The season of sweet and juicy watermelons begins in the second half of summer and ends in mid-autumn, but many are interested in the question of whether these fruits can be stored until winter. Subject to certain conditions, these summer berries can be successfully kept in the cellar or basement and consumed without negative health consequences, even in the cold autumn and winter months. This article lists the rules for choosing watermelons, the necessary microclimate conditions in the store, as well as ways to preserve their freshness until winter.

How to choose watermelons for storage

To keep the watermelons well until the winter, you need to choose the appropriate fruits. If they were grown on your site, then during the harvest you should handle the berries very carefully so as not to scratch or damage them.

Did you know? WITHThe smallest heavy watermelon was grown by Chris Kent in 2013 in the United States - the weight of the fetus was 159 kg.

From store copies, not all berries are also suitable for storage. The following article lists the main criteria for the correct selection of watermelons for long-term winter storage.

Terms of purchase

The first watermelons often appear on sale in early summer, but they are not suitable for winter storage. In June and July, only the early varieties of berries ripen, which are characterized by the lowest keeping quality. To preserve the fruits until frost, you need to buy them from mid-September to early October.

At this time, late-ripening varieties that have a thick peel ripen. It protects the pulp well from contact with various external factors, therefore, such berries are best tolerated by long-term storage. You can not choose for winter storage watermelons that are not ripe. They ripen only at a temperature of about + 20 ° C, and in the cellar will remain unripe.

Appearance and Integrity

When buying striped berries in a store, pay attention to its appearance. It is on this basis that we can determine the level of its maturity and how carefully it was handled during harvesting and transportation.

Did you know? In Japan, watermelons are grown in the form of a cube, a pyramid and a heart. To do this, they are placed in special forms and fruits are harvested when they completely fill the tank.

When evaluating the appearance of a selected instance, pay attention to such signs:

• the fetus should be free of deformations and cracks;
• choose an instance with a dry peduncle - this is a sign of maturity;
• the peel of a ripe berry has a clearly defined pattern, and when tapped on it you can hear a characteristic muffled sound;
• there should be a small yellow spot on one side of the fetus;
• choose a specimen with a smooth shiny skin without roughness and dents;
• do not take berries with a rotten or damp side;
• it is best to choose fruits with a thick and hard skin;
• After purchasing the product, it must be transported carefully, avoiding bumps and shocks.

The size

The size of a watermelon directly depends on how much it can be stored fresh. Many believe that large and heavy berries are the sweetest and juiciest. This statement is partially true, but large fruits are not suitable for long-term storage: their flesh spoils faster, and their large size makes storage uncomfortable.

For winter storage, it is recommended to choose fruits that meet the following parameters:

• have an average size;
• have a weight of not more than 4-5 kg;
• have the correct round shape.

Video: how to choose a watermelon

How to store watermelons in the cellar

In order to preserve watermelons until the beginning of spring, they can be fermented. The pickled pieces of these striped berries are well stored, stacked in glass jars along with apples or other fruits. Before fermenting the berry, it is cut into several parts or the whole fruit is used. But in any case, pickling will change the original taste of the product, although it will allow you to save most of its useful properties.

Unlike pickled berries, the pulp of fresh fruits, when properly stored, remains sweet and very juicy. Most often, fresh watermelons are stored in the cellar or underground in winter. In this case, it is necessary to create an optimal microclimate in the storehouse and properly equip a place to place the fruits. And for the successful storage of berries during the winter, there are several methods that will be discussed later.

Seat selection

To prevent watermelons from spoiling over time, you need to properly place them in the cellar. When storing them, they should not be thrown onto the floor - it is better to carefully transfer the berries in your hands one at a time, wearing soft gloves.

Important! Before laying watermelons in the cellar for long-term storage, it is necessary to treat the walls of the room with antifungal drugs.

Basic rules for choosing a storage location:

• fruits cannot be placed on hard surfaces - this can cause skin damage;
• you can’t put the berries in the cellar on the floor - this can lead to the beginning of the rotting process;
• it is recommended to lay the berries on prepared racks, the shelves of which are covered with soft and dry material;
• you can not put all the watermelons in a heap - if one of them starts to rot, then the remaining copies will deteriorate;
• berries should be placed so that they do not touch each other;
• Do not store fruits next to other vegetables or fruits, as they quickly absorb extraneous odors.

Optimal conditions

Even correctly selected specimens that have a smooth peel without damage will not be able to stay fresh for long when stored in a room with an inappropriate microclimate. Therefore, in the storage you need to create certain conditions.

These include:

1. Optimum air temperature in the range of +1 ... + 4 ° С. In a too-warm cellar, berries can ferment and sour, and in a colder room, the fruits will freeze and lose their taste characteristics.
2. Suitable humidity is 75 to 85%. It is necessary so that the watermelon peel remains firm and elastic, and also does not fade.
3. Good ventilation, which ensures constant circulation of air in the store. Helps prevent mold and rot on fruit.
4. Lack of light sources. Watermelons should be stored in a darkened room, as under the influence of sunlight the peel becomes soft and quickly deteriorates, and the flesh can ferment.
5. No sudden changes in temperature or humidity. When these parameters jump, the berries also begin to deteriorate quickly and their shelf life is rapidly decreasing.

Storage methods

There are several simple and proven folk methods for long-term storage of watermelon in the winter in the cellar. The essence of each of them is to save the surface of the fruit from the adverse effects of many external factors. To do this, they can be placed in barrels, wooden crates or nets, covering the peel with various materials. Each of the methods listed below has its own characteristics, so you need to analyze them all and choose the one that is best for you.

Hanging watermelon

One of the easiest ways to store watermelons in the cellar in the winter is to hang them from the ceiling.

The basic rules for such placement:

• prepare a piece of clean and dry natural fabric, and then carefully wrap the berry on all sides;
• a watermelon wrapped in cloth should be placed in a thin net and hung tightly on the ceiling of the store;
• hanging berries should not touch each other or the surface of other objects in order to avoid accidental blows on the peel;
• the fabric protects the skin well from external factors, and natural air circulation occurs around the fetus, which prevents the process of decay.

Watermelons in the sand

Another way to store watermelons in winter is to place them in the sand.

The main features of such storage are listed below:

• watermelons can be placed in a tub, and then fill them with sand;
• when laying berries in the sand they need to have the stalk down;
• fruit containers should be stored in a darkened cellar;
• It is recommended to use fine sifted sand without stones and large solid elements as a filler - this will avoid damage to the skin;
• with the help of sand, striped berries are successfully stored for 3-4 weeks.

Important! The disadvantage of this method is that the peel of the fetus is not visible in the sand, so it is impossible to notice signs of damage in time.

Crate storage

Keeping watermelons for a long period of time is also convenient in boxes. For this, the containers must be lined with soft and dry material, which will prevent scratches on the fruits.

The main features of this method of storage of striped berries:

• put a thick layer of soft and dry straw or dried moss on the bottom of the box;
• place adjacent fruits in a box so that they do not touch;
• carefully fill the space between adjacent watermelons with the selected dry material - straw or moss;
• on top of the berries also fill up with a thick layer of filler so that it completely covers the fruits;
• it is recommended to cover the box with a lid on top to protect the fruit from moisture.

Storage of watermelons in clay

One of the most effective ways to preserve the freshness of a watermelon in winter is to store it in clay. It protects the peel of berries well, covering it with a dense layer.

The basic principles of this storage method:

• to obtain a clay solution, mix the clay with a small amount of water so that the resulting mixture resembles thick sour cream in consistency;
• gently brush the surface of the berries with clay solution using a soft brush, the thickness of the clay layer should be about 1 cm;
• after processing the clay, leave the fruit for several hours to dry;
• when the clay dries, carefully place the berries in the storage and put them in the prepared place.

Important! To increase the shelf life of watermelons, it is recommended to turn them over every 12-14 days and inspect the fruit for damage.

Storage time

If you choose a suitable instance of a late-ripening variety for winter storage that meets all of the above requirements, then in a repository with the right conditions, it can keep fresh for up to 5-6 months. Early ripening varieties can be stored for no more than 1 week, and then in their pulp begins the rapid decomposition of chemical bonds, which leads to spoilage of berries.

Possible storage errors

In order for fresh watermelons to be well preserved until the very beginning of spring, you must not only follow the recommendations listed above, but also avoid fruit storage errors.

The main ones are listed below:

1. Buying watermelon near roads. The peel of these fruits quickly absorbs harmful substances, as a result of which the flesh not only deteriorates faster, but can also cause serious poisoning of the body.
2. Purchase of specimens, the surface of which is covered with pieces of dried mud. When cleaning them, you can accidentally damage the peel.
3. Frequent shaking of berries during transport. Significantly reduces storage time.
4. Wash a watermelon in water or wipe its surface with a damp cloth before laying it in the cellar. This procedure removes the protective layer on the skin, as a result of which the product quickly deteriorates.
5. Use for packaging pages of color glossy magazines. Such prints contain chemical dyes that can penetrate the skin and can be harmful to the body.
6. Storage of specimens with small scratches on the skin. Through the damaged peel, the pulp comes in contact with air, as a result of which the process of decay begins.
7. Coating the peel with a layer of paraffin. This product is toxic to the human body, as it is produced by oil refining.

Video: how to save watermelon with wax

Many people mistakenly believe that it is impossible to store fresh watermelon for a long time. With the tips and tricks listed in this article, you can easily save fresh striped berries in the cellar and treat yourself to a delicious summer product even on cold winter days.