How to store a pumpkin in winter

Fragrant soup, healthy porridge and seeds – our autumn and winter would be incomplete without pumpkin. At the same time, pumpkin is an unpretentious vegetable; it does not require particularly complex manipulations for storage and processing. Just follow our instructions.

First of all, each pumpkin must be examined from all sides. Only those vegetables that are not damaged should be sent for storage. A prerequisite is the presence of a peduncle. If the pumpkin has it cut off, it will not be possible to keep it entirely for a long time. It is better to eat such vegetables in the first place.

The room where you are going to stack the pumpkins should be dark. Direct sunlight can be harmful. The air temperature suitable for pumpkin is +3…+15 degrees. Avoid drafts, while the room should be able to ventilate. Assess the humidity, the most suitable is 75-80 percent. With drier air, the pumpkin will dry out, due to the increased humidity, the vegetable may rot.

The pumpkin can be put for the winter on a glazed loggia. However, you should cover it with a rag or wrap it tightly with paper to hide it from the sun. Keep a warm blanket ready nearby, if the temperature on the loggia drops below zero, you will need to insulate the pumpkin so that it does not freeze.

Pumpkin categorically cannot be placed on a concrete or cement floor, unsuitable surface and linoleum. Ideally, put boards, sheets of plywood under the pumpkin, pack each vegetable in a spacious cardboard box.

Assess the humidity level in the room. So that it does not exceed 80 percent. Install wooden shelving in the cellar if the harvest is rich. Place pumpkins at a small distance from each other. Make sure that they do not come into contact with each other and with the walls of the rack. Otherwise, in this place the pumpkin may begin to deteriorate.

Tables, wooden shelves are suitable for storing pumpkins. You can lay straw under each pumpkin, this will allow you to “fix” the vegetable so that it does not suddenly roll down.

Actually, this option is similar to storage in the cellar. It is better to spread the pumpkin on a wooden base. Wood is a hygroscopic material, it will additionally absorb excess moisture, which will extend the shelf life of the pumpkin. The stems must be preserved. Lay the pumpkins with the stalks up. Twice a month, check your crop, lift, inspect from all sides. Just do not grab the stalks, they can come off and the vegetable fall out of your hands.

The best place in an apartment for a pumpkin is in non-solar rooms that can be ventilated. Lay the fruits under the bed, under the closet. Choose places away from radiators. By the way, the issue of humidity in the rooms is very relevant. Due to heating, the air in the rooms is often too dry, and this is detrimental to the pumpkin.

All these methods are suitable for a whole pumpkin, but what about pieces and halves?

The shelf life of the cut fruit in the refrigerator is approximately two weeks. Cut a whole pumpkin into halves and quarters. Remove pulp and seeds. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, foil, or clean paper. Put in the refrigerator, in the compartment for storing vegetables.

Mistresses recommend changing the foil or film once a week. This can increase the shelf life of the pumpkin by up to a month.

If you are the lucky owner of a large capacity freezer, you can freeze pumpkin slices. In this form, the vegetable can easily hold out until spring.

Wash the pumpkin, cut it, remove the peel, seeds and pulp. Cut the pumpkin into cubes, slices, sticks – any shape you like. Arrange the pieces in plastic bags, it is better to use special ones for freezing – they do not emit odor. Now send all packages to the freezer.

Another way to save a pumpkin until spring is to dry it in the oven. Washed and cut into small slices up to 1 cm thick, hold in boiling water for about two minutes. After that, spread at a small distance from each other on a baking sheet covered with parchment and send to the oven, heated to a temperature of 50-80 degrees. This process is not fast, periodically check the pumpkin. The pieces should become dry, but not lose elasticity. Place the dried pumpkin in a jar, lining each layer with parchment paper. Screw on the lid and store in a dark place.