Pumpkin belongs to the most numerous family of vegetable cultures – Pumpkin. About 800 species of various plants are included by this family. All these plants have the southern origin, but now cultivate them almost in all climatic zones. After successful cultivation of pumpkin on personal plot, it is necessary to take care of that it is correct and to keep the harvest for longer term.
Pumpkin begins to be removed before emergence of frosts in warm and sunny weather. Usually it occurs in the middle or the end of September. To learn mature pumpkin or not it is possible on usykhaniye and solidification of its fruit stem and bark. Carefully cut off fruits together with fruit stem and sort by the size and quality. Pumpkin fruits with various damages need to be used right after cleaning, and other, suitable for long lezhkost, dry up and warm up in the sun within one week.
If night time temperature too low surely cover pumpkin fruits with ukryvny materials, for example agrily. During wet and damp weather of pumpkin dry under canopy in order that from them excess moisture has evaporated, their surface has hardened and less was affected by harmful microorganisms.
For long storage use the most lezhky grades of pumpkin. It is possible to judge it if to press on bark nail. If the surface of pumpkin is not pressed through, so such fruits are most suitable for long use.
Pumpkins for long storage contain large amount of starch. In storage time, starch is hydrolyzed and fruits become more sweet.
It is necessary to store pumpkin in well aired rooms at temperature of 3 - 5 degrees above zero and relative humidity no more than 75%. Fruits of pumpkin display on special racks fruit stems up in one row. It is important to leave distance between fruits for the best airing. It is still obligatory to preserve pumpkins against influence of sunshine.
Also pumpkins can be stored in wooden boxes ranks, peresloyenny dry straw. If there is small amount of fruits, then they can be spread out on half of the house, protecting from impact of sunlight.