In order to keep cucumbers fresh for as long as possible, housewives use a variety of methods, including some unusual methods. Let us list some of how to keep cucumbers fresh.

After the vegetable season is over, put a plate of fresh homemade cucumbers on the plate, which will surprise any family and guests. And if you choose cucumbers suitable for long-term preservation and put them in the "right" position, you will succeed. Experienced gardeners say that there are many ways to store cucumbers, among which cucumbers can remain fresh and crispy for a long time.

1.Which cucumber keeps longer The cucumbers you are about to store for a long time should be harvested recently from the garden. It is best to choose small and medium-sized cucumbers, which are ripe but not overripe. Cucumbers should have no damage, no spots, and dense skin. In addition, they must be shaken off the ground and dried a bit. Overripe cucumbers are more suitable for harvesting seeds. But remember, not all cucumbers are suitable for this.

Note In most cases, it is not recommended to wash cucumbers before long-term storage, because vegetables will deteriorate faster if they come in contact with water. It should be noted that we are only talking about homemade cucumbers, because vegetables bought in markets or shops may have been preserved for a long time, and there are some special varieties of cucumbers suitable for pickling and canning. Cucumbers should be stored separately from other ripe fruits because many fruits release ethylene, which accelerates the ripening and deterioration of cucumbers. If you are not sure how long your cucumbers will last, they are perfect for winter salads.

2. How to store fresh cucumbers at home There are several traditional methods to extend the life of fresh cucumbers at home. However, this storage time will not be too long: from a few days to two weeks. For example, you can put cucumbers in a plastic bag and wrap them in wet gauze, but keep them open-this will keep the vegetables "normal" for about 10 days. You can wrap each cucumber in a napkin before putting the fruit in the bag. In this way, the vegetables can be kept for two weeks. If you "plant" the tails of cucumbers in a bowl of cold water, it will keep them fresh for 3-4 weeks. Indeed, in this case, the water must be changed every day.

Note The resourceful housewife also knows another method, which is to store cucumbers in the refrigerator for a relatively long time. Cucumbers should be rinsed with cold water, dried, and processed with a little beaten egg white. It is important that the place where the fruit is placed should be as far away as possible from the freezer because a temperature around 0°C will promote the formation of mucus on the fruit. If you do not store cucumbers in the refrigerator, but in the cellar or basement, you can put the cucumbers in a wet cloth to increase the shelf life of the cucumbers. This can extend the life of cucumbers by at least 10 days. During the same period, you can keep the fruits fresh if you put them in paper bags or wooden boxes and send them to a dark room with a temperature of 6-8°C. Another way to get delicious crispy cucumbers is to pickle them. But for this, it is recommended to use cucumbers that are entirely bee-pollinated varieties.

3. How to store fresh cucumbers in other ways Let's talk about the less traditional cucumber storage method. Experts do not promise to comment on the terms of this storage but believe that it is an order of magnitude longer than the conventional method described above. If you have a well in your yard, cucumbers can be conveniently stored there. To do this, place the cucumbers in a dry bucket and cover them with a cloth. Lower the bucket into the well so that it slightly touches the water surface. In the absence of wells, natural oil reservoirs are also suitable. In order to store the cucumber in this way, place it in a synthetic string bag with small compartments, install the load from below, fully immerse the cucumber in the water, but at the same time secure the string bag firmly on the shore. The alternative to water is dry sand. In this case, put the cucumber in a clay pot, water it with clean sand (should be washed and dried beforehand), and then bury the container in the ground. If the latter action cannot be taken, put the vegetable container in the cellar or basement. Vinegar can also help cucumbers stay in their original state longer. Before use, rinse the vegetables with clean water, dry them, and put them in a strainer or sieve. Pour the vinegar (9%) into a clean enamel bowl with a larger diameter so that the sieve or strainer placed there does not touch the liquid. Put the lid on the container and store it in a cool room. Regularly "check" the stored vegetables. According to netizens, the cucumber in this case can be stored for at least one month.

Note If you use vinegar to store cucumbers, be sure to restrict access to the room where the fruit is stored, especially for children. The most unusual of the suggested methods is to store cucumbers in cabbage. To achieve this goal, cucumbers are first planted in the middle of the late-ripening cabbages. Afterward, the inner leaves of the cauliflower should be carefully put together to avoid injury. After the Chinese cabbage is harvested, the ripe cucumbers still remain in it. According to the vegetable gardener, they can be stored in a suitable cellar or basement until spring. If you feel that the idea of long-term storage of cucumbers with the above method is still weird, you can always put them together. Have you ever stored cucumbers at home for a long time? What method did you choose and what was the effect?

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Kiss

This was drawn by Fresh Vegetable (新鮮野菜), inspired by this japanese oneshot.

In fall, it's great to see the actual results of your work, appreciate the harvest, and look forward to the upcoming winter feast. However, growing vegetables is one thing, but harvesting them and storing them at the right time is another. Each crop has its own maturity conditions, its own harvesting vegetables ​and storage preparation requirements, and its own storability conditions. Knowing them and using them skillfully - means really getting results.

POTATOES

One of the main crops grown in our gardens is potatoes. And there is no substitute for them at the dinner table. That's why it's important to store potatoes properly so that they last until spring.

A. When and how to harvest potatoes Potatoes should be unset as soon as their stalks dry. If you delay harvesting, the tubers will begin to lose weight. Both a spade and a pitchfork can be used to pull potatoes out of the ground. The latter method is more practical in areas where the soil is loose. Many people also sort potatoes as soon as they are dug up, mainly into seed and "edible" potatoes. However, subsequent sorting after the vegetables have been dried is also important before storage, as not only seed potatoes but also damaged or irregularly shaped potatoes must be removed. In addition, size influences storability: large tubers can be stored until mid-winter (after which their flavor deteriorates significantly), medium-sized tubers can be stored until spring, and very small tubers are better suited for immediate consumption.

B. Preparing potatoes for storage Preparation for storing potatoes begins during the so-called "healing period" or post-harvest ripening. This is preferably about 2 to 5 days but can last several weeks (depending on weather conditions). During this period, the tuber wounds heal, the skin thickens, carbohydrates are converted to starch, and stored vitamin C. At this time, the "edible" potatoes are kept in a cool, ventilated place, protected from dew and rain, but instead, the seed material is left in the sun for a few days to turn green - this increases their storability and makes them unsuitable for rodents. Then, ideally, there should be a cooling period. This involves gradually lowering the temperature of the potatoes to between 35-39 °F (2-4 °C). However, it is difficult to carry out such a procedure at home, and you will have to rely on spontaneous temperature reductions associated with fall weather changes.

C. Storage potatoes The main storage period for potatoes is during their physiological dormancy period, which lasts until about March. During this time, tubers should be kept in the dark and cold at 35-39 °F (2-4°C) with 85-90% air humidity. Lower temperatures will cause tubers to deteriorate, and higher temperatures will cause them to germinate. In addition, negative temperatures will cause the starch contained in the fruit to be converted into sugar, which has a negative impact on the taste. However, potatoes were not significantly affected by the rare short-term fluctuations in temperature toward 32 °F (0°C) or below. From about the end of February (early varieties) to the beginning of March, potatoes begin to wake up. New shoots appear on the tubers. These should not be left behind, as they draw nutrients from the potatoes and thus affect not only the appearance but also the taste of the vegetable. Therefore, the tubers should be collected and cleaned of everything that has sprouted on them. But this process can be delayed to some extent by lowering the storage temperature to between 34-35 °F (1.5-2°C), let's say by ventilating the potatoes in the morning. In most cases, potatoes are stored in bulk in bundles no higher than 60 inches (1.5 m), but it is equally practical to sort them into crates. Potatoes should not be stored in plastic bags.

CABBAGE Cabbage is no less popular in Asian cuisine. Some are salted, others pickled, but a particularly delightful option for the winter table is fresh cabbage salad. To preserve Cabbage until spring, there are also a few rules. First, it must be a medium to late maturing variety. Second, the Cabbage must be picked without damage and must be firm and full. And third, Cabbage for storage must not be harvested earlier than the daytime temperature of 35-46 °F (2-8°C).

A. When and how to harvest Cabbage Harvest Cabbage on a dry, sunny day by trimming the heads with a sharp knife. When harvesting, you can immediately discard those not suitable for storage and remove unwanted leaves from the good stuff, leaving 3-4 top leaves on the head. The length of the cores will vary 1-3 inches (2.5-8 cm)), depending on how they are stored.

B. Preparing Cabbage for Storage If cabbage cannot be harvested during periods of full sun and it is raining, cabbage should always be dried before being stored. If you choose, it is a good idea to sort them by size: keep the large heads close together (they store less) and the small heads in the main storage. Blistered, rotten, and soft cabbage is best disposed of immediately.

C. How to store Cabbage Cabbage can be stored in different places: in the cellar, in the basement, in the pantry, on the balcony. The storage temperature should be between 30 and 33 °F (1 to -1°C) with a relative humidity of about 95%. The best way to store cabbage heads is to store them so that they do not touch each other. The easiest way is to stack the heads in crates or on shelves with the core facing up. Less popular is to hang their cores on hooks or twine, bury them in dry sand - in both cases at least 3 inches (8 cm) long - or wrap them in paper or plastic wrap. When placing the forks in the box, remember that the container should be vented, and the heads face inward. When stacked on a shelf, several layers can be formed by staggering the forks. When packing with paper, it is important not to use newspaper as its dye is quite harmful. If sand is used, the sprouts can be buried completely.

BEET The next most popular vegetables are probably beets and carrots. Without these vegetables, it would be impossible to make borscht or prepare salads.

A. When and How to Harvest Beet Roots The timing of harvesting beets is indicated by the drying of their lower leaves, the diameter of the beetroots matching their variety size, and the formation of characteristic knots on individual beetroots. Depending on the earliness of the variety, these signs may be observed at different times. Still, in general, beets are harvested from September to the end of October (depending on the climatic zone). It is best to pick the roots by hand, but if the workload is high enough, a pitchfork can also be used.

B. Preparing beetroots for storage The dug plugs should be gently stripped from the ground (best done with cloth-gloved hands), the traction removed with a sharp knife (at the height of 2-3 mm from the head), and placed in the cellar after a little drying. To prolong the sturdiness of root crops, it is better to harvest them in dry, sunny weather. If this is not possible and the crop is harvested in the rainy season, beet should be dried before being put into storage. If an early frost does not arrive and the beetroot is not harvested, it can also be harvested after the frost, but it will be sweet and watery and will not last long.

C. Storing stored beets So, how do you store beets? There are several methods. The first method is to pour moist sand over the beets, while the second method is to place them in a single layer on a rack. The best temperature is 35-37 °F (2-3°C) and 85% humidity. You can put the beets in your cellar, in the cellar, on an enclosed insulated balcony, or in a log cabin. Sometimes they can be stacked on top of potatoes to provide additional storage space. In this case, it also functions as an absorbent - it absorbs excess moisture. When storing beets, it is worth remembering that storable beets are those that do not exceed 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter, are round or elongated in shape, and, of course, late-maturing varieties.

CARROTS

A. When and how to harvest carrots As with beets, carrots for winter storage are harvested in late fall, just before frost, and in some varieties, such as Chantenay, even after the first small frost. However, if you dig them up early, the storage period of vitamin vegetables is shortened because the crop is not yet mature and quickly succumbs to rot. The easiest way to remove the rhizome is to use a fork or spatula, but be careful to dig it out to not damage it.

B. Preparing carrots for storage After digging up the carrots, clean off any clumps of soil attached (but not by tapping, but by using gloved hands), using scissors, a knife, or simply twisting the traction is all that is needed to dry them slightly.

C. Storing carrots The vegetables can be stored in boxes or loose in low bunches, but the best method is to spread in wet sand. In the latter case, the root crop is placed in a container (with one carrot as a layer) and sandwiched in previously prepared moist sand (to determine the optimum moisture level of the sand, it is held in hand and squeezed if the block retains its shape, but the moisture is not released - this is what you need! , the thickness of 0.4-0.8 inches (1-2 cm). Among modern recommendations, you can find a way to store carrots in plastic bags. In this variant, the roots are poured into a 100-150 micron thick polyethylene bag, 44-88 Lb (20-30 kg) each, without knots at the mouth. To prevent the accumulation of condensation, holes are made in the bottom of such "containers." To ensure that carrots can be stored for as long as possible, the time between harvesting them and putting them in storage should not exceed one day. After the carrots are put into bags or boxes, they must be cooled (outside overnight and brought into the cellar in the morning). They are stored at a temperature of 37 °F (3°C) - permissible figures: 32-50 °F (0-10°C) and relative humidity of 95%. Unlike beetroot, in carrots, the small roots should be consumed first, followed by the medium roots and then the large roots. If carrots are washed with water before storage, their storability will be greatly reduced. For a more compact arrangement of the roots in the container, carrots should be stacked alternately, first with the mouths facing each other, then with the tops.

ONIONS AND GARLIC A. When and How to Harvest Onions Harvest onions once most of the leaves have fallen off, the outer scales have taken on their characteristic color, and the bulbs look fully formed. Gently take the onions out of the ground: do not pull to damage the base, and do not knock them against each other.

B. Preparing for storage After harvesting, the heads should be dried in a well-ventilated area and covered with a dew-proof lid overnight. Bulbs will become dense when they have a characteristic "rattle" (usually after a week). When the bulbs have a characteristic "rattle" (usually after a week), they are firm, their necks are closed, the outer scales are dry, and the onions are cleaned of any soil and root residue. The pseudostems are cut off, leaving a 2 inch (5 cm) long neck. The harvested material was then sorted, and those with sunken necks and soft bottoms (signs of decay) and those that were obviously damaged were discarded and placed in storage.

C. Storing onions Store onions in small boxes, mesh pockets, or stockings in a cool, dry place. The best conditions for storing bulbs are a temperature of 33-37 °F (1-3°C) and a humidity of 70-80%. As a rule, onions can be stored in braids. Instead of cutting the leaves off, they are braided and wrapped in twine. Although labor-intensive, this method is considered one of the best because it ensures good ventilation and minimal contact between the bulbs.

D. When and how to harvest garlic It is best to harvest garlic selectively when the individual bulbs are mature. Guidelines here can be dry leaves, dry roots (young roots are white, dead roots are gray), and easy removal from the ground (mature bulbs can be pulled freely through pseudostems).

E. Preparing for storage Next, everything is the same as onions! The heads should be dried, but not in the sun, but in a cool, airy place, carefully cleaned of clumped soil, the leaves cut off, leaving 1.5-2 inch (4-5 cm) pseudostems, and the roots removed.

F. Storing garlic Store spring garlic at 60-68 °F (16-20°C) air temperature and 50-80% relative humidity (for winter storage). You can twist them into braids, bundle them up, wrap them in plastic netting or cloth bags, wrap them in salt, "pack" them in glass jars, or put them in wicker baskets.

PUMPKINS

A. When and how to harvest pumpkins Harvesting and storing pumpkins also have their own peculiarities. This crop is harvested at once, and the fruit is collected along with the stalks and placed on a rack or tray. However, harvesting times vary by variety and may vary over several months. For example, early varieties are harvested in August, three and a half months after planting in the open field; medium varieties are harvested in September, and late varieties are harvested before the arrival of cold weather. You can tell if a pumpkin is ripe by its appearance. Dark-colored fruits, yellowing or wilting leaves, thickened stalks, and hard skin indicate that the time has come.

B. Preparing pumpkins for storage If weather conditions do not allow for the required harvest of this wonderful vegetable - you can solve this problem without having to wait for nature's bounty. Pumpkins harvested in the rain need to be dried in a dry, ventilated room and placed on sawdust, and the unripe pumpkins can be finished in storage.

C. Storing pumpkins Storage of pumpkins should take into account the quality of the variety. Late ripening varieties have the best storability, medium ripening varieties have the worst storability, and early ripening varieties need to be processed quickly. Also, shelf life depends on the time of harvest - fruit harvested on a sunny day will last longer, but pumpkins harvested on a rainy day will last less. Damaged pumpkins and picked pumpkins without tails will have to be eaten first. Whether you store pumpkins in the attic, on the balcony, or in the cellar, the best storage conditions are temperatures between 37-50 °F (3-10°C) and relative humidity of 70 to 75%. Fruits stored on straw, sawdust, or hay, rather than on the floor, not touching each other and kept in a "tail up" position, will store longer.

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There is an incredible diversity of fruits and vegetables found across the world. While it is challenging to provide an exact count, as new varieties and species are constantly being discovered, it is estimated that there are thousands of different types of fruits and vegetables available to us. This wide array of options ensures that our diets can be rich in flavors, textures, and nutritional benefits.

A diet high in vegetables is good for your health because they are high in fiber, antioxidants, and essential vitamins and minerals. Even though all vegetables are good for you, some have more medicinal properties than others.

To buy these fresh vegetables and fruits online for free home delivery in Kingston, Ontario, reach out to Gomaple Farm Fresh.

Beets.

Beets are vibrant and earthy vegetables that are high in several vitamins and minerals that aid in blood pressure reduction and athletic performance. They also contain a lot of nutrients that can help control blood sugar levels, improve heart health, and lower the risk of cancer.

According to Inna Melamed, Pharm., this root vegetable contains a lot of dietary nitrates, which turn into nitric oxide in the body to increase blood flow and relax the vessels. D, a practitioner of functional medicine and the author of Digestive Reset. Nitrates may also help improve brain function and lower blood pressure.

Carrots.

People of all cultures have enjoyed carrots raw, cooked, or in the form of carrot juice. Carrots are one of the oldest vegetables that have been grown in the world. Carotenoids, an antioxidant group that our bodies convert to vitamin A, are what gives them their orange color. They are important for eye health, keep skin and mucous membranes healthy, and activate enzymes that break down carcinogens.

They are also a good source of dietary fiber, which helps digestion by making the peristaltic motion of the stomach and the production of gastric juices go up. It can even help prevent colon cancer by reducing constipation.

Garlic.

Along with scallions, leeks, and chives, garlic is a pungent vegetable that, rather than being consumed by itself, is frequently utilized as an herb or spice to enhance flavors. However, it is loaded with a wide range of nutrients and sulfur compounds that are good for health, such as allicin.

Garlic's organosulfur compounds, like thiosulfate and alliin, kill a lot of different kinds of microorganisms. Studies have demonstrated that individuals who consume this vegetable regularly are less likely to catch colds and recover from them more quickly, which may be why it is one of the best foods for fighting bacteria.

In his well-known medical treatise, Materia Medica, Dioscorides, a physician who lived between 40 and 90 AD, recommended garlic for its ability to thin mucus and alleviate coughing; get rid of parasites and worms; encourage menstruation; to safeguard against dog and viper bites; and to treat ulcers, leprosy, toothaches, and skin and uterine infections. A delicious way to get your daily dose of this superfood is to roast it in the oven or add raw garlic to soups, salad dressings, and marinades.

Spinach.

Spinach is a leafy green that tastes good cooked, raw, or wilted. It's a common addition to salads, soups, and omelets when combined with cheese or eggs. Additionally, it is frequently added to pasta dishes.

Iron, which is required for the production of red blood cells and the transport of oxygen throughout the body, can be found in this vegetable. Anemia, which results in fatigue and weakness, can be caused by a lack of iron.

Spinach contains folic acid, which can help protect babies from neural tube birth defects like spina bifida if taken as a supplement by pregnant women. Potassium, which helps lower blood pressure, is abundant in it. Additionally, it is anti-inflammatory.

Broccoli.

Broccoli is rich in manganese, potassium, and folate. It also contains vitamin C, iron, calcium, and antioxidants like sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol. These mixtures help detoxify proteins and go about as normal plant synthetic compounds that forestall the sort of cell harm that might prompt disease.