Tips for storing zucchini until spring

Zucchini is an undemanding vegetable and easy to grow. Over the course of a season, a gardener can harvest a large quantity of these tasty and healthy fruits, which are simply impossible to eat or preserve while ripe. However, there are a few helpful tips on how to keep zucchini fresh until spring.

Varieties

Storage time depends directly on the vegetable variety. Thick-skinned zucchini with firm flesh and small seeds will keep the longest. The characteristics of suitable zucchini are listed in the table:

Zucchini also keeps well. If you follow all storage guidelines, some varieties (Shmel, Zolotinka, Skvorushka, Mnogostezny, and others) can even be kept until the next harvest.

Selecting fruits for storage

First, sort the vegetables. Choose healthy, undamaged fruits for storage. The harvest should be completed before the first frost. If the zucchini freezes, it won't survive long-term storage and will begin to rot prematurely. The fruits should be cut off along with the stem (about 5 cm). This will gradually dry out, preventing rot and infection. Before storing, remove any soil from the vegetables with a dry cloth and dry them in the sun or in a ventilated area for 1-3 hours.

For storage, select zucchini no longer than 40 cm, as they ripen further during storage. Fully ripe zucchini don't need this treatment, as the seeds may germinate internally. Furthermore, such zucchini will become loose and tasteless.

How to store

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You can store the crop in a cellar or basement, or even in an apartment. However, there are a few general rules that will ensure long-term storage with minimal loss of vitamins and flavor. The following conditions must be met:

• darkness;
• high humidity (at least 60);
• low, but not negative temperature (from 0 to +10);
• ventilation, but no drafts.

Zucchini will keep longer when stored next to other vegetables of the same family, such as pumpkins. Avoid allowing the vegetables to come into direct contact with each other.

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Cellar (basement)

The best place to store zucchini is to arrange them on shelves, lined with straw or thick paper. You can also store them in boxes (baskets, perforated boxes, etc.) vertically or horizontally, layering them with cardboard or burlap. Another option is to hang them in nylon material, such as old stockings. I place one zucchini per stocking.

Place a thermometer in the cellar to monitor the temperature. It should be between 4 and 10 degrees Celsius. Ventilate the cellar regularly (every 5 to 8 days).

Room and refrigerator

Zucchini also keeps well in a room in a city apartment. To store them, select vegetable crates or perforated cardboard boxes and place them near the front or balcony door. Wrap each zucchini in paper or cotton cloth and place it in the prepared container, then cover with burlap. If there's no space near the door, you can store the zucchini under the bed.

The harvest will keep in the refrigerator for no more than three weeks. Therefore, you should only store the fruit there if you don't plan on storing it longer. Young, thin-skinned vegetables can be placed in a vegetable tray, each placed in a perforated paper bag. During this time, try to move the fruit as little as possible.

Following proper preparation and storage procedures will ensure fresh zucchini for the winter. However, regardless of the storage method chosen, it's important to regularly inspect the storage area and promptly remove any beginning to rot to prevent infection from spreading to the remaining harvest.