How to keep zucchini for the winter

Each gardener grows zucchini on his site. They can be used in the preparation of many interesting dishes that diversify the winter menu. If you follow the storage conditions, you can keep the zucchini crop at home throughout the winter. Therefore, the issue of preserving culture arises.

Choosing the right varieties

Such vegetables can be stored fresh for the winter for a long time without problems, but only on condition that the temperature regime, humidity, and storage location are observed. Zucchini are popular for their high yields. This means that you can cook a huge number of seams, and also keep them fresh for the winter for a long time.

However, not every variety is suitable for winter storage. Keeping quality mainly depends on the selected variety. If the summer resident wants to keep the zucchini fresh for a long time, then special attention should be paid to the choice of seeds.

Mid-season and late-season varieties are preserved for the longest time.Early maturing are suitable for canning and cooking for several months. It is hardly possible to save them for the whole winter.

Also, zucchini should have a thick rind and small seeds. Modern breeders are trying to breed such hybrids in order to prolong the life of fresh fruits.

Long-lived zucchini include:

• Arlika F1;
• Asset F1;
• Negro child;
• Yellow-fruited;
• Anchor;
• Watermelon;
• Aeronaut;
• Pear-shaped;
• Aral F1;
• Festival;
• Gold Cup;
• all varieties of zucchini.

An important stage is the collection and selection of the crop

Harvesting must be done even before the onset of cold weather. It is important that the temperature is kept above freezing. Frozen vegetables have a short shelf life. Fruits that turned out to be at least slightly deformed: with cracks, dents, blackening - quickly deteriorate.

Harvesting rules:

1. The maturity of the squash is determined by its appearance: by color and size, depending on the selected variety.
2. You can tactilely determine the maturity of the crop... The vegetable is dense, its skin is thick, a dull sound is heard when tapped.
3. Mature zucchini should have a ripe stalk... Only the overripe fruit should not be allowed, otherwise keeping quality and taste characteristics are reduced.
4. You need to cut the fruits carefully with a garden knifeso as not to damage the fetus. Leave the leg at least five centimeters. After a while, it will dry out and protect the fetus from infection. The size of the vegetable should be between 20-40 cm.
5. Harvesting must be completed before the first frost... The collected fruits are recommended to be left in the fresh air under the sun's rays to dry. Put on film or in boxes in one layer and leave in the open air for 3-4 hours.

Important! You can not wet the crop with water. Medium-sized fruits reach a length of 20 cm. They are used for stewing, pickling, salads, they have small bones and soft pulp. It is recommended to leave large specimens for stuffing and stews.

Processing technology is carried out immediately after drying. It consists of the following stages:

1. Clean the vegetable from dirt, sand. It is important not to damage the zucchini rind.
2. The vegetables should be sorted by examining each one individually. If there is damage to the root crop, then they must be used first.
3. Choose medium-sized fruits for long-term storage, and use large fruits in the first months.

Interesting! The storage of zucchini can be designated as a separate item. Many summer residents attribute this type of zucchini to long-livers. For harvesting, fruits with a hard skin are chosen.

Necessary storage conditions

You can store zucchini at home as follows:

• canning;
• freeze;
• leave fresh.

Let's consider in more detail the option with fresh storage!

Zucchini are not very demanding vegetables, this fact allows you to keep the crop fresh even in the absence of special premises. However, it is important to create a comfortable environment for them.

To keep zucchini at home in winter, you need to adhere to the following rules:

1. Take care of the storage temperature of the crop... Zucchini is suitable t + 4 + 10 C.
2. Humidity the premises should be no more than 90%.
3. Room ventilation... There must be a possibility of free passage of fresh air.
4. Container... You can store zucchini for the winter in boxes, boxes. The fruits should not rub against each other. It is also recommended to wrap each fruit individually with paper. For a large number of fruits, this method is problematic to implement, so you can put a cardboard partition between the fruits.

General Tips

In order for the fruits to delight with their taste and benefits, it is important to properly store the zucchini at home. This will help you recommendations from experienced gardeners that must be followed:

• By the beginning of spring, the remaining fruits should be used for food. If there is too much crop left, it is recommended to peel, grate and freeze.
• Zucchini rotting occurs precisely from the tail.It is recommended to dip it into melted paraffin or wax before storing.
• Put the fruits in a box previously covered with sawdust or straw.
• Do not leave crops near heating appliances.
• When space is limited, crops can be stored in crates and boxes and stored under the bed.
• For freezing, young and overripe fruits are suitable.
• When buying zucchini at the store, it is best to opt for small to medium sized fruits with a bright green skin. They last longer. Large varieties are grown for stuffing.
• Overripe courgettes should be used first, especially if they are loose or wrinkled.
• Before cooking, zucchini should be rinsed and cleaned of dirt, cut off damaged areas. It is not recommended to cut off the peel completely, as it contains a huge amount of vitamins.
• Alternatively, you can hang the zucchini in mesh bags. If one fruit begins to rot, it will not affect the others.

Features of storage locations

Zucchini are popular not only because of their tasty and healthy pulp, but also due to their excellent keeping quality. You can keep zucchini fresh for the winter both in a private house and in an apartment. Let's consider both options in more detail.

In the apartment

It is very important at what temperature you will store the zucchini in winter. Due to the fact that the vegetable is suitable for a temperature of +10, it can be stored in an apartment environment.

To normally keep zucchini for the winter in an apartment, you must follow the rules:

• Storage is carried out in a dry, dark place: under the window, on the balcony, in the closet, in the refrigerator. It is important to keep the vegetable in the dark.
• At room temperature, you can save zucchini for the winter in an apartment for no more than 3-4 weeks. And at t 4-12 C, vegetables can lie for 2-4 months.
• Vegetables should be kept separately. Therefore, storage in bags, bags is not suitable. If there is not enough space, but there are many fruits, then you need to separate them with a partition.

Places in the apartment where you can store zucchini:

• Balcony or storage room... If the balcony is insulated and room temperature is maintained on it, then at this temperature it will be quite problematic to keep the zucchini for longer than a month and a half. If the balcony is cool, then the fruits will lie like in a cellar. Better to put vegetables in wooden boxes or on shelves lined with paper.
• Fridge... Although this is a rather limited space to store a lot of fruit, a couple of copies can be put. You can store zucchini in the refrigerator for no more than 2 weeks, because the fruit will not lie due to the high humidity. The decay process may begin. It is better to fold the fruit in a paper bag with pre-made holes for ventilation.

• Under the windows... If there is no balcony in the apartment, then you can store zucchini in the apartment right under the windows, just not near the battery. It is convenient to put the fruits in boxes. The main thing is to ensure that the container is darkened from light.

In a private house

As a rule, keeping zucchini fresh for the winter in a private house is not difficult. There is enough space for this.

Without a doubt, the best place to store zucchini for the winter is in the cellar (basement). But you can put the crop in an insulated barn or in another room in the house. The place where the zucchini will be stored must meet all sanitary requirements.

Consider the parameters of the cellar in which you can store zucchini for the winter:

1. The room must be clean, dry and maintained at a certain t mode. There should be no fungus, mold, too high humidity. You also need to take care of cleaning the room from rodents and insects. After pickling the pests, a general cleaning should be done.
2. The cellar or basement in which you will store zucchini for the winter should be well ventilated, and protection from groundwater should also be provided.
3. Ideal t + 4 + 10 C.

Video: how to keep zucchini fresh for the winter at home.

When the cellar meets these requirements, you can move the zucchini there and store for the winter:

• It is most convenient to organize special racks or boxes.
• It is recommended to put sawdust and hay on them.
• The fruits should not be rubbed, it is also necessary to provide that moisture does not get under them.

If you store zucchini in a cellar in winter, taking into account the above rules, then you can save the vegetable until spring. However, with a change in t and the arrival of heat, the seeds in the zucchini begin to sprout, which spoils the vegetable. It is better to use it for its intended purpose until this time.

Interesting! Ordinary chalk or ash can be an assistant in this matter. To do this, sprinkle them with chalk or ash when placing fruits in a cellar or basement.

Video: how to store zucchini at home.

Other ways to save

There are other ways to preserve the harvest:

• Freezing... If space permits, you can cut the zucchini into slices and store it cut in the freezer for the winter. To do this, the fruits are thoroughly washed, peeled, cut into slices and frozen in a container or plastic bag. If the fruits are young, then the peel can be left. If you keep the zucchini in the freezer for the winter, then later they can be used to prepare various dishes.

Video: how to freeze and store zucchini for the winter in the freezer.

• Canning... You can prepare various salads, stews, caviar, pickles and even marrow jam and roll up the fruits in glass jars. Thus, the "life" of the vegetable will last until the next season.

Video: how to preserve zucchini for the winter.

Important! Regardless of the storage location, vegetables should be checked regularly for rot. You can recognize the beginning of the process by the tail (it is with it that rotting begins).

If the fruit is very dark and shriveled, then you need to remove it from storage. Otherwise, it will infect other fruits. Sprinkling chalk on the crop will protect it from rot. The procedure should be performed once every 10 days.

Typical mistakes

You can save zucchini at home in winter without costs and problems. However, there are several popular mistakes that some summer residents make when storing a vegetable:

• Young zucchini of milky ripeness will not last long, although they are tasty. Maximum will withstand 2 weeks.
• Cut fruits without a stalk deteriorate very quickly, being affected by putrefactive bacteria.
• Storage on a cold balcony can lead to frostbite of the fruit, the skin will begin to darken, and the zucchini will lose flavor.
• After harvesting, do not rinse the fruit in water.

This amazing vegetable can be used to make a variety of dishes, curls, salads, and even use it to make sweet jam! That is, the use can be varied, as well as ways to save it.

It is certainly pleasant when, on cold snowy days, you can enjoy a healthy and mouth-watering vegetable. And if you follow the storage conditions of the vegetable, then you can eat dishes with it all winter. The main thing is to choose the right variety from the beginning and decide in what way the zucchini will be preserved: fresh or seaming, freezing. Good luck!