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Growing zucchini is a rewarding activity for gardeners. The vegetable is quite unpretentious to the conditions, has a good taste and nutritional value. High-yielding varieties provide fruits throughout the season without interruption. But, only in winter, such delicious zucchini are sometimes unavailable. You can use homemade products, but you want to enjoy fresh fruits.
Every experienced grower knows that not everything Zucchini varieties suitable for long storage... Good keeping quality is a particular advantage of some varieties suitable for long-term storage. How to keep nutritious fruits until the next harvest? There are some factors to consider:
- the ability of the variety for long-term storage (maturation);
- the conditions under which zucchini will be stored in the winter;
- the structure of the fetus;
- preparation for storage.
For storage, zucchini varieties with a thick skin and small seeds are suitable. Modern breeders are trying to breed such species in order to make it possible to keep fresh fruits for as long as possible.
Let's get acquainted with long-lived zucchini
Among the varieties that are recommended to be grown for storage purposes, there are zucchini, decorative colorful zucchini and ordinary ones.
"Aeronaut"
An early variety of zucchini. It takes about 45 days to mature. It has cylindrical fruits and a beautiful dark green color. Ripe zucchini weighs up to one and a half kilograms. Stores well for 4 monthsthan provides a vitamin supplement to the table until late autumn. The peel of the variety is not very dense, so it does not withstand longer storage. The yield is about 7 kg per 1 sq. m of soil. Disease resistance provides a large number of edible zucchini.
"Pear-shaped"
Also an early variety that can maintain its freshness for a long time. The fruits have an original pear shape weighing up to 1.3 kg. The flesh has a beautiful dark orange color, remains tender for a long time, retains its nutritional and taste qualities. The skin is dense, which makes it possible for a long time store zucchini of this variety. The seeds are sown at the end of May, and the harvest can be harvested in 50 days.
A bush with thick whips and large leaves. Zucchini of this variety are demanding for watering and lighting. If the conditions are met, then the yield will be very high.
"Yellow-fruited"
Zucchini of this variety is small - up to 1 kg. They have a regular cylindrical shape and a beautiful yellow color. They differ from the fruits of other zucchini by their high carotene content. The variety is very productive. With good care, it gives from 1 sq. m up to 18 kg of zucchini. Demanding to watering and nutrition. A properly harvested crop can be saved for more than three months... The bush contains thick whips, but few leaves.
"Aral F1"
Hybrid variety of early ripening. Is different:
- high yield;
- excellent keeping quality;
- resistance to frost and viruses.
Fruits are small, weighing up to 800 g. With regular collection of ripe zucchini (2 times a week), you can collect up to 22 kg from 1 sq. M.
"The festival"
A very beautiful variety, suitable for storage. Fruits are round, striped, with tender pulp. It is considered the record holder for shelf life among zucchini. Does not lose its qualities within 10 months after harvest.
"Golden Cup"
Bush type squash, successfully stored until February, without losing its taste at all. 5-6 zucchini ripen on one bush at once.
"Arlika F1"
Medium early grade.Differs in high productivity, long fruiting period, excellent keeping quality. Fruits are small, weighing up to 800 g, ripen in 60 days. Stored very well if the rules are followed.
"Negro"
A high-yielding early-maturing variety with an unusual color. Zucchini cylindrical black-green with tasty green pulp. Stored for more than 2 months.
Genovese
An early variety of Italian selection of zucchini. 60 days pass before harvesting. Is different:
- high yield;
- excellent taste;
- the ability to long-term storage.
The berries are cylindrical, weighing up to 1.7 kg.
"Watermelon"
Zucchini variety bred by crossing with watermelon. It has a very dense skin, tasty pulp, large seeds. Stored until the next harvest. The fruits are large and heavy.
We start the preparation process
The most important condition is to remember that the preparation of zucchini for long-term storage begins from the moment the seeds are sown.
- To grow vegetables for storage, sow seeds directly into the ground... The optimal time is late May or early June. In this case, the fruits are less exposed to root rot. The soil is prepared, the seeds are germinated and planted, observing the scheme and planting depth.
- They choose plants without diseases and pests. The zucchini should be plucked when the skin is tighter. Unripe or young fruits are only suitable for human consumption. But, overexposing them on the bush is also not worth it. It is necessary to harvest the crop before frost, otherwise the skin will lose its protective properties.
- Cut off the fruit of the squash with a small leg (about 5 cm). It must dry out so that infection does not penetrate through it. In short, you should not cut off the leg - the thickness of the protective plug may be insufficient. According to the condition of the leg, the storage of the fruit is monitored. As soon as traces of damage or decay are noticed, the zucchini must be removed.
- Before preparing for storage, the skins of the zucchini are peeled from the ground and the fruits are slightly dried in the air.Important! It is strictly forbidden to wash the zucchini before storing it. It is also not recommended to put the fruits in a bag. Vegetables should be kept open. An exception is the method of saving zucchini in the apartment.
- Lay out the zucchini in one layer, trying not to let the fruit come into contact.
- The basic requirements for good keeping quality are ventilated cool room... The optimum temperature is 4-10 ° C above zero. Humidity is maintained at 80%. It is good to store zucchini in the dark. Many gardeners use the cellar for these purposes, but some successfully store vegetables under the bed.
- Variety selection is very important... It is necessary to set aside for storage those varieties that are distinguished by good keeping quality. Otherwise, the zucchini will rot.
- It is imperative to adhere to the shelf life. You should not store zucchini in the cellar for a very long time. The fruits can start to deteriorate from the inside, which will lead to a loss of taste and nutritional qualities. We'll have to throw away the healthy vegetables.
Observing simple rules, you can feast on healthy fruits for a very long time.
Choosing a storage location
The most suitable would be a cellar or basement. It is necessary to provide the zucchini with the absence of light, the required temperature and humidity. To control the indicators, you will have to hang a thermometer in the room. The basement must be regularly ventilated. There are ways to increase or decrease the temperature in the room, regulate the humidity indicator. If conditions are not adjusted, vegetables can quickly deteriorate. Shelves are suitable for laying out zucchini.
They can be covered with straw. If the shelves are occupied or absent, then home craftsmen hang the zucchini from the ceiling in a fine mesh.
Be sure to check the cellar for pests that can destroy the entire crop. Pay the same attention to mold. Try to provide good ventilation.
In the absence of a basement, you can find a suitable storage space at home, in the country or in an apartment.The main thing is that there are no heating appliances nearby. A room with high humidity will not work either. The zucchini can be folded into a spacious drawer and placed next to the door.
If it is impossible to create such conditions, spread the fruits under the bed. Pack each zucchini in paper and make sure that the vegetables do not touch each other.
The varieties of zucchini suitable for storage can be placed in different conditions. Another storage place is the refrigerator. However, its options are limited. The optimal period for which the fruits do not have time to deteriorate is 3 weeks. Place the zucchini in a bag with ventilation holes and place in the vegetable compartment.
This does not apply to record holders for storage duration - "Festival" and "Watermelon"... It makes no sense to overexpose other varieties. The fruits lose their taste, become tough or, conversely, very soft. The nutritional value is reduced. In this case, it is better to use frozen, dried or canned zucchini.
