One of the favorite delicacies of many Slavs are melons, namely sweet berry- watermelon. except good taste, it has many beneficial substances, vitamins and minerals. You can enjoy this fruit only at the height of the season. But how to preserve a watermelon and lay it for long-term storage without losing its taste? This product is short-lived and is not stored for more than three months, but knowing the secrets, you can save the sun fruits longer. These rules are simple and if you follow them, then your New Year's table will decorate delicious watermelon... To do this, you need to prepare, because the sun berry must not only survive, but also preserve its sweetness and juiciness. So let's figure out how to store watermelons and melons correctly.

Choosing a watermelon

The first thing to do is to give preference to the right variety. To preserve the watermelon until the New Year, take late fruits. The later they ripen, the longer the berry can be stored. When laying, check for cracks, scratches and dents - such fruits will not be stored for a long time. The selection is based on several criteria:

• you need to buy late-ripening varieties that ripen not earlier than mid-September and do not have;
• at home, fruits with a thick crust of varieties are saved late date ripening: Stokes, Volzhsky, Astrakhansky, Kholodov's Gift, Chill, Icarus, Blagodatny, Dessert;
• the skin of the berry should shine and be firm;
• unripe watermelons are stored better and ripen perfectly during the maturation period;
• the fruit should not be wrinkled, not scratched or cracked;
• you can't buy melon along the roads. The bright sun and exhaust fumes of passing cars are not beneficial, deteriorating taste and shortening the shelf life;
• for buying, they choose points of sale with awnings, where the fruits lie in one layer, and the seller has a health book and a quality certificate for the product;
• fruit weight should be within 4-5 kg. It is better not to take copies of huge size;
• at the beginning of the sales season for melons, most of the fruits are stuffed with chemistry, and you should not buy them;
• when grown on the site, the watermelon is allowed to ripen on its own, fertilizers are used as little as possible. And we must remember that in rainy weather nitrates are formed in the fruits;
• shopping in supermarkets is a bad option, they are brought there unripe, and the taste leaves much to be desired;
• to check ripeness, look at the dryness of the tail and the halo under it. Have ripe berries there is a small yellow spot;
• stripes on the peel should be clear and contrasting. Blurring is caused by nitrates;
• a small watermelon is sweeter than a large one;
• “Female” fruits are tastier than “male” ones and contain fewer seeds, and they can be distinguished as follows: the “female” watermelon opposite the tail on the other side of the fruit has a wider halo;
• late-ripening varieties grown on the site are harvested a week before full ripening and transported neatly, in a box on a soft bedding in one layer and sheltered from the scorching sun.
• it is necessary to touch and transfer the stored cavities carefully and preferably with cotton gloves.

How long is a watermelon stored?

Subject to the necessary conditions, the shelf life of a watermelon is up to three months. Melon fruits are well preserved, which ripen late and have a lot of pectins in the pulp. They retain moisture while remaining elastic. To save a watermelon until the New Year, you must comply with the conditions and recommendations:

1. Right choice the right grade.
2. Harvest in time.
3. Proven storage methods.

Utility rooms for storage

Not everyone knows how to store watermelons in a cellar. For good preservation, there should be a temperature of 4 degrees and a humidity not higher than 85%. This mode allows you to preserve flavor and juiciness. Dampness and heat contribute to the decay process. The room must be ventilated. It is not advisable to keep other vegetables (potatoes, cabbage) together with melons.

Before laying, the fruits are pollinated with a 2% solution of lime and covered with straw for a day so that the bark is dehydrated.

The berries are stored in a suspended state, on racks and in boxes on a soft bedding. Different materials are used as bedding:

• covered with sand or fine wood ash;
• lined with dry forest moss, it absorbs moisture, soft and safe;
• coated with liquid clay, wax, paraffin or alabaster with a layer of at least 1 cm, such a coating does not allow air, light and moisture to pass through, and increases the shelf life.
• cover with straw on all sides;
• wrapped in thin material, put in string bags and hung from the ceiling.

The fruits are inspected every day, checking for safety and the presence of rot. If there is no visible damage, but the fruit seems lighter than the rest, it is removed.

Where to store a watermelon in an apartment

Long storage of watermelons when room temperature impossible. He will be able to lie longer if the fruit is kept in the refrigerator, in the lower drawer, having previously wrapped in several layers of newspapers (but not glossy magazines). In this case, the watermelon is turned over every other day.

Cut watermelon can be stored for no more than two days.

The previously frozen fruit will lie longer, lose some nutrients. Storage racks can be arranged on a loggia or a glazed balcony with a temperature of at least zero... The conditions are the same as in the basement: the fruits are laid in one row on a soft substrate or hung in nets. Caves are placed in boxes, sprinkled with grain or sand and placed on the floor in a cool place.

Bathroom or mezzanine is suitable for storing melons and gourds. The selected area should be ventilated, dark and cool. You can also store a watermelon for a month in a container of water, which is changed every day.

Garden storage

If a large yield of melons has grown on the site, but there are no necessary premises, then they dig a deep hole in the ground, lay straw or hay on the bottom and lay watermelons treated with a lime solution. Top covered with shavings, and then earth. So melon is stored for a long time, but it is difficult to check the harvest periodically - this is the minus of the method.

Freezing

The watermelon pulp is frozen, while its texture will change, but the taste and aroma will remain. And you will need to eat it quickly, without defrosting it to the end, or use it for jelly and cocktails. For freezing, cut into pieces or cubes and stack on a baking sheet so that they do not touch each other. Placed in a freezer for pre-freezing. When the pieces have hardened, they are poured into containers, leaving a small space on top, covered with lids and put into the refrigerator.

You can save watermelon by making homemade ice cream. To do this, cut the pulp into pieces (with a knife or molds) and stick ice cream sticks into them. Then they freeze. In winter, such a delicacy is eaten by holding a stick. When frozen, watermelon berries can be stored for up to 12 months.

Treatment

One of the ways to preserve the watermelon until winter is in barrels and pickling in jars. These pickles are delicious and loved by many. Whole fruits are placed in barrels, choosing small in size and not overripe. They are poured with salt water (400 grams of salt per bucket of water), spices (garlic, herbs) are added (if desired), oppression is put on top so that the watermelons do not float and become moldy. After 2-3 weeks, the pickles are ready. They are stored until spring.

For pickling in jars, watermelons are cut into pieces. The peel is removed or retained. Seeds are not chosen. Celery and peas are placed at the bottom of the jars allspice... The vessel is filled with watermelon pieces as tightly as possible. Flooded hot water and incubated for 20 minutes, then drained. Pour boiling brine (1 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar per liter of water), add a tablespoon of 70% vinegar and a teaspoon of citric acid to each jar, roll it up, turn it over, wrap it with a blanket and leave it for a day. The cooled banks are lowered into a cool place: a basement, cellar or balcony.

A cut watermelon will spoil soon, but stored properly can be enjoyed delicious berry not one day. Proper storage helps to preserve the beneficial properties of the fruit.

Eating a watermelon, a person not only enjoys sweet pulp but also gets some benefit. The berry contains fructose and glucose (easily digestible sugars), organic acids, pectins, folic acid, fiber, beta-carotene, vitamins C and group B. Doctors recommend watermelon to patients diabetes mellitus, with pathologies of the kidneys, gallbladder, gastrointestinal tract.

Research shows that watermelon:

• promotes the elimination of cholesterol;
• improves the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract;
• excellent diuretic and choleretic agent;
• helps to remove stones from the kidneys and gallbladder;
• is an good product for obese patients;
• the seeds of the fruit remove worms.

How to choose a fruit for long-term storage

To save a watermelon for a long time, you need to choose correct fruits... Not every berry is able to remain fresh and tasty when stored for a long time. In order for the taste and aroma of watermelon to delight as long as possible, it is necessary to choose the fruit according to certain rules.

1. For long-term storage choose fruits no more than 4 kg.
2. The rind of the watermelon should be shiny.
3. The surface of the fruit should not be damaged (cracks, dents, etc.).
4. In order for the watermelon to be stored longer, choose a berry of late varieties and completely ripe. The most suitable time is the end of September.
5. Do not buy watermelons at outlets under open air(under the influence of the sun, the fruits overripe).
6. Unripe fruits are often sold in stores, such as spoil faster than ripe watermelons.
7. The spot on the watermelon that touched the ground should be yellowish.
8. There should be white streaks from the center of the fruit to its crust. If they are yellow, this is an indication that the watermelon is either overripe or has been treated with chemicals.
9. You should inquire about the name of the watermelon variety. The most hardy are "Astrakhansky" and "" Popovka ".
10. Seedless varieties are stored longer.

Methods for storing watermelons

The watermelons were purchased correctly. Now is the time to think about storing them. There are several ways to store watermelons for a long time:

• storage of whole fruits;
• freezing;
• salting and leavening;
• canning.

If the watermelon will be preserved whole, it must be washed, wiped dry and placed in a textile bag or net. It is recommended to store whole fruits in a suspended state in a room with a humidity level of 60-80%. You can also keep watermelons on shelves or in boxes on dry mats, as well as in straw, wood chips, water, wax, clay, ash, sand. Optimum temperature+6 +8 degrees. It is worth checking the watermelons from time to time for rot, as it can spread to healthy fruit. It is best to store berries in a basement or cellar; in a city apartment, you can pick up a cool, dark place (pantry, insulated balcony, mezzanine, room). Subject to the listed conditions average term storage is 3 months.

Salted or pickled watermelons, depending on the quantity, are kept in a tub in the cellar or in a jar in the refrigerator. Modern housewives enjoy and plastic utensils... These methods involve adding salt and spices to the watermelon. You can salt or ferment watermelons if you have purchased an unsuccessful fruit - unripe or unsweetened. Spicy-tasting watermelons are consumed as independent dish or as an ingredient for salads. Watermelon pickles are stored until spring. The only condition is that the container with berries must be tightly closed. You can salt both pulp and whole fruits. Canned the pulp of watermelons, like any compote, adding to jars citric acid, vinegar, or aspirin. The shelf life is a maximum of one and a half years.

In addition to canning, pickling, and storing watermelons whole, there is another long-term way to store watermelon pulp - freezing. There are also some simple rules here.

The neatly chopped pulp (without the skin) can be stored in a tightly closed plastic container or in an airtight plastic bag. Leave at least a centimeter of free space in the container so that the growing watermelon has room for growth. The container must be vacuum so as not to let in extraneous odors and moisture. Thus, you can store the watermelon until next season. Frozen watermelons are used not only for food, but also for cosmetic purposes.

Storing cut watermelons

To eat a watermelon right away, you need a large company. It is not always possible to buy a small fruit, so there is a problem of storing the cut berries. To maximize the shelf life of a watermelon cut in the refrigerator, you need to know a few secrets.

• After consumption, the cut watermelon should be refrigerated immediately. With heat, fermentation processes begin in the pulp within an hour.

• The refrigerator can replace the underfloor (cellar) if the temperature in it does not exceed 8 degrees Celsius.

• Cut watermelon retains its taste for no longer than two days. Even if the berry doesn't turn sour, its taste won't be the same.

• There should be no watermelon aromatic products... The pulp will immediately be saturated with a foreign smell.
• Use cling film it is possible, but so that it does not come into contact with the pulp. It is better to wrap the watermelon with the plate, with the notch down.

• In the subfield, you can store a watermelon in a basin, bucket, saucepan, or other container. Keeping the berry cut side down prevents the fruit from drying out.

Another way to store in the refrigerator is to place the pulp of the watermelon in a vacuum plastic container... It is advisable if the watermelon was pre-cut.

It is worth eating a cut watermelon throughout the day. Otherwise, it will become watery and tasteless in the refrigerator, but still fit for consumption. The oxidation process begins after 2-3 days of storage in the refrigerator.

Getting a good harvest of vegetables, fruits or berries is only half the battle, because certain knowledge and skills are required to save it.

After all, not everyone knows how to store watermelons without losing them taste, useful properties and attractive appearance... Adhering to certain rules and recommendations, it is not difficult to achieve this and does not require a significant investment of time and effort.

If you are not aware of how and how much to store a watermelon, our article is for you.

Choosing the right watermelon for storage

When choosing a watermelon for long-term storage, adhere to the following recommendations:

• Buy late-ripening varieties that do not have nitrates. Optimal term purchase of watermelons - the end of September.
• A long shelf life is typical for late-ripening, thick-bore watermelons. In particular, for "Dessertny", "Astrakhan", "Icarus" and others.
• Pay attention to the skin of the berry: it should not be damaged, the surface of the fruit is shiny, bright green and firm.
• Buy slightly unripe fruits. They mature during storage. Unripe berries are easily recognizable by their characteristic sound - by tapping lightly, you will hear a ringing sound. According to many years of observation, unripe watermelons are best stored.
• Pay attention to the size of the watermelons: Weight Limit fruits no more than 5 kilograms.
• Buy berries in specialized stores and tents. Avoid shopping for watermelons on the side of the road and in unfurnished retail outlets. It will simply not be possible to achieve their long-term preservation.
• When choosing a watermelon, carefully study the documents, Special attention giving print. When presenting not the original, but a photocopy, the print must be in color. Otherwise, there is a high probability that the documents are fake, and the quality of the watermelons is questionable.

When growing late-ripening watermelons in a summer cottage or garden plot, harvest 5-7 days before it ripens. Cut and deliver fruit to storage without causing damage. Do not leave cut watermelons in direct sunlight.

The ideal place to store watermelons is in a dark, cool cellar. If you live in an apartment, do not be discouraged, observing some rules, watermelons can be stored in the apartment as well.

1. Air humidity - not less than 70%. If the humidity is lower, the watermelons will dry out.
2. Temperature - from +1 to +30 degrees. At higher temperatures, the shelf life of watermelons will be significantly reduced.
3. Do not allow the sun's rays to hit the fruit.
4. We store berries on sand, straw, sawdust and other soft surfaces.
5. From time to time we turn the watermelons from side to side.

We store watermelons in the apartment

There are many ways to store a watermelon in an apartment.

• For the winter, put it in your closet, bathroom, or mezzanine. The fruits should not come into contact with each other, otherwise they will deteriorate and become unfit for food.
• To extend the shelf life, apply a 5 millimeter layer of liquid alabaster or clay to the rind of the watermelon. You can buy clay and alabaster in any specialty store.
• The shelf life of watermelons increases when their peel is covered with a layer of paraffin or wax 1 centimeter thick. They prevent the fruit from coming into contact with air, significantly increasing the shelf life.
• Remember to keep an eye on humidity and temperature.

The methods listed above have been used to store watermelons for many years. Reviews about them are only positive. Their effectiveness is noted and the guarantee of the suitability of the fruits for food, even after a few months.

Storing watermelon in the refrigerator

An excellent place to store watermelons in an apartment is the refrigerator. It allows you to significantly increase their shelf life. Additionally, watermelon slices can be frozen for the subsequent preparation of various cocktails and compotes.

• We wash and dry the watermelon. Wipe the berries with a damp paper towel or towel.

Attention! Wet fruit is not put in the refrigerator.

• Then, wrap the fruit in regular newspapers (don't wrap the watermelon in glossy magazines).
• Line the bottom of the fruit and vegetable drawer with a thick, dense cloth, and then place the berries.
• Turn the watermelon over from time to time.

You can store a watermelon in the refrigerator for a long time if it is whole. Chopped berries will not be stored in the refrigerator for more than 2 days.

Frozen watermelon pulp loses its natural structure and is used for the preparation of jelly, cocktails and similar drinks. Unmelted slices are capable of being eaten.

For freezing and storing watermelons in freezer use:

• Granulated sugar;
• Fructose;
• Syrup.

We dip the watermelon slices in one of the above ingredients, pack them and send them for dry freezing.

Cut frozen watermelon at a constant negative temperature can be stored for up to a year. The taste, appearance and aroma of defrosted berries remain unchanged.

The first-class storage place for a watermelon in a private home is a dark, cool cellar. There are several ways to store watermelons in it.

Method 1

Place watermelons wrapped in natural cloth or paper in regular vegetable nets and hang them from the ceiling of the cellar. So you will achieve long-term storage of fruits, saving free space.

Method 2

If you decide to store watermelons on shelves or in boxes, use regular forest moss. Place the moss collected in dry weather on a shelf. Place watermelons on a shelf or in boxes, additionally covering the sides with moss.

In the absence of moss, straw can replace it. Lay it in a thick layer in a box or on a shelf, put the fruits on it, additionally covering them with straw on top. When stored on a shelf, the watermelons should not touch.

Method 3

For better preservation of watermelons, cover their rind with a layer of paraffin or wax, about 1 centimeter thick. They can be replaced by clay applied to the peel of the fruit with a regular brush.

The duration of storage of watermelons in the cellar depends on the method chosen.

• Fruits, laid on shelves or hung in nets, are stored for about 2 months.
• Using wax, forest moss or straw will extend the storage time to 4 months.

In addition, the basement should be regularly monitored for temperature, humidity and light levels.

A fairly common question is whether it is possible to store a watermelon next to other fruits and vegetables? The answer is unambiguous - it is impossible, otherwise the berries will absorb the foreign smell, which will deteriorate their taste. Stack watermelons so that there is no food nearby.

Having considered how to store watermelons at home, we can conclude that, following all the rules and recommendations, the watermelon can be stored for several months without losing its taste. The shelf life depends on the correct choice of the watermelon, its integrity. An ideal place to store a watermelon in a private house is a cellar (basement).

Long-term storage of watermelons is not a myth, but a reality!

Watermelon is a symbol of summer. Juicy fruits excellent thirst quenchers, and it is in this season that they are easy to find.

It is not easy to save watermelons for several months, not spoiled, retaining everything useful that is in them, not losing their taste.

But knowing all the features of storing these giant berries, and in winter vacation you can pamper yourself and loved ones with the usual summer table delicacy.

What kind of watermelons can be stored for a long time?

Before deciding how to store watermelons at home, you need to choose the right one.

The fruit must be medium in size, whole and firm: no cracks, cuts, dents, blow marks or sunburn, and its surface is smooth and even. The thicker the rind of the watermelon, the better. It will more reliably protect the pulp from external influences.

If the watermelon is purchased for storage, it is important to know its variety and harvest time. More preferable late varieties, for example, Chill, Peasant, Lezhky. And it is better to buy berries at the end of September. By autumn, the fruits ripen on their own, without the help of chemicals, which means they have less nitrates.

If you plan to keep the watermelons grown on your own, you need to pick them especially carefully, with gloves, without damaging the surface of the berries. It should be folded on a clean soft cloth or other surface that allows "breathing" and so that the fruits do not touch each other.

Properly selected watermelons as a whole, under favorable conditions, can be stored for 1 to 5 months.

Where to store watermelons?

To keep watermelons at home, you need to take care of where to place them. Both in the apartment and in a private house there is an opportunity to keep a summer treat until winter. The main thing is that at the location of the fruits there should be:

Good air circulation

Constant temperature not higher than 6 and not lower than 1 degree Celsius

Humidity within 60-80% Protected from light

In an apartment for storing berries, the following are suitable: bathroom, storage room, room where there is no lighting and always cool, mezzanine, balcony or loggia, if there is no temperature below zero.

In the case of a private house storage of watermelons is possible in more places, since you can not be limited to the residential part of the house. The necessary conditions can be created in the attic, in the garage, in the basement, in the summer kitchen or on the veranda.

What are the ways to store watermelons?

Lovers of these juicy giant berries have come up with many ways with which there is a chance to keep watermelons until spring. Here are a few of them:

1. Hang the wrapped fruits in the net natural fabric or non-woven fabric

2. Spread the surface of the berries with a thick solution of clay, paraffin or wax with a layer 1 centimeter thick. Such a shell will protect the fruit from external excessive moisture, that is, it will prevent the formation of mold, and preserve its juiciness.

3. Place the watermelons, stalk down, in boxes filled with sand, wood ash or dry grain. Thus, the conditions of the soil in which the berries are grown are simulated.

4. Surround the fruits on all sides with straw, the space between the watermelons should also be filled. The straw will prevent the fruit from coming into contact with a hard surface and will protect the crust from damage, plus it will collect excess moisture.

5. Put the berries on the sphagnum marsh moss, after drying it. It perfectly absorbs excess moisture, does not damage the surface of the fruit and has a disinfecting effect, preventing all kinds of fungi and bacteria from developing.

What else do you need to know to conserve watermelons?

Having chosen a convenient option for storing watermelons at home, providing the necessary temperature and humidity level, you need to know a number of other nuances.

Throughout the shelf life, watermelons need to be turned over periodically.

These huge berries are often significant in weight, plus the pulp has delicate consistency... A fetus that has lain in one position for several months is likely to develop some kind of deformation that will negatively affect the safety of the watermelon.

It is important to minimize all fruit contact with any hard surfaces, including each other.

A watermelon placed in a large, closed metal container (saucepan, bucket with a lid) and left in the dark does not need to be refrigerated. This storage method is similar to berry storage in a cellar. Avoid storing watermelons close to other vegetables, especially potatoes. If possible, it is recommended to set aside a separate room. Absolute darkness is just as important as temperature and humidity when storing watermelons

Before placing the fruits in the prepared place, you need to wash and dry them. So there is less chance of the multiplication of harmful microorganisms on the surface of the berries.

The watermelons left for storage should be checked regularly so that one accidentally spoiled fruit does not harm the rest.

Storing watermelons at home long time- troublesome work. But the effort and time spent are worth it. Into the cold winter season so by the way, you will have to greet from summer in the form of a fresh juicy sweet piece of ripe watermelon.

The largest berry in the world watermelon loved by children and adults.

Watermelons, in addition to their taste, have a rich vitamin and mineral composition, low calorie content... They perfectly quench thirst, fight edema.

The fruit is widely used in cooking. Cocktails, smoothies, salads, desserts are made from it. In order to enjoy the taste of this wonderful product for a longer time, you should know how to properly store it.

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Shelf life and storage rules for uncut product

Technical conditions for food watermelons are prescribed in GOST 7177-2015.

Basic conditions long shelf life of watermelons is temperature regime, the integrity of the peel and packaging.

Optimal is temperature + 2-5 degrees at a humidity of 70-85%. Therefore, the refrigerator is the ideal place.

Unfortunately, many watermelons will not fit there, so the fruits can be stored in the cellar.

A garage, a balcony is also suitable, if it is preserved there in winter positive temperature.

Provided the correct laying, it is possible to preserve the fruits and at home at room temperature.

It is important that it be dark place(pantry, mezzanine, place under the bed).

In the refrigerator or cellar, the fruits will be stored for 3-4 months, in the apartment - about 2 months.

Does the watermelon go bad in the refrigerator?

Even if all the conditions for selecting and storing a watermelon are met, it can go bad in the refrigerator. This is due to the fact that bacteria in the air use the pulp of the fruit for active reproduction. The result is processes souring and decay.

At the slightest change in color, smell, appearance of the watermelon, it should throw away, otherwise there is a risk of severe food poisoning.

You can't just cut off the damaged part, because the germs have already spread throughout the pulp.

To prevent the watermelon from spoiling quickly, you should observe storage rules: clean dishes, wrapping in a film or container, the correct temperature regime.

Can be stored in water?

Water can be used to store watermelon. The main thing is that the water is clean and the temperature was maintained in it up to +5 degrees.

You need to put watermelons in a container with water, change the water 3-4 times a month and prevent it from freezing.

How to save until New Years?

You just have to observe simple rules:

• best storage location- cellar, basement, glazed balcony;
• optimum temperature- from +2 to +5 degrees;
• the premises should be well ventilated, do not be damp, direct sunlight should not penetrate there;
• be sure to put fruits on unsteady surface;
• turn over regularly watermelons, checking if they have started to spoil.