cannot place pumpkins with fruits, as they release ethylene, and this, in turn, leads to rapid spoilage.
- If the pumpkin is stored in a cupboard in the kitchen, you can place a supply of salt nearby. Salt perfectly collects high humidity and prevents the product from becoming moldy, which often happens when stored in wooden cabinets and boxes.
These are the features of storing pumpkins in an apartment. Properly stored pumpkin will delight the autumn mood and create a supply of vitamins for the whole family for many months.