How to determine what a pumpkin. When to harvest a pumpkin and how to speed up its ripening? External signs of pumpkin maturity will tell you when to harvest it.
Autumn is the time to sum up the results of spring-summer work and harvest. Pumpkin, as an unpretentious and rather cold-resistant culture, is one of the last sent to storage.e. But when is the right time to do it? Since at the disposal of gardeners today there are more than a dozen varieties of pumpkins that have various characteristics and ripening time, the time of harvesting vegetables largely depends on their early maturity, as well as on the weather and climatic features of the region. When to remove the most from the garden early varieties, and how long do late-ripening fruits stay in the garden?
Ripening dates for different types of pumpkin
Among the varieties common in Russian garden beds, hard-skinned pumpkins are distinguished by early ripeness. Despite the fact that their collection begins 90-120 days after germination, the pulp of such varieties is not too rich in carotene, sugars and is quite fibrous. But the seeds of hard-skinned pumpkins, covered with a thin peel or without it at all, are the most delicious and healthy.
I start harvesting such pumpkins in the second half of August, and in September, hard-skinned fruits, even in cold summers, should be fully harvested. This kind of fruit is not stored for a long time, if the pumpkin is overexposed and cut after 5-6 months, germinated seeds and loose pulp that have lost quality will be found under the bark.
The moment when it is time to remove the pumpkin from the garden can be determined by the stiffening of the petiole, compaction, hardening of the bark and a change in its color.
Mid-season varieties, which include most large-fruited pumpkins that require time to gain weight and size, ripen in 110-130 days. Such fruits are tasty, their pulp is saturated with vitamin A, rich in microelements and perfectly accumulates sugar. In addition, these are leaders in keeping quality, but long-term storage can be ensured only by cutting the pumpkin from the whip in time.
If the bark has not yet acquired the proper hardness or has been damaged by frost, the pumpkin will have to be processed.
Therefore, it is so important to remove pumpkins from the garden before the first cold weather, which in the Moscow region or in the Urals can begin as early as mid-September. If necessary, the fruits are left to ripen in a warm, dry room before being sent for storage for 14-30 days.
The sweetest, fragrant pumpkins, which include nutmeg varieties, ripen later than all. The fruit takes 130 to 150 days to reach full maturity, so like the large-fruited variety, these gourds are harvested before the frost season.
Only in the conditions of the south of the country, starting from the Rostov region and up to the Crimea, when pumpkins of late-ripening varieties are harvested, they ripen on a whip. In other regions, their arrivalIt is possible to ripen from 1 to 2 months. At the same time, ripe fruits remain tasty and healthy for no longer than 4-5 months, so it is better to eat them without delay.
How do you know that the pumpkin is ripe, will be tasty and will endure several winter months without any problems?
Signs of ripe pumpkin
Regardless of the type and early maturity of the pumpkin, its fruits have common signs ripening:
- First of all, the pumpkin stalk becomes hard, loses its juiciness and takes on the appearance of wood or cork.
- The bark of pumpkins in most varieties and varieties changes color. Shades of green are replaced by yellow and orange tones, the pattern becomes clear.
- The bark thickens and is difficult to damage with a fingernail.
- The lashes and foliage of the plant wither, turn yellow and die.
If pumpkins are removed from the garden with characteristic features ripening, the fruits are well stored, their pulp does not lose moisture and taste for a long time.
It is better to pre-ripen pumpkins that are not fully ripe until the fruit is completely protected from exposure. external environment. But it is better not to store ovaries with unformed bark, but immediately process them into juice, homemade canned food or culinary dishes.
It is important to remember that not all varieties change color by autumn. A similar exception can be considered a wax gourd, varieties with gray and white bark. The shade of pumpkins of the “butternut” type changes slightly.
When a pumpkin is harvested for storage, these signs can be considereda selection criterion and a guarantee that the fruits will not dry out or rot.
How and when to remove a pumpkin from the garden?
The most delicious and healthy pulp from pumpkins, fully ripened in the garden and before last day absorbing Sun rays And nutrients from the soil. But climate and weather do not always allow this to be achieved. Therefore, when the pumpkin is already being harvested in the Urals, in the Stavropol region, culture can remain in the beds for at least a month.
The further north, the more often gardeners on theirbeds have to be planted early maturing varieties and to determine the timing of the collection, use not the tips of the plant, but the forecast of meteorologists. For example, in middle lane pumpkins are removed from the lashes in mid-September, but in the southern regions they can be in the field until the lashes are completely dry.
Whatever time the harvest takes place, it is important that the weather on the day when the pumpkins are harvested is dry and warm enough. If the fruits lying on the ground fall under a serious frost, despite the dense bark, the vegetable suffers, and may rot during storage.
Fruit picking is carried out as carefully as possible, carefully treating each pumpkin. It is important not only not to cut the bark, but also not to let the gourds fall.
After all, even through microscopic cracks in the bark, microorganisms and bacteria easily penetrate, leading to the development of mold and rot inside the fruit. In addition, upon impact, the structure of the pulp changes, the juice begins to flow, which also leads to rapid damage to the crop.
When pumpkins are removed from the beds, it is better not to try to pick or unscrew them from the lash, but cut them sharp knife, leaving a stalk 5 to 10 cm long.
If the pumpkin is without a "tail", it will
it is exposed to the natural protection of the pulp in the attachment zone, which will inevitably be used by putrefactive bacteria and fungi. Therefore, when carrying and loading pumpkins, it is better not to take the handle, no matter how convenient and strong it may look. This rule is especially true when growing full-bodied large-fruited pumpkins, juicy varieties intended for juice production and sweet dessert varieties. Their damage will be the fastest.
After cutting from the whip, the pumpkins are dried, carefully removing the remnants of soil and dry vegetation on the bark. Then the fruits for a period of 10 to 30 days are placed in real covered storages, where the temperature reaches 27-29 ° C. With humidity up to 85% under such conditions, pumpkins actively ripen, and their peel hardens.
Having learned that the pumpkins are ripe and ready for long-term storage, clean whole fruits are selected, without signs mechanical damage and signs of disease.
When selecting pumpkins of table varieties for the winter, their sizes are also taken into account. It is believed that pumpkins of at least 12-15 cm in diameter will be able to withstand many months in the basement.
When storing pumpkins, they choose a dry, cool room, with a temperature of 10-13 ° C and constant ventilation. In storage, the fruits are neatly laid out on racks or pallets, avoiding crowding and contact of the pumpkin with wet surfaces. Best if:
- the crop is placed in one layer above the ground level by at least 10-15 cm;
- pumpkins do not touch or come into contact with other vegetables and fruits;
- storage is protected from rodents;
- there is no condensation and fungal infection in the room.
It is especially important not to place the pumpkin in close proximity to apples, pears, quince. These fruits release ethylene, which accelerates the ripening of fruits and reduces the shelf life of pumpkins. In the winter months, while the crop is not used for food, it is periodically reviewed, discarding damaged or softened fruits.
Everyone knows that autumn is harvest time. But when it comes down to it, experienced gardener thinks: when exactly it is necessary to harvest? It is very important not to miscalculate the timing here: the vegetable should be harvested before the start of frost, but after it has ripened. So, let's look into this issue.
When can I harvest pumpkins of different varieties?
The answer to the question of when to harvest pumpkins in the middle lane is rather vague: from late August to early October. To more accurately determine the harvesting time, you need to know what kind of pumpkin is in your garden. As you know, pumpkins are:
- early ripening - varieties Gribovskaya bush, Freckle, Golosemyannaya, Mozoleevskaya 49, etc .;
- mid-season - Crumb, Winter sweet, Russian, Hundred-pound, Blue Hubbard, Smile, Winter Dining A-5, etc .;
- late-ripening - Baternat, Muscat, Pearl, Vitamin, Taysty Delife, etc.
It is important not only to determine the variety, but also to know about the features of a particular variety of pumpkins. For example, early-ripening varieties with a thin peel and juicy pulp are removed starting from mid-August. They are consumed within 1-2 months, since early-ripening pumpkins are not stored for a long time.
But mid-season varieties ripen approximately 4 months after planting (to be more precise, from 110 to 120 days). Their harvest time is September. They are stored a little longer than early ones.
As for late pumpkins, they need a little more time to ripen (from 120 to 200 days). As a rule, they are harvested at the end of September, and the fruits are often removed unripe. They perfectly "reach" for several months, and late-ripening varieties can lie for a long time - all winter and even spring. The main thing is to have time to collect the pumpkin before the first frost so that it does not freeze (in this case it will no longer be stored). In the southern regions, where frosts come in late autumn, the pumpkin can be in the garden until November.
Signs of pumpkin ripening
When to harvest pumpkins, you can also determine by some external signs. So, a ripe pumpkin is distinguished by:
- fully lignified peduncle ( green color legs are a sure sign that the vegetable is still ripening and it’s too early to pick it);
- dried loop and withered, pale leaves;
- tough, hard skin.
But the beautiful bright color of the fruit is not always a sign of its maturity. And vice versa: many pumpkins with ripe, juicy and beautiful flesh have a nondescript gray skin or do not change their color at all. Pay attention not only to the appearance of the fruit, but also to the density of its outer shell: if at first it is easy enough to pierce with a fingernail, then over time the peel becomes more and more dense. Be sure to pick the pumpkin along with the stalk, leaving about 4 cm. This will protect the fruit from the penetration of microorganisms and decay. In addition, the fruits must be intact, free of dents, cracks and scratches. Harvesting should be done very carefully. Use sharp scissors to cut the stem. By the way, pumpkins harvested in dry sunny weather are best stored. Watering should be stopped 2 weeks before the planned collection.
Before you start harvesting, make sure that you can provide proper storage conditions for the pumpkin fruits. Store them in a dark, cool place like a cellar or shed. Ideally, there should be wooden shelving covered with sawdust, which will absorb excess moisture. Fully ripened fruits can be used immediately for cooking or preserving, while the rest should be stored until obvious signs of maturity appear.
Autumn is the time to sum up the results of spring-summer work and harvest. Pumpkin, as an unpretentious and rather cold-resistant culture, is one of the last to be stored. But when is the right time to do it? Since at the disposal of gardeners today there are more than a dozen varieties of pumpkins with different characteristics and ripening periods, the time for harvesting vegetables largely depends on their early maturity, as well as on the weather and climatic features of the region. When to remove the earliest varieties from the garden, and how long do late-ripening fruits stay in the garden?
Ripening dates for different types of pumpkin
Among the varieties common in Russian garden beds, hard-skinned pumpkins are distinguished by early ripeness. Despite the fact that their collection begins 90–120 days after germination, the pulp of such varieties is not too rich in carotene, sugars and is quite fibrous. But the seeds of hard-skinned pumpkins, covered with a thin peel or without it at all, are the most delicious and healthy.
I start harvesting such pumpkins in the second half of August, and in September, hard-skinned fruits, even in cold summers, should be fully harvested. This kind of fruit is not stored for a long time, if the pumpkin is overexposed and cut after 5-6 months, germinated seeds and loose, quality-losing pulp will be found under the bark.
The moment when it is time to remove the pumpkin from the garden can be determined by the stiffening of the petiole, compaction, hardening of the bark and a change in its color.
Mid-season varieties, which include most large-fruited pumpkins that require time to gain weight and size, ripen in 110–130 days. Such fruits are tasty, their pulp is saturated with vitamin A, rich in microelements and perfectly accumulates sugar. In addition, these are leaders in keeping quality, but long-term storage can be ensured only by cutting the pumpkin from the whip in time.
If the bark has not yet acquired the proper hardness or has been damaged by frost, the pumpkin will have to be processed.
Therefore, it is so important to remove pumpkins from the garden before the first cold weather, which in the Moscow region or in the Urals can begin as early as mid-September. If necessary, the fruits are left to ripen in a warm, dry room before being sent for storage for 14–30 days.
The sweetest, fragrant pumpkins ripen later than all, which include nutmeg varieties. The fruit takes 130 to 150 days to reach full maturity, so like the large-fruited variety, these gourds are harvested before the frost season.
Only in the conditions of the south of the country, starting from the Rostov region and up to the Crimea, when pumpkins of late ripening varieties are harvested, they ripen on a whip. In other regions, they have to ripen from 1 to 2 months. At the same time, ripe fruits remain tasty and healthy for no longer than 4–5 months, so it is better to eat them without delay.
How do you know that the pumpkin is ripe, will be tasty and will endure several winter months without any problems?
Signs of ripe pumpkin
Regardless of the type and early maturity of the pumpkin, its fruits have common signs of ripening:
- First of all, the pumpkin stalk becomes hard, loses its juiciness and takes on the appearance of wood or cork.
- The bark of pumpkins in most varieties and varieties changes color. Shades of green are replaced by yellow and orange tones, the pattern becomes clear.
- The bark thickens and is difficult to damage with a fingernail.
- The lashes and foliage of the plant wither, turn yellow and die.
If pumpkins with characteristic signs of ripening are removed from the garden, the fruits are well stored, their pulp does not lose moisture and taste for a long time.
It is better to pre-ripen pumpkins that are not fully ripe until the fruit is completely protected from the effects of the external environment. But it is better not to store ovaries with unformed bark, but immediately process them into juice, homemade canned food or culinary dishes.
It is important to remember that not all varieties change color by autumn. A similar exception can be considered a wax gourd, varieties with gray and white bark. The shade of pumpkins of the “butternut” type changes slightly.
When a pumpkin is harvested for storage, these signs can be considered a selection criterion and a guarantee that the fruits will not dry out or rot.
How and when to remove a pumpkin from the garden?
The most delicious and healthy pulp is found in pumpkins that have fully matured in the garden and have absorbed the sun's rays and nutrients from the soil until the last day. But climatic and weather conditions do not always allow this to be achieved. Therefore, when the pumpkin is already being harvested in the Urals, in the Stavropol region, culture can remain in the beds for at least a month.
The further north, the more often gardeners have to plant early-ripening varieties in their beds and, to determine the timing of collection, use not plant prompts, but meteorologists' forecasts. For example, in the middle lane, pumpkins are removed from the lashes in mid-September, but in the southern regions they can be in the field until the lashes are completely dry.
Whatever time the harvest takes place, it is important that the weather on the day when the pumpkins are harvested is dry and warm enough. If the fruits lying on the ground fall under a serious frost, despite the dense bark, the vegetable suffers, and may rot during storage.
Fruit picking is carried out as carefully as possible, carefully treating each pumpkin. It is important not only not to cut the bark, but also not to let the gourds fall.
After all, even through microscopic cracks in the bark, microorganisms and bacteria easily penetrate, leading to the development of mold and rot inside the fruit. In addition, upon impact, the structure of the pulp changes, the juice begins to flow, which also leads to rapid damage to the crop.
When pumpkins are removed from the beds, it is better not to try to pick or unscrew them from the lash, but cut them with a sharp knife, leaving a stalk 5 to 10 cm long.
If the pumpkin is without a “tail”, it loses the natural protection of the pulp in the attachment zone, which will inevitably be used by putrefactive bacteria and fungi. Therefore, when carrying and loading pumpkins, it is better not to take the handle, no matter how convenient and strong it may look. This rule is especially true when growing full-weight large-fruited pumpkins, juicy varieties intended for juice production and sweet dessert varieties. Their damage will be the fastest.
After cutting from the whip, the pumpkins are dried, carefully removing the remnants of soil and dry vegetation on the bark. Then the fruits for a period of 10 to 30 days are placed in real covered storages, where the temperature reaches 27–29 ° C. With humidity up to 85% under such conditions, pumpkins actively ripen, and their peel hardens.
Having learned that the pumpkins are ripe and ready for long-term storage, clean whole fruits are selected, without signs of mechanical damage and signs of disease.
When selecting pumpkins of table varieties for the winter, their sizes are also taken into account. It is believed that pumpkins no less than 12-15 cm in diameter will be able to withstand many months in the basement.
When storing pumpkins, they choose a dry, cool room, with a temperature of 10–13 ° C and constant ventilation. In storage, the fruits are neatly laid out on racks or pallets, avoiding crowding and contact of the pumpkin with wet surfaces. Best if:
- the crop is placed in one layer above the ground level by at least 10–15 cm;
- pumpkins do not touch or come into contact with other vegetables and fruits;
- storage is protected from rodents;
- there is no condensation and fungal infection in the room.
It is especially important not to place the pumpkin in close proximity to apples, pears, quince. These fruits release ethylene, which accelerates the ripening of fruits and reduces the shelf life of pumpkins. In the winter months, while the crop is not used for food, it is periodically reviewed, discarding damaged or softened fruits.
How to store a pumpkin - video
When to remove a pumpkin from the garden in different regions of Russia
Harvest time is always associated with autumn, when the plants complete their growing season and the ripe fruits are ready to be sent to storage. Pumpkins are no exception. This hardy and very healthy vegetable finds a place in plots in various parts of the country, and with the onset of cool days, it's time for the summer resident to think about the moment when the pumpkin will be removed from the garden.
Since gardeners are far from being in equal conditions in a country that is spread over several climatic zones at once, and the weather does not remain constant from year to year, even a summer resident with experience may find it difficult and not give a specific harvest date in advance. The pumpkin itself can tell you the right time. If you carefully monitor the development of the plant, knowing the timing when the pumpkin of a particular variety ripens, you can quite accurately choose the time to pick the fruit. And here it is important, listening to the data of meteorologists, not to miss the onset of cold weather.
So, how to calculate the timing of pumpkin harvesting, and what criteria should a gardener follow when determining the ripeness of grown fruits?
When does the pumpkin ripen in the beds?
If a fully ripe, ready-to-storage pumpkin is removed from the garden, you don’t have to worry that after a while the fruit will become covered with mold, or rot will develop under the softened peel.
Therefore, fruits are left for the winter, in which:
- the peduncle dried up and became like wood;
- the bark is hardened and does not lend itself to mechanical stress.
A sign that the pumpkin has ripened on the bush can be considered:
- change in surface color from green to orange or, like butternut squash, cream;
- yellowing and dying off of the green part of the plant, which means the end growing season.
When pumpkins are harvested ripe from the garden, it is important not to overexpose the fruits, because on the ground they are threatened by pests, rodents, and extra days in the sun are not in the best way affect the quality of the pulp.
However, most gardeners in our country have to remove pumpkins from the garden that have not yet reached full ripeness. After all, the further north a particular region is, the shorter the summer. And even the most early-ripening varieties, for example, in the Urals and Siberia, sometimes only begin to form a hard bark before the cold weather.
If a plucked pumpkin is suspicious, its peel is soft and easily damaged by a fingernail, the stalk is green and juicy, it is better not to waste energy on ripening, but to make delicious homemade preparations for the winter from fresh fruit.
Pumpkin readiness for harvesting and its timing depending on the type and variety
Is there really no way to insure and speed up the ripening of fruits? Today, summer residents have at their disposal several dozen fruitful, tasty and very different in shape, color and weight varieties of pumpkin. All of them are conditionally divided into early, mid-season and late.
By choosing early-ripening varieties for planting, gardeners can bring the moment when pumpkins in Siberia, the Urals or the North-West region will have to be harvested not because of the arrival of frosts, but due to the ripening of the crop.
Early ripe varieties of pumpkins are harvested from 90 to 120 days after the start of the growing season of the plant. And although such pumpkins do not always accumulate enough sugar, and their flesh is not as rich in carotene as in later varieties, with proper care and selection of varieties, the gardener receives a quality crop for winter consumption.
Most mid-season varieties please summer residents with large fruits that ripen 110–130 days after germination. But the sweetest pumpkins of late varieties make you wait even longer for their readiness - up to 150-160 days. Obviously, far from all regions of Russia, pumpkins are removed from the garden five months after planting.
Only in the Stavropol Territory, the North Caucasus, in the Crimea and other areas with warm long summers do late-ripening varieties ripen in the bud.
And the rest of the gardeners, in order to accelerate growth, have to plant pumpkin seedlings and ripen the fruits for a long period. Otherwise, a situation cannot be avoided when pumpkins not harvested from the garden fall under the first frosts, even in the Moscow region already in mid-September.
When are pumpkins harvested from vegetable gardens in different parts of Russia?
Summer residents growing pumpkins in different climatic conditions, in order to obtain a plentiful and high-quality harvest, they must be fully responsible for the choice of varieties for their garden, and also not neglect weather forecasts. After all, the gardener can be threatened not only with disappointment from a pumpkin that started only by autumn, but also with the fact that large fruits fell under frost and were hopelessly spoiled.
The further north the summer resident lives, the more reasonable:
- choose early and mid-season varieties;
- for planting, use the method with a closed root system;
- protect young plants until the time of spring frosts has passed.
These measures allow you to improve the quality of pumpkins at the time when the weather will force you to remove pumpkins from the garden.
When is the Moscow region pumpkin harvested?
In the capital region, as in most areas of the middle lane, early maturing pumpkin varieties ripen in the beds and are cut in the second half of August or early September. Next, by the middle of the month, the time comes when the pumpkins of mid-ripening, the most valuable varieties for winter storage, ripen.
Only late-ripening, sweet nutmeg pumpkins in the Moscow region are harvested before the arrival of autumn cold weather, which threatens to damage the delicious fruits.
Such pumpkins are either planted as seedlings, or left to ripen, during which the fruit becomes fragrant and gains the proper sweetness. If the weather deteriorates irrevocably, pumpkins reach home, but on sunny warm days it is better to spread the fruits in the air.
When are pumpkins harvested in the Urals?
The Ural region is suitable for growing a wide variety of vegetable crops, including all varieties of pumpkin. The beginning of fruit ripening occurs in September, when the weather still allows you not to be afraid of fruit damage by frost. Therefore, you can harvest a pumpkin in the Urals, focusing on the degree of maturity. But do not neglect the advice of the meteorological service.
The main danger of autumn in this region is night temperature drops and warm days. Under such conditions, condensate forms on the pumpkins, threatening fruit rotting and the development of fungal infections.
When are pumpkins harvested in Siberia?
Siberia is a whole huge country, in different parts of which the timing of pumpkin harvesting and the risks associated with its cultivation vary greatly. It is still better for Siberian gardeners to focus on weather conditions and to insure the selection of early varieties. Most often, pumpkin varieties that ripen in 90-100 days are recommended for local conditions. In this case, without fear of being left without a harvest, pumpkins in Siberia are harvested 2-4 weeks before the time when the fruits ripen.
It is possible to ripen the crop to full readiness, depending on the variety, from 10 to 60 days. The process takes place at room temperature in fairly dry air.
Only for residents of the south of Russia, when harvesting pumpkins, the timing of fruit ripening is crucial for all varieties of crops, from early ripening to nutmeg, ripening the very last.
For storage, only healthy, formed pumpkins are chosen, without traces of damage by pests and diseases, mechanical damage and traces of impacts.
When is the pumpkin harvest time?
- they are cut from the whip, leaving a stalk 4 to 10 cm long, and having lost the cutting, the fruit is quickly affected by bacteria and deteriorates;
- the fruits harvested from the garden are dried under a canopy in the air, and then, if necessary, sent to ripen.
A ripened crop ready for long-term storage will be a good help in winter, because a tasty and healthy pumpkin is an excellent side dish, a component of home baking, and fragrant delicacies loved by all households.
Video about pumpkin
When and how pumpkin is harvested, types and varieties of pumpkin
Autumn is a wonderful time again. Despite the very short garden season this year - late spring, cold June, rainy August - our gardeners have come to harvest the pumpkin, which is rightfully considered the queen of autumn, since it is at this time that it shows itself in all its glory and amazes us with its variety shapes and tastes.When and how to harvest a pumpkin
Pumpkins are harvested dry, before the first frost. If you're doing this in the rain, don't forget
Dry vegetables.
In the middle it is desirable to lie down b for the strip they usually harvest in September, and in the south - when
Complete death of leaves.
Late-ripening nutmeg pumpkin, varieties harvesting dates
Late ripe butternut squash with very tasty pulp, brightly colored, fragrant and contains
Carotene. Widespread in the southern regions of Russia. But if it is grown through seedlings with sowing on April 20-25 and planting in the ground in the first ten days of June, then in the Moscow region this pumpkin grows well, ripens and is stored for a long time. It is necessary to remove it, like large-fruited, before the first frost.
Seeds should not be used for food. Unlike other species, they are very small, have
Hard and hard shell, and they are usually few in number.
Butternut squash fruits predominantly cylindrical, oval, rarely rounded, and
Peduncle - thin, elongated, five-sided. The bark of the fruit is most often green with intermittent stripes or light beige in autumn. Pumpkins grown in the Moscow region need to ripen for at least 2 months.
Long term storage(more than 5-6 months) may lead to a loss of taste, but on appearance fetus is practically not reflected.
Immediately after cleaning the flesh has a pale shade (beige or light orange) with a slight
Muscat aroma and fresh taste. During storage, the nutmeg flavor increases and the sugar content increases. The pulp of a ripe pumpkin contains a lot of carotene, it is tasty and healthy, edible raw.
It is not recommended to store more than 5-6 months, since the pulp breaks up into fibers, loses its valuable taste, but it is quite possible to put the pumpkin into processing.
The most popular varieties: Nutmeg, Pearl, Interception, Vita, Vitamin, Testi Delife,
Father Ponca.
Maria Dolzhenko
Everyone for a pumpkin. 21.by
StorageThe main period of storage of potatoes falls on the period of physiological dormancy of the tubers and lasts until about March. At this time, the potatoes should be in the dark, cold (+2 - + 4 ° C), with an air humidity of 85-90%. In the case of lower temperatures, the tubers begin to deteriorate, and at higher temperatures, they germinate. In addition, under the influence of negative temperatures, the starch contained in the fruit is converted into sugars, which negatively affects the taste. However, rare short temperature fluctuations towards minus do not have a significant effect on potatoes. From about the end of February (early varieties) - the beginning of March, the potatoes wake up. Sprouts appear on its tubers. They should not be left, as they pull nutrients from potatoes, worsening not only the presentation, but also the taste of the vegetable. Therefore, the tubers are sorted out and cleaned of everything that has grown on them. However, this process can be somewhat delayed if the temperature in the storage is reduced to + 1.5 - + 2 ° С, for example, by morning ventilation. Most often, potatoes are placed in bulk, in heaps, no more than 1.5 m high, but the method of sorting into boxes is no less practical. IN plastic bags You can't store potatoes. White cabbageNo less popular in Slavic cuisine is white cabbage. Someone salts it, someone pickles it, but a particularly pleasant option for winter table is a fresh coleslaw. In order to save white cabbage until spring, there are also rules. Firstly, these should be mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties, secondly, the heads of selected specimens should not be damaged, but differ in elasticity and completely, thirdly, cabbage for storage should be harvested no earlier than during the period of daytime temperatures equal to +2 - +8 °C. When and how to harvestIt is very important to ensure that these vegetables are not damaged, otherwise they will deteriorate and will not be suitable for use.
This is due to the fact that frosts and colds in such places come late, so the pumpkin is not threatened with freezing and spoilage. So how do you know if a vegetable is ripe or not, can you remove it from the ridge, or should you wait a bit? To resolve this issue, you need to highlight several signs of a ripened pumpkin product. Signs of a ripe pumpkin:
Dried pumpkin tail signals its ripeness How to cut a pumpkin and storeWhen you cut a plant, it is better to leave four centimeters of the stalks. Do this very carefully, because any damage, and especially a cut in the peel, will have a bad effect on the storage of this product. Let's take a step-by-step look at how to collect a gourd (as a pumpkin is called in the common people):
A mature pumpkin can be used for food immediately after harvest, but many leave the vegetable for storage. Moreover, a rather large amount of fruits comes out. Therefore, no family can afford to eat a large amount of gourd.
In addition to coolness, also take into account the humidity of the air in this room during storage. Because high humidity reduces the shelf life of the pumpkin fruit by as much as three months. And this is quite a significant amount of time. Thus, we found out that pumpkins can be harvested from the end of August until October, depending on the variety and climate. We also demonstrated how to properly and competently remove pumpkins from the beds. |
The timing of pumpkin ripening depends on several factors at once. Fully ripe fruits can be found on the site in August, and in September, and even in October. Much depends on when they are planted, what variety, how they are grown and in what climate zone. Typical signs that appear when a pumpkin ripens can be very different in different varieties. But there are also some general patterns.
Signs of pumpkin ripening
1. Hardening of the bark. The outer shell of the fetus becomes hard and dense. If you press it with your fingernail, it will not sell through.
2. Drying of the stem. The stem, which connects the pumpkin to the common lash, hardens, changes its color from green to lighter. It becomes difficult to break it off - a knife or pruner is needed to remove the fetus.
3. Change the pattern. Green gourds tend to have smoothly colored fruits. As the pumpkin matures, a clearly visible pattern characteristic of each variety appears on the pumpkin bark.
In addition, in most varieties, an increase in the density of the pulp and the formation of a hard shell on the seeds are observed. The leaves on the lashes may begin to turn yellow and dry out, but this often happens for other reasons independent of fruit ripening.
Dependence of maturation on the variety
The genus Pumpkin has more than two dozen species. In our gardens, three are more common than others: nutmeg, hard-bark and large-fruited.
Butternut squash are the most late-ripening and heat-demanding. It is better to start collecting them no earlier than September. With careful harvesting that preserves the stalks, these pumpkins are quite capable of lying until the next harvest. A little underripe, they have the peculiarity of ripening in warmth, like tomatoes. For this, they are kept room temperature and in the light, but not under the direct rays of the sun. It is not worth sending unripe pumpkins to the basement or cellar - there is a high probability of their decay from high humidity.
Hard-barked pumpkin ripens earlier than others. But it does not tolerate high temperatures quite well - in the heat, its fruits become smaller. Hard-core varieties include all zucchini, zucchini and squash. All of them ripen from the beginning of July.
Large-fruited varieties are also late. In the middle lane, they rarely have time to mature in the bud. Therefore, they should be removed before the onset of frost, to which the fruits are very sensitive, and kept in a warm place for a couple of weeks. During this time, excess moisture will evaporate, and the pulp will store more sugar.
How to speed up maturation
There are times when it is necessary to speed up the ripening of pumpkins so that they do not fall under frost. To do this, three weeks before the expected cold snap, all flowers with ovaries are removed on the lashes, while pinching the tops of young shoots. As a result of such an operation, a redistribution of nutrients occurs, which are now directed by the plant to the growth and development of already set fruits. chase after big amount ovaries on lashes should not be - the fruits will grow small and ripen much later.
The method of growing pumpkin through seedlings noticeably approximates the ripening time. Small seedlings with 2-3 true leaves tolerate transplanting well and take root quickly. The only thing to remember is the main root of the taproot pumpkin, and it goes quite deep into the lower layers of the soil. Therefore, pots for seedlings should be deep enough.
Those pumpkins that are planted on last year's compost heaps. In this case, the additional heating of the soil affects, which is obtained by the decomposition of a large amount of organic material contained in
Autumn is the time to sum up the results of spring-summer work and harvest. Pumpkin, as an unpretentious and rather cold-resistant culture, is one of the last to be stored. But when is the right time to do it? Since at the disposal of gardeners today there are more than a dozen varieties of pumpkins with different characteristics and ripening periods, the time for harvesting vegetables largely depends on their early maturity, as well as on the weather and climatic features of the region. When to remove the earliest varieties from the garden, and how long do late-ripening fruits stay in the garden?
Ripening dates for different types of pumpkin
Among the varieties common in Russian garden beds, hard-skinned pumpkins are distinguished by early ripeness. Despite the fact that their collection begins 90–120 days after germination, the pulp of such varieties is not too rich in carotene, sugars and is quite fibrous. But the seeds of hard-skinned pumpkins, covered with a thin peel or without it at all, are the most delicious and healthy.
I start harvesting such pumpkins in the second half of August, and in September, hard-skinned fruits, even in cold summers, should be fully harvested. This kind of fruit is not stored for a long time, if the pumpkin is overexposed and cut after 5-6 months, germinated seeds and loose, quality-losing pulp will be found under the bark.
The moment when it is time to remove the pumpkin from the garden can be determined by the stiffening of the petiole, compaction, hardening of the bark and a change in its color.
Mid-season varieties, which include most large-fruited pumpkins that require time to gain weight and size, ripen in 110–130 days. Such fruits are tasty, their pulp is saturated with vitamin A, rich in microelements and perfectly accumulates sugar. In addition, these are leaders in keeping quality, but long-term storage can be ensured only by cutting the pumpkin from the whip in time.
If the bark has not yet acquired the proper hardness or has been damaged by frost, the pumpkin will have to be processed.
Therefore, it is so important to remove pumpkins from the garden before the first cold weather, which in the Moscow region or in the Urals can begin as early as mid-September. If necessary, the fruits are left to ripen in a warm, dry room before being sent for storage for 14–30 days.
The sweetest, fragrant pumpkins, which include nutmeg varieties, ripen later than all. The fruit takes 130 to 150 days to reach full maturity, so like the large-fruited variety, these gourds are harvested before the frost season.
Only in the conditions of the south of the country, starting from the Rostov region and up to the Crimea, when pumpkins of late-ripening varieties are harvested, they ripen on a whip. In other regions, they have to ripen from 1 to 2 months. At the same time, ripe fruits remain tasty and healthy for no longer than 4–5 months, so it is better to eat them without delay.
How do you know that the pumpkin is ripe, will be tasty and will endure several winter months without any problems?
Signs of ripe pumpkin
Regardless of the type and early maturity of the pumpkin, its fruits have common signs of ripening:
- First of all, the pumpkin stalk becomes hard, loses its juiciness and takes on the appearance of wood or cork.
- The bark of pumpkins in most varieties and varieties changes color. Shades of green are replaced by yellow and orange tones, the pattern becomes clear.
- The bark thickens and is difficult to damage with a fingernail.
- The lashes and foliage of the plant wither, turn yellow and die.
If pumpkins with characteristic signs of ripening are removed from the garden, the fruits are well stored, their pulp does not lose moisture and taste for a long time.
It is better to pre-ripen pumpkins that are not fully ripe until the fruit is completely protected from the effects of the external environment. But it is better not to store ovaries with unformed bark, but immediately process them into juice, homemade canned food or culinary dishes.
It is important to remember that not all varieties change color by autumn. A similar exception can be considered a wax gourd, varieties with gray and white bark. The shade of pumpkins of the “butternut” type changes slightly.
When a pumpkin is harvested for storage, these signs can be considered a selection criterion and a guarantee that the fruits will not dry out or rot.
How and when to remove a pumpkin from the garden?
The most delicious and healthy pulp is found in pumpkins that have fully matured in the garden and have absorbed the sun's rays and nutrients from the soil until the last day. But climatic and weather conditions do not always allow this to be achieved. Therefore, when the pumpkin is already being harvested in the Urals, in the Stavropol region, culture can remain in the beds for at least a month.
The further north, the more often gardeners have to plant early-ripening varieties in their beds and, to determine the timing of collection, use not plant prompts, but meteorologists' forecasts. For example, in the middle lane, pumpkins are removed from the lashes in mid-September, but in the southern regions they can be in the field until the lashes are completely dry.
Whatever time the harvest takes place, it is important that the weather on the day when the pumpkins are harvested is dry and warm enough. If the fruits lying on the ground fall under a serious frost, despite the dense bark, the vegetable suffers, and may rot during storage.
Fruit picking is carried out as carefully as possible, carefully treating each pumpkin. It is important not only not to cut the bark, but also not to let the gourds fall.
After all, even through microscopic cracks in the bark, microorganisms and bacteria easily penetrate, leading to the development of mold and rot inside the fruit. In addition, upon impact, the structure of the pulp changes, the juice begins to flow, which also leads to rapid damage to the crop.
When pumpkins are removed from the beds, it is better not to try to pick or unscrew them from the lash, but cut them with a sharp knife, leaving a stalk 5 to 10 cm long.
If the pumpkin is without a “tail”, it loses the natural protection of the pulp in the attachment zone, which will inevitably be used by putrefactive bacteria and fungi. Therefore, when carrying and loading pumpkins, it is better not to take the handle, no matter how convenient and strong it may look. This rule is especially true when growing full-bodied large-fruited pumpkins, juicy varieties intended for juice production and sweet dessert varieties. Their damage will be the fastest.
After cutting from the whip, the pumpkins are dried, carefully removing the remnants of soil and dry vegetation on the bark. Then the fruits for a period of 10 to 30 days are placed in real covered storages, where the temperature reaches 27–29 ° C. With humidity up to 85% under such conditions, pumpkins actively ripen, and their peel hardens.
Having learned that the pumpkins are ripe and ready for long-term storage, clean whole fruits are selected, without signs of mechanical damage and signs of disease.
When selecting pumpkins of table varieties for the winter, their sizes are also taken into account. It is believed that pumpkins no less than 12-15 cm in diameter will be able to withstand many months in the basement.
When storing pumpkins, they choose a dry, cool room, with a temperature of 10–13 ° C and constant ventilation. In storage, the fruits are neatly laid out on racks or pallets, avoiding crowding and contact of the pumpkin with wet surfaces. Best if:
- the crop is placed in one layer above the ground level by at least 10–15 cm;
- pumpkins do not touch or come into contact with other vegetables and fruits;
- storage is protected from rodents;
- there is no condensation and fungal infection in the room.
It is especially important not to place the pumpkin in close proximity to apples, pears, quince. These fruits release ethylene, which accelerates the ripening of fruits and reduces the shelf life of pumpkins. In the winter months, while the crop is not used for food, it is periodically reviewed, discarding damaged or softened fruits.
