Where to store tomatoes in the refrigerator or not. How can you keep tomatoes fresh? Where to store tomatoes in the apartment
How to store tomatoes at home? This question arises only for those who have a reserve or who have harvested a rich harvest in the fall. There are techniques that allow you to keep them fresh without resorting to preservation for a long time.
But first, let's deal with small parties.
Can it be stored in the refrigerator?
Many people know that storing tomatoes in the refrigerator is not the best option: tomatoes quickly lose their taste, and in appearance they become loose and completely unattractive.
The fact is that the bright and beloved taste of fresh tomatoes is the result of a combination of sugars, acids and volatile substances in them. Volatile substances are temperature dependent, therefore, with an excess of cold or, conversely, at too high a temperature, tomatoes change their taste and aroma for the worse.
In addition, harmful elements accumulate in fruits that are stored in the refrigerator for a long time. Can these vegetables be stored in the refrigerator at all? Of course, but keep in mind that without a significant loss of taste, they will lie there for a short time.
At temperatures from +4 C to +6 C, tomatoes purchased in good condition, can lie in a refrigerator drawer without packaging for about a month,At temperatures from +1 C to +3 C degrees - about forty days. At the same time, they will become soft, loose, lose their taste and aroma.
Preparing a large crop for storage
To successfully store tomatoes at home, you need to properly prepare them:
- Storing tomatoes, just like other vegetables, starts with sorting. Ripe and overripe are put into food or processing in the first place, but pinkish, brown, whitened and green can wait.
- Thus, it is necessary to divide vegetables by maturity and size. This is important because different optimal temperatures are recommended for red and green fruits, and large tomatoes tend to ripen faster than small ones.
- It makes sense to store only dense, truly fresh tomatoes. Even one slightly damaged can damage the entire volume of stocks. For the same reason, stocks must be periodically inspected, removing spoiled ones from the total mass.
- Vegetables will keep for a long time if they are stacked completely dry and with stalks.
- A weak solution of gelatin or the thinnest wax layer helps keep tomatoes fresh. Each fruit is treated with such a “protection”, which then needs to be slightly dried.
- Vegetables will be stored longer if treated with potassium permanganate or a solution boric acid (0,3%).
- Sorted, processed vegetables can be placed in storage containers.
Ripe tomatoes are best eaten first.
How to store the harvest
Where to store tomatoes? In any suitable room that you have at your disposal. To take into account the main factors for the long-term maintenance of fresh tomatoes, you can follow the following rules:
- Store in well-ventilated, well-ventilated boxes. There should be clean paper on the bottom. The fruits must be correctly laid out: lay rows with paper or wrap each tomato individually. They can also be sprinkled with peat or sawdust.
- Tomatoes that were harvested at the stage of milky maturity should be wrapped in thin black paper and placed in a box, separating the layers from each other with straw.
- The container is best placed in a dark, well-ventilated room that maintains a temperature of +10 C.
- In the room where the vegetables will be kept, it is necessary to provide ventilation to eliminate the gas released by the tomatoes.
- About once every 7-10 days you need to check the stocks: spoiled vegetables should not lie with healthy ones. Most common causes spoilage of fruits - phytophthora and bacterial cancer. The fact that the fruits are sick is evidenced by brown spots that appear on them. You can save such tomatoes with the help of pasteurization.
- IN hot water vegetables are immersed and kept there for 2 minutes. Exceeding this time is not recommended, it is fraught with the fact that the fruits simply soften and become loose. After that, they need to be put on paper to dry in a dry and ventilated place.
- If all recommendations are followed, the fruits suitable varieties keep fresh until January.
Green and red tomatoes require various conditions for successful storage
Other storage methods
- Freeze. frozen fresh ripe tomatoes can be stored for three to four months. At the same time, defrosted vegetables stored in freezer Perfect for salads and other dishes.
- Vacuum. The fruits are placed in sterilized jars and poured with two tablespoons of alcohol. Banks need to be rotated so that alcohol gets on large quantity fruits. At the next step, the wick is lowered into the container and ignited. After a while, the alcohol will begin to burn, and this is the right moment to roll up the jar. The oxygen in it will burn, and the tomatoes will be in a vacuum. You can also use a special device to create a vacuum. They can survive in a vacuum for about three months.
- Mustard. In sterilized three-liter jars, a thick layer of mustard powder should be poured to the bottom. Put a layer of tomatoes on top, storage will be successful if you place them with the stalks up. Sprinkle them thickly with mustard, then lay out another layer. The final layer should again be mustard. Banks are rolled up and put into storage. This method will help extend the life of the crop as much as the keeping quality of the selected variety provides.
- Vinegar-salt solution. Put the washed tomatoes in a bowl and cover with a mixture of vinegar, water and salt (8:1:1);
- Vegetable oil. Pour vegetable oil tomatoes (on top vegetables should be covered with one centimeter of oil).
- Salt. Sliced vegetables are laid out in a container with about 8-10 cm layer, sprinkled with salt a little, whole fruits are placed on top of them, which are also salted. So until the container is full.
Simple boxes are ideal for storing vegetables
Varieties suitable for storage
Experienced gardeners know, and beginners need to take into account that not all varieties are suitable for long-term storage, but only those that are intended for long-term storage.
Here are some of the varieties popular with our gardeners:
- Average shelf life (approximately two months): Oak, Lunar, Japanese Crab, New Masterpiece.
- Tomatoes that will last until the new year: Khutorskoy, Zhanna, New Year's, Rio Grande, Podzimny, Masterpiece.
- Tomatoes that can be kept fresh throughout the winter: Khrustik F1, Vasilisa, Giraffe, Long Keeper, Orange ball.
You can find out which variety is suitable for storage before choosing seeds or seedlings in the store, in addition, this is indicated on the seed packaging. In any case, given the difference in climate in different regions, it is best to choose varieties zoned for your conditions.
Tomatoes are amazingly healthy vegetables. They contain a lot of useful acids, for example, phosphoric and citric acids, as well as vitamins of groups A, B, C and D. In addition, these vegetables are useful because the carotene contained in them becomes a vitamin when it enters the human body. And of great benefit.
Of course, like any other product, they lose some of their useful properties during storage, but observing optimal conditions can significantly slow down this process.
Gathering a bountiful harvest personal plot we try to keep the fruits of our labor as long as possible. This also applies to the harvest of red berries - tomato. And everything would be nothing when there is a private house, but, for example, how to store tomatoes in an apartment, and if they did not have time to ripen, then what to do with green tomatoes? In our article you will find answers to these questions.
When choosing a variety of tomatoes, pay attention to the period of its ripening: there are early-ripening, mid-ripening and late ones. Late varieties are suitable for storage.
Did you know? Late varieties contain the Rin gene: it slows down the ripening of the fetus, stretching the metabolism. Therefore, the pulp and crust of such varieties of tomatoes remain juicy and elastic.
The late ones include a number of varieties and hybrids: giraffe, new year, large tomatoes Long Keeper, F1, Slugger and Masterpiece, Khutorskoy and Khrustik hybrid.
Varieties such as Red Cherry, Cherry Liza, Cherry Lycopa can be stored for 2.5 months. Carpal varieties have very good performance for long-term storage: Intuition, Instinct, Reflex. Similar characteristics are inherent in the following hybrids: Monica, Master, Brilliant, Viscount, Trust, Resento.
How to harvest tomatoes for storage
Whether you keep your tomatoes fresh for the winter depends on the conditions in which they are harvested.
- Collect tomatoes for storage until frost (night temperature should not fall below + 8 ... + 5 ° С).
- Collect tomatoes for storage during the day when the dew has gone.
- Take only intact and firm tomatoes.
- Sort by size.
- Sort according to maturity.
- Remove the stalks from each berry, but do not pull them out. So you can damage the fetus itself. If the stalk does not separate, leave it on the tomato.
Did you know? Large vegetables ripen faster than small ones.
What conditions are needed for storing tomatoes
The room where the tomatoes will be stored should be clean, ventilated, dark. Tomatoes for storage are placed in 2-3 layers in boxes after preliminary sorting. To preserve all the nutrients in tomatoes and prevent them from spoiling, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime. Different temperatures are suitable for tomatoes of different maturity: 1-2 ° C for ripe ones, 4-6 ° C for slightly reddened ones, and 8-12 ° C for green ones. The maximum allowable temperature should not exceed +18 °C.
Humidity should not be neglected either: ensure the room has a sufficient level of moisture, but do not over-moisten it. It is necessary to inspect the bookmark for storage every day.
How to store ripe tomatoes
Experienced agronomists have always known how to keep fresh tomatoes longer. It is advised to prepare a gelatin non-concentrated solution or apply a wax layer to the fruits. After such manipulations, the fruits are dried and sent for storage. They say that you can extend the storage by using alcohol / vodka, a 0.3% solution of boric acid, or a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. All this will completely destroy the microbes on the tomatoes.
Temperature affects the shelf life of ripe tomatoes. Ripe tomato fruits can be stored for up to one and a half months at a temperature of 1-3 ° C without losing their quality.
Ripe tomatoes can be stored in jars, covered with mustard powder or "dry sterilized" with alcohol. You can store ripe fruits in paper bags, cartons, plastic bags, refrigerator or any ventilated area.
Storage conditions for green tomatoes
In folk practice, there are many ways to store green tomatoes until ripe. In order for everything to work out, it is important to observe the temperature conditions. To keep the tomatoes green as long as possible, the temperature should be between 10–12 ° C and the air humidity should be 80–85%.
Choose not to store large fruits green, milky pink. We spread the fruits in 2-3 layers, with the “buttocks” on top. You can store in cardboard boxes, plastic ventilated boxes, on the shelves in the basement. If you store tomatoes in boxes, then fill in the fruits onion peel and keep the temperature -2..+2 ºС - this will prolong storage.
Materials that prolong storage:
- sphagnum peat;
- sawdust;
- onion peel;
- petroleum jelly and paraffin (should be applied to each fruit);
- paper (you need to wrap each individual tomato).
Adviсe:
It turns out there is a proven way to store green tomatoes so that they turn red. Don't need any special treatments or paints. Add some red tomatoes and hay to the crates if you want to speed up the ripening process. A banana is also suitable for these purposes: ripe tomatoes and a ripe banana release ethylene, which speeds up ripening. Take out ripening tomatoes to the light - this will speed up the "coloring" of the fruit.
You can store tomatoes as a whole bush. You need to hang a healthy bush with green tomatoes before frost in a room where it is dry, warm and there is enough light. This upside down position will provide useful elements to all fruits.
If the room temperature exceeds 30 ° C, not ripe tomatoes turn red at all, their taste will be sour, although it looks like a red tomato. Tomatoes are badly affected by dry air and heat: the fruits will be wrinkled with a modified pulp structure. And if during the storage of tomatoes there is damp air and low temperature- tomatoes may not turn red at all, diseases will develop, and the fruits will become unusable.
By following such simple conditions, be sure that the tomatoes will last up to 2.5 months or longer.
Where is the best place to store tomatoes?
Asking the question of how to store tomatoes, we must also think about where to store them. The storage location is very important for this berry. If you live in a private house, then store tomatoes in a cellar, garage (if there is enough moisture and no harmful substances). In an apartment, many do not imagine how you can keep tomatoes fresh for the winter. For storage, a balcony or bathroom is suitable. In both options, it is necessary to maintain constant moisture, ensure the absence of light (tomatoes ripen faster in the light) and a moderate temperature. And, of course, do not forget to periodically inspect the fruits for damage or manifestations of possible diseases.
Why You Shouldn't Store Tomatoes in the Refrigerator
Important! Only ripe fruits can be stored in the refrigerator. It is not advisable to store green tomatoes in the refrigerator - they will not ripen. Eat certain conditions how to store tomatoes in the refrigerator.
- Store only ripe berries.
- Place the fruits in the vegetable compartment.
- You can wrap each tomato in paper.
- You can keep tomatoes in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
If you store tomatoes beyond this period, they will lose their taste. Also, the pulp will begin to undergo changes in its structure to the point that you will not be able to eat tomatoes, and they will have to be thrown away.
What to do if tomatoes start to rot
No matter how much you try to keep fresh tomatoes longer, some of them can still go bad. Therefore, it is important to inspect the fruits daily. The most common tomato diseases are late blight and bacterial cancer. The first manifests itself in the form of blurry subcutaneous spots, and the second affects the stalk. Spots of brown color with a white halo along the edges have a black border.
Important! bacterial cancer infects seeds and spreads with them. These diseases can be overcome unusual way- "sterilization" of tomatoes.
- Heat water to 60°C.
- Lower the tomatoes strictly for 2 minutes.
- Dry.
- Spread elsewhere for storage on newspaper or burlap.
Now the question of how to store tomatoes at home or how to store tomatoes in the refrigerator so that they stay fresh for the winter will not confuse you. Use proven ways to keep tomatoes longer, and let this berry please you with its taste and aroma.
Kira Stoletova
Many of us love a salad made with fresh vegetables, such as cucumbers and tomatoes. In the article, we will consider how to keep tomatoes fresh for as long as possible at home.
Tomato storage rules
At 5-6º red vegetables lose everything beneficial features. The optimum storage temperature is above 20º. Tomatoes in such conditions became more useful, rich in composition.
Red, ripened fruits can be stored for about a week. Again, the shelf life of tomatoes depends on their degree of maturity, appearance and transportation conditions.
Storing Green Tomatoes
Green tomatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator. They will go bad or stay green.
The process of ripening tomatoes should take place at room temperature(15-20º). If the room is too hot, the fruits will stop emitting a coloring pigment and will not ripen. It is best if the temperature reaches 13º. Only in this case they will turn red and retain their taste properties.
Tatyana Orlova (Candidate of Agricultural Sciences):
If there is a need for the plucked green tomato fruits to ripen faster, it is enough to put 1 red to a group of green tomatoes. After 3-5 days, all the fruits will also turn red. The same effect is given by a fresh ripe banana, placed in a box with green tomatoes. This is because ripe fruits release ethylene gas, which speeds up fruit ripening.
Properly store fresh tomatoes in the refrigerator in the fruit and vegetable compartment, where optimum temperature. You can also store tomatoes on the bottom shelf. This will keep fresh tomatoes as long as possible.
Ripe tomatoes are stored for 2-3 days. Unripe - up to 7 days.
- It is best to store tomatoes by placing them in one row. Of course, you can put them in two rows, but so that the bottom row is not squeezed too much.
- If a tomato lies in the refrigerator for several days, and then it enters a room at room temperature, then it begins to release useful substances.
- Wrap each tomato in paper. This will keep the fortress for a long time. In addition, the tomato is not squeezed in paper, if the fruits were laid out in two rows.
Storing tomatoes in a plastic bag will not lead to anything good. The fruits do not breathe, the moisture in the bag rises and after a few hours such vegetables can simply rot.
Storage in a glass jar
Storing tomatoes in glass jars allows you to keep the fruits for several months. The main thing at the same time is to choose tomatoes that do not contain rot and mechanical damage.
A new way that allows you to store tomatoes in this form is as follows. Fresh tomatoes should be thoroughly washed and dried. Next, put them in a glass, necessarily sterilized jar. When the jar is full, pour in 3 tbsp. l. alcohol. After that, close the plastic lid and turn it well in your hands. Then we need to lower the wick inside the jar and set it on fire. When the alcohol starts to burn, the jar needs to be rolled up metal lid.
Balcony storage
You can store tomatoes on the balcony at a temperature of 5 to 12º. How to do it right:
- First you will have to find a box, preferably wooden.
- We cover it with paper and put tomatoes there. Paper can be replaced with cotton fabric.
- If the tomatoes are laid out in several rows, then we will definitely lay paper or cloth between the rows. But use plastic bags or the film is absolutely impossible.
- Boxes with vegetables can be stacked on top of each other.
In order to prolong the ripening period of green fruits and thereby lengthen the period of its consumption, all harvested green tomatoes are divided into several batches and stored at room temperature. different temperatures. One group of fruits can be placed in a room (for example, on a windowsill). They will come to maturity in 7-10 days. Keep the second batch on a balcony or glazed loggia, where the usual autumn temperature is + 12-15 degrees. The third batch is in the refrigerator, in the vegetable compartment.
Tomatoes are a favorite vegetable used by many as the main component of salads and as an addition to hot dishes. At the end of the season, I really want to find the best way to store tomatoes so that they stay juicy and tasty longer. In our article, we will talk about how to properly preserve the harvest of ripe tomatoes at home, and also talk about storing green fruits at the ripening stage.
Storage conditions
To keep tomatoes fresh for a long time, you need to create right conditions. Without certain requirements, for example, in a package in kitchen cabinet, tomatoes lie for only a few days, after which they begin to deteriorate quickly.
For many, it is customary to store tomatoes in the refrigerator, where they can lie for up to 10 days. But if you want to save tomatoes longer, for example, until the new year, you need to consider the following factors:
- choose for storage only whole fruits, without the slightest damage and traces of damage;
- give preference immature tomatoes, not ripe specimens;
- take care of the right temperature regime . It will depend on the degree of ripeness and the specific method of storage;
- ensure regular air ventilation in room.
Methods for long-term storage of tomatoes
Each of the methods below is suitable for tomatoes varying degrees maturity - from completely green to ripe and overripe fruits. For savings, both homemade tomatoes, just picked from the garden, and bought on the market, are suitable.
Check the storage location at least twice a week. The point is not only in the possible damage to the fruits, but also in the speed of their ripening. Ripe (or already maturing) tomatoes release ethylene, which activates the ripening process of the rest. Therefore, instances that start to turn red should be removed from storage as soon as possible. For the same reason, apples or pears of autumn harvest should not be kept next to tomatoes.
Ripe fruits perfectly stored in clean slatted boxes made of plastic or wood. Line the bottom of the container with clean paper / parchment and spread the tomatoes on it, additionally shifting each row with paper or wrapping vegetables in it. When all the tomatoes are stacked, cover the contents with peat or sawdust. In this form, tomatoes can stand for several months if the temperature in the room is maintained no more than + 8 ... 12 ℃.
To keep tomatoes fresh for the winter, it is important to harvest at the stage of milk maturity. If the weather permits, green fruits are best removed from the garden as late as possible, for example, in October. Wrap each vegetable in thin black paper and arrange carefully in a wired box, lining each row with straw. Store the workpiece in a dry dark place with good ventilation system at +10℃. Subject to all conditions, the tomatoes will gradually ripen and remain until January.
To destroy microbes and extend the shelf life of tomatoes, the boxes must be treated with pharmaceutical alcohol and dried before laying.
- in vegetable oil. Put the tomatoes in glass jars and pour in sunflower or other vegetable oil so that it completely covers the vegetables. The oil layer on top should be at least 1 cm. Close the workpiece with an iron or plastic lid;
- in brine. Mix water, salt and vinegar in a ratio of 8:1:1. Put the washed tomatoes in a container and pour the prepared solution.
For fast ripening green fruits (5-10 days) spread the tomatoes on the floor in a well-lit place with a temperature of about +25 ℃. You can pick the fruits directly with the stalks and stems and hang in a ventilated room. A small amount of unripe vegetables can be laid out in the apartment right on the windowsill so that they turn red.
To keep tomatoes fresh longer, don't wash them before storing them.
Proven way to store ripe tomatoes - salting. Select strong red fruits for harvesting, free them from the stalks. Separately prepare overripe tomatoes: they need to be cut into large pieces. Put a layer of chopped tomatoes 8-10 cm thick in a saucepan or jar, salt a little, put a layer of whole fruits on top and sprinkle with salt again. Fill the container to the top so that the last layer is salt. Close container tightly and store in a cool place.
For detailed recipes for preparing tomatoes for the winter, see this section of our website.
Where to store tomatoes in the apartment?
Still thinking about how to store tomatoes at home in an apartment? If in countryside there is almost always a cellar - the best place to conserve tomatoes, city dwellers have to choose between refrigeration and room temperature storage. Decide on the best option The following principles will help:
- For storing tomatoes, designed for consumption in the near future, suitable any place protected from the sun. Lay the tomatoes flat side down on a windowsill or kitchen table. In a couple of days they will become more tasty and will not lose their flavor.
- To keep ripe red tomatoes for 5-7 days, place them on the vegetable shelf of the refrigerator closer to the door.
- Slightly unripe fruits are recommended to be kept at room temperature so that they ripen, and then move the refrigerator.
- In autumn and winter, it is convenient to store ripe tomatoes on a glazed balcony or loggia, where the temperature is kept within the range from +10 to +20 ℃. In such conditions, it is enough to lay out the tomatoes in one layer on the floor or another flat surface, covering the top thick cloth to avoid direct sunlight.
Tricks
Regardless of where and at what temperature you decide to store your tomatoes, some tricks can extend their shelf life:
- the variety of tomatoes is important (plan storage at the seed selection stage);
- store ripe tomatoes separately from unripe ones and at different temperatures;
- keep in mind that large fruits ripen faster than small ones;
- when sorting tomatoes, conduct a thorough inspection of each vegetable, because even the slightest trace of phytophthora can lead to damage to the entire crop;
- remember that tomatoes are stored longer without stalks;
- dry vegetables before storing;
- to keep fresh tomatoes longer, treat them with a 0.3% solution of boric acid or a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).
Video
In the following video, you will learn about three different ways tomato storage:
Has a lot of experience garden work– starting with sowing seeds and seedlings and ending with the collection and storage of the crop. Each sowing season begins with a search for new ways of growing, because cucumbers can be harvested not only from the garden, but also, for example, from ... barrels and even grown in winter on the windowsill. Plant care is considered one of the better ways stress relief.
Found an error? Select the text with the mouse and click:
Ctrl+Enter
Do you know that:
The birthplace of pepper is America, but the main breeding work for the development of sweet varieties was carried out, in particular, by Ferenc Horváth (Hungary) in the 20s. XX century in Europe, mainly in the Balkans. Pepper came to Russia from Bulgaria, which is why it got its usual name - “Bulgarian”.
The novelty of American developers is the Tertill robot, which performs weeding in the garden. The device was invented under the leadership of John Downes (the creator of the robot vacuum cleaner) and works with any weather conditions autonomously moving around uneven surface on wheels. At the same time, it cuts all plants below 3 cm with a built-in trimmer.
Both humus and compost are rightfully the basis organic farming. Their presence in the soil significantly increases the yield and improves the taste of vegetables and fruits. By properties and appearance they are very similar, but they should not be confused. Humus - rotted manure or bird droppings. Compost is the rotted organic remains of the different origin(spoiled food from the kitchen, tops, weeds, thin twigs). Humus is considered a better fertilizer, compost is more accessible.
"Frost-resistant" varieties garden strawberries(more often simply - "strawberry") also need shelter, like ordinary varieties (especially in those regions where there are snowless winters or frosts alternating with thaws). All strawberries have superficial roots. This means that without shelter, they freeze out. Assurances of sellers that strawberries are “frost-resistant”, “winter-hardy”, “tolerate frosts down to -35 ℃”, etc. are a lie. Growers should be aware that root system no one has been able to change strawberries yet.
Humus - rotted manure or bird droppings. It is prepared like this: manure is piled in a heap or pile, interbedded with sawdust, peat and garden soil. The collar is covered with a film to stabilize the temperature and humidity (this is necessary to increase the activity of microorganisms). Fertilizer "ripens" within 2-5 years - depending on external conditions and the composition of the feedstock. The output is a loose homogeneous mass with a pleasant smell of fresh earth.
Natural toxins are found in many plants; no exception, and those that are grown in gardens and vegetable gardens. So, in the bones of apples, apricots, peaches there is hydrocyanic (hydrocyanic) acid, and in the tops and peel of unripe nightshade (potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes) - solanine. But do not be afraid: their number is too small.
In Australia, scientists have begun cloning experiments on several cold-weather grape varieties. Climate warming, which is predicted for the next 50 years, will lead to their disappearance. Australian varieties have excellent characteristics for winemaking and are not susceptible to diseases common in Europe and America.
It is necessary to collect medicinal flowers and inflorescences at the very beginning of the flowering period, when the content useful substances they have the highest. The flowers are supposed to be torn by hand, breaking off the rough pedicels. Dry the collected flowers and herbs, scattering in a thin layer, in a cool room at natural temperature without access to direct sunlight.
It is believed that some vegetables and fruits (cucumbers, stalk celery, all varieties of cabbage, peppers, apples) have a "negative calorie content", that is, more calories are expended during digestion than they contain. In fact, only 10-20% of the calories received from food are consumed in the digestive process.
