Where and how to preserve melon before the New Year at home

Different people associate summer with different things - beach, summer cottage, vacations, mosquitoes. But there are also common joys, like sugar melons. And you must admit that it will be unusual to feel this sunny, fresh taste in winter.

How to preserve melon before the New Year at home, which varieties are suitable for this and how to prepare the fruits - we will tell in the article.

Conditions and terms of storage of melons at home

When purchasing a melon for "wintering", first of all, pay attention to the degree of ripeness. She must be immature. Only in this case is it possible to preserve it until the New Year.

A few basic rules:

1. Store only in a cellar or similar place. That is, the room temperature should be between + 2 ° C and + 4 ° C. Do not store the melon in the refrigerator. There she will lie no more than a month, regardless of the variety.
2. Air humidity - from 60% to 85%.
3. The storage container must be well ventilated.
4. Store melon separately from strong-smelling vegetables.

Attention! Do not store melon next to beets and potatoes. In no case - next to apples. They release ethylene, which helps the fruit ripen quickly.

Is it possible to keep a melon fresh until the New Year

To preserve the melon until the holidays, and then please guests and households, take the time to choose the right fruit. Consider which varieties are suitable for wintering and how long each is stored.

Which varieties are suitable for long-term storage

there is three types of varieties:

1. Early... The maximum shelf life is up to a month. Then the melon loses its taste and appearance. This is best eaten within 2-3 weeks.
2. Mid-season - stored for 3-4 months. It is also worth watching the appearance, do not overexpose, otherwise you will get a spoiled product.
3. Late - stored for up to six months with proper storage.

Such the periods are valid only when stored in cellars or basements!

For "wintering" choose late varieties of melon... These include:

1. Golden (on the picture). The crop is harvested no earlier than 90 days from the first shoots. The fruits are round or oval in shape, the skin is bright yellow, the skin is smooth. It has a pronounced aroma, soft, juicy and pleasant to the taste. Shows high resistance to diseases, insects, sudden temperature changes.
2. Wintering... Ripen after 95 days from the first shoots. The shape is oval, the peel is yellow-green with a large mesh, the flesh is greenish, juicy and tender. Weight within 2-3 kg. Drought and disease resistant.
3. Torpedo... Ripening time - from 100 to 113 days. It has an oblong shape, rich taste and aroma, yellow rind. Due to the mesh on the surface of the fruit, resistance to hot weather conditions and diseases increases. Weight reaches from 4 to 7 kg.
4. A pineapple... It is grown only in hotbeds or greenhouses, as it does not have frost resistance. Ripens in 95 days. Oval, elongated shape. Orange peel, convex mesh. The mass reaches 2-3 kg. Incredibly juicy and aromatic. It tastes like pineapple, which is consistent with the name. The variety is resistant to disease.

How to choose fruits

Do not grab what first came to hand. Choose carefully: inspect, feel, check for defects.

Signs to watch out for:

• the number of cracks on the peel (the less the better) - indicates that the berry is unripe;
• The "nose" of the melon is elastic;
• the skin has a greenish tint - the melon has a chance to survive until the New Year;
• no damage to the fetus (dents, cracks, dents);
• pronounced aroma.

If you grow melons yourself, remove them a week before they are fully ripe. Leave the stalk at least 3 cm long. It is better not to cut the fruit, but to pluck it.

Methods for preserving melons until the New Year

So what is all the same to store a melon so that it is present at the New Year's table? Let's consider all the options.

In the grid

The best storage method is hanging in a net from the ceiling in the basement or cellar... The fruits should hang at a sufficient distance from each other, without touching. Reed bags or vegetable mesh made from natural or synthetic fibers are suitable.

In the box

For storage of melons and gourds the box is filled with one of the components:

• sand;
• perlite;
• vermiculite;
• grain (mainly rye);
• natural sawdust.

The filler is used to retain moisture... Holes are left in the box for oxygen supply. The fruit is lowered into the sand or filler with the stalk down. Melons are examined regularly. If one begins to deteriorate, rot, it is immediately taken out to save the rest.

On racks

With a large harvest, storage racks are chosen. They are covered with a soft cloth, sawdust, straw or hay are poured under the cloth. In this way, dents will not form, which entails rotting of the product.

Placed at a short distance in one layer... They check the melons about 2-3 times a month, turn them over, examine them for damage and decay processes. The ripe ones are removed and served.

At room temperature

Melon is stored in the apartment up to 5-7 days... But it is better to leave it not on a hard floor, but to cover it with a dense cloth to avoid rotting. Avoid direct sunlight and proximity to heating appliances, as heat enhances the ripening process. Ventilate the room regularly.

When the product reaches its highest ripeness, it is consumed within two days. Ripeness is defined as follows: a fragrant aroma appears, the peel becomes elastic, uniform in color, slightly springy when pressed, emits a dull sound when patted, the stalk dries up.

In a refrigerator

Let's do it again: Do not store the melon in the refrigerator. This will not prolong its freshness. Only if you wrap it in natural fabric, cling film or paper, but leave an opening for air intake, you will slightly increase the shelf life - up to two weeks. In this case, leave on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

Important! In the absence of ventilation and low temperatures, mold appears. Wash and dry the fruits beforehand, check for damage. Only then put it in the refrigerator.

The nuances of storing ripe melon

Want to enjoy the delicate melon flavor a couple of days after purchase? Have you purchased large quantities at once?

Ripening

What to do with a melon that still has need to mature:

• place in a cool and dark place on a soft surface.
• wrap loosely in paper and send to refrigerator.
• in the refrigerator, place in the separate vegetable compartment.

Cut

Have you bought a big melon but couldn't eat it all at once? No problem. Cover with paper or cotton napkin and refrigerate... So it will remain for a maximum of three days. Leave the seeds, then it will not deteriorate.

How best to keep a melon in an apartment

Melons of late varieties are stored for up to a month:

• in a cool, dark place, for example, near a balcony door, on a loggia or in a storage room;
• on a floor covered with soft cloth, which will prevent them from rotting;
• in the refrigerator in a special compartment, wrapped in paper, but not tightly - for air exchange.

Recycled storage

The melon is frozen, canned, dried and dried... In this form, she pleases until the next harvest.

Freezing

Do you want to use the method frosts? Follow the advice:

1. Wash and dry the fruit well.
2. Cut into slices or make balls from the pulp with a special spoon.
3. Spread out evenly on a tray and freeze for 12 hours.
4. Place the frozen balls or slices in bags and return to the freezer.
5. Get a delicious and healthy independent dessert at any time of the year. Or use it for other dishes.

Drying

You can dry in an electric dryer or in a conventional oven.:

1. Wash and dry the fruit.
2. Cut into slices no more than 2 cm.
3. Place in one layer on a baking sheet.
4. Send to the oven preheated to + 220 ° С.
5. After 15 minutes, open the door slightly and lower the temperature.
6. Dry the slices at + 85 ° C for 6 hours.
7. Turn them over every half hour to dry evenly.
8. After oven drying, leave the slices in a ventilated room for a few days to evaporate excess moisture.
9. Store in glass containers, sealed tightly, or in fabric bags in a dark place, such as a pantry or kitchen cabinet.

Canning

Easy, simple and tasty way canning melons for the winter.

It will take:

• melon - 2.5 kg;
• sugar - 2 tbsp.;
• citric acid - 1 tsp;
• filtered water - 1 liter.

How to cook:

1. Wash and dry the melon thoroughly.
2. Cut into large slices and clean the core. Remove seeds. Cut off the skin.
3. Cut into 3-4 cm pieces.
4. Place in jars.
5. Boil the syrup: pour water into a saucepan, add sugar and citric acid, boil for five minutes. Pour hot into jars.
6. Put the jars in a bowl of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes for sterilization, remove, roll up the lids and turn over.

Conclusion

If you want to feast on melon for the New Year, choose the following varieties: Wintering, Torpedo, Golden or Pineapple. Store in a dark, cool place, preferably in a net. Either freeze, dry, or can and enjoy the dessert all year round.