Keeping broccoli fresh for long periods of time is not an easy task. This is a delicate vegetable that quickly deteriorates if storage rules are not followed. But still, experienced gardeners manage not only to grow an excellent harvest of this vegetable, but also to extend its shelf life. In this article I would like to figure out when it is better to cut broccoli and how to store it correctly. We will also see interesting videos about growing and harvesting cabbage, beloved by many.
Harvesting
The whole process cultivation may just go down the drain if the cabbage is not picked in time. Moreover, you should not pick either unripe or overripe fruits. It is especially difficult to readily guess the heads if the broccoli is grown in the country, and there is no way to constantly observe the growth.
You can determine that the time has come to collect fruits by the following signs:
- A ripe broccoli head has a diameter of at least 10 cm. You can focus on the size of your palm. This is how cabbage should be.
- You can also determine readiness by the color of the heads. Ripe broccoli is dark green in color. At this time, the buds are still closed. If you see that the buds begin to bloom and acquire a yellow color, then there is nowhere to hesitate with harvesting. Blooming cabbage loses its taste and is not suitable for cooking. Even slightly yellowed fruits no longer have that attractiveness and exquisite taste.
- Full maturity usually occurs 2 months after the first shoots appear. At this stage, each head of cabbage should weigh at least 250 grams.
- As long as the temperature has not dropped below 0, the cabbage can safely remain in the garden. Broccoli is often harvested in late autumn. In each region, cabbage ripens at a different time.
The video below shows how and when to harvest broccoli kaputa.
How to harvest broccoli correctly
Fruit harvesting takes place in this way:
- The best time to harvest is early in the morning. In the scorching sun, the cabbage will quickly fade.
- You should not pluck the cabbage by the roots or tear off the fruit. Only the head itself is cut off. So, we retreat about 10 cm down from the head itself and cut off the broccoli. In no case should you cut the stem, this will only damage the bush, which may re-harvest in the future.
- You need to have time to harvest the broccoli before the temperature drops below -2 ° C. Cabbage does not tolerate low temperatures and may simply freeze. One night with light frosts and the harvest, you can say goodbye.
- When the main head is cut off, side shoots will begin to actively grow. Since they are small in size, they grow quite quickly. It is necessary to constantly monitor to cut ripe cabbage on time. Usually, young shoots are fully ripe within 3 days. If the weather outside is cloudy, then ready-made fruits can be expected no earlier than in a week. The fruits harvested on time are much better stored. So, without missing out on the ripeness of broccoli, you can get a delicious and healthy dietary vegetable.
Harvest storage
Of course, every gardener would like to preserve his harvest for a long time. For this it is necessary to leave the base of the bush on the garden bed. After the main head of cabbage is cut, new side shoots will appear on it. Due to this property, cabbage can be harvested from the garden several more times.
This cabbage keeps well in the freezer for 6 months.The inflorescences should be separated and separated into vacuum or other freezer bags. Do the same with the main head of cabbage. In the video below, you can more clearly see how to properly freeze cabbage for the winter.
But not everyone knows how to freeze broccoli properly. This is done as follows:
- cabbage is washed in cold water;
- then the heads of cabbage are cleaned of leaves and woody parts of the stem;
- the head is divided into small inflorescences;
- prepare a saline solution (2 tablespoons of salt per 2 liters of water);
- inflorescences are soaked for half an hour in the prepared solution. This is to get the caterpillars and other insects out of the cabbage;
- after 30 minutes, rinse the broccoli in water again;
- a large container is placed on the stove and more than half of the water is poured into it. Turn on the fire and bring the water to a boil;
- after the water boils, prepared inflorescences are thrown there and kept in boiling water for at least 3 minutes;
- the cabbage is removed from the pan using a colander and immersed in ice water for 5 minutes. If the water is not cold enough, you can throw ice there;
- now the broccoli is taken out of the water and left in a colander to drain;
- further, cabbage is packed in special bags or containers. Air is released from the bags and tied well;
- broccoli is completely ready to freeze.
But, many gardeners want to keep broccoli fresh. This storage method is also practiced, but vegetables will not stand as long as in the freezer. Usually, ripe cabbage can last no more than 5 days. Subject to all storage rules, this period will last up to a maximum of 15 days. This does not apply to damaged or diseased heads of cabbage. In this case, the harvest time plays an important role. Cut heads on time will be stored a little longer than overripe ones. The video above shows what a ripe cabbage should look like.
It is best to store fresh cabbage in the refrigerator. For this, there must be appropriate conditions:
- air humidity should be about 90%;
- temperature regime not less than 0 and not more than + 10 ° C;
- there should be no other vegetables or fruits in the broccoli drawer. Some of them have the ability to release ethylene, which is bad for the quality of broccoli. Because of this substance, cabbage begins to rot and quickly deteriorates.
To keep your broccoli fresh, you must follow the instructions carefully:
- Heads of cabbage should be inspected for insects and damage. In addition, there may be mold and dark spots on cabbage. Because of this, the fruits quickly begin to deteriorate and rot.
- There is no need to wash vegetables before placing them in the refrigerator. This is done just before using the cabbage.
- You can put the head in a plastic bag, but in no case should you close it. Vapors will remain inside the bag, which can cause the vegetable to grow moldy.
- The humidity in the refrigerator must be at least 90%. If it is not enough, you can use the following technique. Place a damp paper towel on the bottom of the vegetable drawer. Then put a bag of broccoli there. This method allows you to extend the shelf life of cabbage. The vegetable will now be stored in your refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.
It is best not to refrigerate broccoli for a long time. The longer the vegetable is left, the worse the taste will be. It is advised to cook the cabbage within 4 days of harvest. If you do not have time to cook a vegetable, then it is better to freeze the cabbage in the way described above.
Conclusion
So, we looked at how broccoli is harvested and stored. These are very important stages. Every gardener knows how difficult it is to keep broccoli fresh for a long time.These tips will help you avoid mistakes and cook meals from self-grown vegetables all winter. Also, do not forget to watch the video on harvesting broccoli for the winter.
