How to grow squash and store them for the winter, video

Factors influencing safety

How long the squash will last in its original form will be influenced by many factors:

degree of maturity;
temperature and humidity;
integrity of the fetus.

Small, young fruits are stored in the refrigerator for 8-10 days. Then they begin to deteriorate.

If the skin of the fruit is damaged, its shelf life is significantly reduced. The microflora developing in the wound tissue very quickly causes decay processes, and it is no longer possible to save such a vegetable.

Tip of the day

Do not trim vegetables with the first signs of rotting, because microorganisms tend to penetrate into the thickness of the fruit. Ruthlessly get rid of such fruits.

Composition of squash

Not so long ago, we knew only white squash, but then breeders developed beautiful multi-colored fruits: light and dark green, golden yellow, orange, purple and speckled.

Young squash is tastier and healthier, and you don’t even need to peel them: they are good with the peel, and the content of minerals and vitamins in them is very high, but they are low in calories - only about 20 kcal per 100 grams, so they are “ just right". The weight of young fruits is small - from 100 to 300 grams, and large mature squash can weigh a whole kilogram, but their taste is lost, so you should not keep them in the garden for more than 5 days.

Squash is rich in vitamins – C, group B, PP, carotene; and minerals - potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, iron; they contain dietary fiber and organic acids, natural sugars, enzymes, and pectins.

Recipes for pickled squash

When the question arises of how to diversify squash dishes for the winter, among the options for preparing squash, the most popular method is pickling.

You can marinate the squash exclusively by yourself, without adding other ingredients, or you can experiment and add various vegetables, and we will get an assortment, or different herbs to highlight the taste.

Well, the taste of pickled squash for the winter depends on the marinade itself. For the marinade, there is a mandatory basic set of ingredients - salt, sugar.

You can add vinegar to taste and desire. As for spices, in addition to the standard parsley, dill, celery, horseradish, onion, garlic, pepper, you can add mustard seeds, cloves, cinnamon, mint, tarragon, etc.

Pickled squash

Having pickled squash, you will never be disappointed, and will be happy to open the next jar.

In order to marinate squash, we will need the following ingredients per liter jar:

whole squash – 500 g;
marinade – 400 g;
horseradish leaves – 2 g;
dill – 50 g;
celery and parsley leaves – 4 g;
chilli red hot pepper – 1 piece;
bay leaf – 1 pc.;
garlic – 1 clove.

Marinade:

1 liter of water;
3 tbsp. l. salt;
2 tbsp. l. Sahara;
1 tsp. vinegar.

Wash small squash, trim, dry and blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes. Then take it out and put it in cold water with ice. By the way, you can also make marinated squash in pieces if you have large enough fruits.

Preparing the marinade:

Boil 1 liter of water, add salt, sugar, pepper. Possible spices in the jar are cinnamon, cloves, allspice and black hot pepper, garlic, horseradish, herbs or parsley roots, celery. Pour in vinegar and remove from heat. Prepare the greens: wash and chop. Don't forget about spices. Place spices and herbs on the bottom of washed, sterilized jars. We lay the squash tightly. Pour in hot marinade, cover with lids and sterilize. Then we roll it up and leave it to cool.

Pickled vegetable platter

When marinating squash, you can experiment by preparing a vegetable platter with a variety of vegetables from your garden.

Assorted, you can add carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, onions, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli to the squashes. Among the spices you can add to the jar are garlic, horseradish root, celery, parsley, dill, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, and cloves.

For the marinade, take water, salt, sugar and vinegar. Here are the proportions for a liter jar: ½ squash, 1 onion, 4 cloves of garlic, ½ carrot, 1 large thick-walled sweet pepper, 5-7 small cucumbers, 5-7 cherry tomatoes, 1 young zucchini, 10 black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 3 clove buds, 2 tbsp. l. salt, 4 tbsp. l. sugar, ½ cup 5% vinegar

We wash all the vegetables, cut them the way we like: some into slices, some into circles, some into strips. Place herbs, spices, salt, and sugar at the bottom of the jar. Then come all the vegetables. They can be laid out in layers or mixed together. Pour boiling water over everything and set to sterilize. Close the lid and leave to cool.

Marinated squash with mint

In order to marinate squash with mint, you need to prepare everything, as for pickled squash.

But add a couple of sprigs of mint to the greens mixture. Mint will add a special pleasant flavor to pickled squash.

Did you know? Squash seeds contain a lot of lecithin (430 mg), the same as in chicken eggs.

For pickling, you can take small young fruits or cut large ones. Let's take whole fruits for pickling - they look more aesthetically pleasing on the plate. Wash well, trim around the edges and blanch for 5-8 minutes. Remove from boiling water and place on a paper towel. Place tightly in sterilized jars, placing herbs, spices, and mint on the bottom. All the herbs and spices that you usually use for seaming and marinating are suitable. Fill the jars with marinade, which has been boiled and cooled to 80 °C.

For the marinade, take 1 liter of water, 10 g of salt and 1/2 tsp. acetic acid 70%. Then cover with nylon lids and send to a dry, dark place. After 2-3 weeks, the squash can be eaten.

Do I need to clean squash before cooking?

Do I need to peel the squash before cooking? How to clean large squash, whose skin is very hard, easier and faster?

Young squash has a delicate peel, so there is no point in peeling it. But what to do with overripe fruits, whose peel is very hard, is up to everyone to decide for themselves.

Not at all. They are tasteless, so there is no point in eating them. I have my own garden, there are a lot of vegetables, I simply throw away the overripe ones to the neighbor’s ducks.
Bake the meat. You can make a pot out of ripe squash, throw out the pulp and bake something in the oven in an original way.
Use a fine grater. Not easy, but the peel can be peeled off with a fine grater.
A knife is the worst option, since the hard peel is very difficult to clean and can cause you to cut yourself.
I heard that you can’t tell whether the fruit is young or old in the pancakes, so if you manage to peel off the peel, you can bake vegetable pancakes.

Conclusion: do not buy large and overripe squash, but collect them in your own garden on time.

Useful properties of cilantro in winter

An inconspicuous-looking herb conceals a storehouse of vitamins

It is useful to use at any time of the year, but in winter, when it is important to maintain immunity, the seasoning must be present in the diet. Frozen cilantro is just as healthy as fresh, so during the season you can make preparations for the whole year

Here is just a small list of the benefits of frozen seasoning:

It normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Suppresses depression and improves mood.
Has an analgesic and calming effect.
Positively affects eye health and improves vision.
It has a powerful antiviral effect, which is so valuable during the cold season.
Normalizes blood sugar levels.
Helps digest “heavy” foods.
Removes harmful substances from the body, incl. waste and toxins.

Frozen and fresh cilantro cleanses the walls of blood vessels from bad cholesterol and has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart. Its effect on appearance is also noticeable - with regular use, hair and skin improve, puffiness disappears.

Harvesting cilantro for the winter video

The video shows how to properly freeze cilantro for the winter at home to keep the spice fresh longer.

Storage with processing

The crops are grown and harvested. A lot of money and effort have been spent, and now it is necessary to make every effort to preserve the gifts of nature.

In order to preserve squash for a long time, you can:

If your family doesn’t like pickled or canned foods, then freezing is the best option.

To prepare squash for the winter by freezing, you need a freezer, plastic bags or containers for freezing. And, of course, the following recipes.

For the puree soup, the squash must be turned into a smoothie. To do this, grind the peeled and cored fruits using a meat grinder or blender. You can grind both raw vegetables and pre-blanched and cooled ones. Place the finished puree in containers, preferably portioned, and freeze.
For vegetable stew, squash must be cut into cubes. The product can be frozen either separately or as an assortment with eggplants, sweet bell peppers and red tomatoes. This blank is very versatile and practical.

Tip of the day

Before preparing a piece in one way or another, think about how you will use it. Otherwise, you'll just waste food, take up space in your freezer, and be disappointed.

With the advent of drying plants, it has become easier to dry and thus preserve vegetables.

Cut the squash into slices of equal thickness and place in the dryer. Select the processing time according to the instructions for the drying unit.
After the procedure, place the slices in a container that can be hermetically sealed.

Your imagination can tell you exactly how to use dry squash. Unfortunately, not many recipes contain this ingredient.

However, you can grind dry slices into flour and add it to soups and sauces. You will get a thick and rich dish thanks to the pectin substances contained in the squash. But for lovers of clear soups, this additive is not suitable.

Dried squash has a neutral taste and will not add a lingering aftertaste to the dish. Squash flour is used only as a thickener. By adding the product to vegetables or meat, you can get a delicious dish with the desired consistency.

Do you know that…

The correct answer to the question “What should I eat to lose weight?” – dried squash. It is incredibly rich in fiber, which is essential for losing extra pounds.

Conservation

Squash behaves well in a jar. Fruits stored in marinade are good not only as an independent dish, but also in company with other vegetables.

By putting cucumber, tomato, squash, bell pepper, apple slices and watermelon slices in one jar, you will get an amazing assortment that will be in demand both on holidays and on weekdays.

The methods for preserving squash are not at all different from those for other vegetables. Adhering to the traditional recipe, you can diversify the preparations with different spices and herbs. For example, when preserving squash, experienced housewives add basil. It gives the marinade a spicy taste and aroma.

Try cooking Korean squash for the winter. A simple recipe for this delicious salad in the video:

Do you know that…

Prepared from squash and jam, adding lemon or orange to the syrup. However, for this, the fruits must be young and fresh; overripe ones are unsuitable.

Shelf life

How long a product can remain after one or another processing depends on both the quality and the harvesting methods:

Frozen vegetables can be stored for more than a year, provided they have not been thawed or re-frozen.
Dried squash, if kept in a dry and dark place, can be used until the color, smell or taste changes.
Canned fruits are usually stored for 12 months. As long as the lid does not swell, the contents of the jar are suitable for consumption.

By choosing one or another method of storing squash, you can easily diversify your table with culinary delights, bringing a lot of pleasure to your loved ones.

How to cook squash - children's dishes

Are you tired of persuading your child to eat a spoonful of cabbage soup for dad, mom and immediate family? Cook thick squash soup for your baby and the problem will go away.

Cream soup with croutons

All you need is 300 grams. squash, half an onion and carrot, 1 potato, 10% cream - a glass. Salt - a little bit, a spoonful of croutons.

Chop clean vegetables into any shape, place in a saucepan, and fill with chicken broth. Cook for 20 minutes, then turn off the stove, remove the grounds and blend them in a blender. Place back on the heat, add cream, salt, and heat for three minutes. The soup is ready, there is no need to call the baby, he has been spinning around in the kitchen for a long time, running to the delicate and tasty smell.

Casserole

Take: a glass of rolled oats, 150 gr. squash, one apple and egg, 50 gr. sugar, half a glass of milk and flour.

Boil Hercules in water, add chopped apple and squash, flour, sugar, milk to the porridge. Stir. Place in a greased pan and bake for 35 minutes in the oven at 200º. Before serving, cut into pieces, top with sour cream or fruit jelly.

It would seem such a simple vegetable, but what original dishes can be made from it! Prepare squash using our recipes or inventing your own, change ingredients, experiment with spices, sauces, dressings and treat your loved ones and friends to new dishes.

Hello, dear friends! Let's talk today about squash, a close relative of zucchini and pumpkin. Many people grow this vegetable in the garden not only because of its beneficial properties, but also because of its original shape. Gramophone-shaped fruits always look good on the table. I also planted them this year, a lot of them grew and now I have a question: how to cook squash? I had to take out my famous notebook again, look through magazines and I found a lot of interesting recipes. I share them with you.

But first, I’ll tell you where this vegetable came from and whether there are any benefits from it.

The homeland of squash, like zucchini and pumpkin, is considered to be the American continent, where it began to be grown five thousand years ago. The squash was brought to Europe from the American continent after South America became a Spanish colony. Since the 17th century, the vegetable has gained wide popularity in European countries. And two centuries later it could be found in Ukraine, and then found in Siberia.

Experts say that squash is superior in taste to its counterparts - zucchini and pumpkin. The small fruits taste like young mushrooms, and very small squash with tender and not yet roughened skin are generally considered a delicacy.

It is the young fruits that are the most tasty, healthy and nutritious. The fruit contains proteins, carbohydrates, and a small amount of fat. The calorie content of 100 grams of raw squash is no more than 20 kcal, which is useful for dietary nutrition and weight loss. In addition, there are pectin substances and sugars, and sugars are represented by fructose and glucose, which are easily absorbed in the body.

The chemical composition is also varied. This is an excellent source of mineral salts: potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium. Microelements include iron, cobalt, molybdenum, copper, aluminum, titanium, and zinc. Vitamins include ascorbic acid, carotene, B1 and B2. And squash contains more vitamin E than pumpkin and zucchini.

Recipe for the most delicious crispy canned squash

This recipe should appeal to many housewives, because it is distinguished not only by its crunch, but also by its pleasant taste, reminiscent of mushrooms. To stock up for the winter you will need to prepare:

1 kg of young fruits;
1 tbsp. water;
1 tbsp. oils;
50 ml vinegar;
2 bay leaves;
peppercorn mixture;
30 g each of salt and sugar.

Canning without sterilization according to this recipe:

Wash the vegetables, cut out the stalk and chop into 3-5 mm plates.
Place a saucepan on the fire to cook the brine. Pour in water, oil, vinegar, add spices, salt and sugar. Wait until it boils.
Place the squash in the brine, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Take a colander, fish out the vegetables, fill the washed jars with them, and pour in the hot marinade.
Cover the jars with lids and place them in the oven, preheated to 150 °C. Leave the jars and wait until they boil. As soon as the first bubbles appear, wait another 5 minutes, remove and seal tightly.

How to Peel Hard Peels from Squash Videos

I’ll say right away that young squash should not be peeled, since their skin is delicate.
In addition, it is rich in composition, containing various microelements and vitamins.

But the peel of overripe squash is very tough, and therefore inedible.

If you try to clean them, you could cut your hands with a knife.

And such squashes are inferior in taste to young fruits.

It is better to use overripe squash as a bowl when baking dishes in the oven.

If the squash is small, young and freshly picked, with soft and thin skin, then it is not necessary to peel it. Young squash is great for stuffing and looks very impressive on the table. And very small ones can be used for winter preparations, together with tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.

Mom came across a note somewhere (in some literature, not on the Internet) that in order to peel the squash from its hard skin, you need to soak it for a few minutes in a solution of some substance. Since I didn’t immediately write down/mark which one it was, I don’t remember now. Her options are: salt, soda, citric acid, vinegar.

Squash marinated for the winter with herbs

Ingredients for one liter jar:

whole squash 570 grams;
marinade 430 grams;
finely chopped horseradish leaves 1.8 grams;
dill 50 g, celery leaves and parsley 3.75 grams;
capsicum red hot pepper 0.2 grams;
bay leaf 1.5 pieces;
garlic 1.6 grams.

You can also add spices: cinnamon, cloves, allspice and black hot pepper.

Preparation:

For marinating, select small squash with tender, sweet flesh. Wash them thoroughly, cut off the stalks and blanch in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, then cool in cold water. Squash prepared for pickling can be stored in cold water for no more than 1.5-2 hours before placing in jars.

Prepare the greens: wash, shake and dry on paper towels. At the same time, prepare the marinade. For a liter jar, pour 400 ml of water into an enamel pan, add 20 g of salt and sugar. Boil the mixture for 10-15 minutes, filter in 3-4 layers of gauze, bring to a boil again and add 50-60 ml of 9% acetic acid solution.

Place herbs and spices on the bottom of the jars, and then tightly place the squash. Fill the filled jars with hot marinade (temperature not lower than 80 °C), cover with tin lids and place in a pan with water heated to 60-70 °C for sterilization. Sterilization time at 100 °C for a liter jar is 12 minutes. After processing, seal the jars hermetically, turn them upside down and cool as quickly as possible, since with slow cooling, pickled squash significantly softens, becomes flabby, and their taste properties are reduced.

Squash - planting and care in open ground

Squash is planted in the ground using both seed and seedling methods. In the Moscow region and central Russia, they are planted in greenhouses from mid-May until the soil is completely warmed up; in open ground - from late May to mid-June.

4 days before planting, the soil is spilled with Agricola 5 (2 tbsp. L per 10 L of water, 3 L per 1 sq. m). The treated area is “allowed to sweat” - covered with transparent polyethylene or glass.

Immediately before planting, a rake is used to level the soil, weeds are removed, beds are formed and holes are dug at a distance of 70 cm from each other. This helps make the plantings less dense and protects the plants from rotting.

The depth of planting seeds is up to 8 cm; they are planted with the seedling down, being careful not to damage it. Several germinated seeds (2-3 pieces) are placed in one hole to increase germination

Sprinkle the top with soil, water it with water and cover it with transparent polyethylene, which is completely removed when the sprouts hatch.

Watering

Caring for squash in open ground includes abundant and regular watering, especially at the seedling stage and during the period of fruit formation. The water is settled and heated to plus 25 degrees Celsius.

before flowering per 1 sq. m of bed consumption is 8 liters of water every 6 days;
with the beginning of flowering and at the moment of formation of ovaries - up to 10 liters per 1 sq. m every 4 days.

Water the crop at the roots so that water does not get on the flowers, leaves and ovaries. Frequent and abundant watering can expose the roots of the plant, so mulching is required. A thin board or thick cardboard is placed under the formed fruits to prevent rotting from contact with the soil.

Weeding and pruning leaves

Weeding is carried out after watering or rain, when the ground is wet. It should be remembered that squash has a superficial root system and weeds must be removed very carefully.

If a vegetable begins to actively increase its vegetative mass, and the fruits have slowed down in development, then 2-3 old leaves need to be cut off from such a plant (it is better to do this in the morning). The procedure should be repeated after 5 days.

Fertilizer application

After flowering begins, the beds are sprayed with a sugar solution (100 g of sugar per 1 liter of water), the smell of which attracts insects for pollination.

To grow squash, cultivation and care must include timely application of fertilizers. Fertilizing is applied twice per season:

before flowering - 25 g of double superphosphate, 20 g of potassium sulfate and 30 g of ammonium sulfate per 1 sq. m;
during the period of formation of squash, the bed is spilled with a solution: 50 g of superphosphate, 25 g of ammonium sulfate and 50 g of potassium sulfate, per 10 liters of water.

Fans of organic farming replace the first fertilizing with natural means: chicken manure (1:20), or mullein solution (1:10).

To prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases, use fungicides (Topsin, Fitosporin), or 1% Bordeaux mixture.

To collect slugs, pieces of fruit are used as organic baits; crawling insects are collected by hand and destroyed. For caterpillars, use a 1% solution of Bitoxibazzilin and a 0.5% solution of the drug Gommelin.

A soap solution (300 g per 10 liters of water) is effective on aphids, which is sprayed on plantings early in the morning in dry weather. After rain, the procedure is repeated.

Juice and pulp of squash

Fresh squash juice also helps with kidney disease - drink 100 ml up to 4 times a day, adding 10 g of honey.

For constipation, once a day - preferably in the morning, half an hour before breakfast - drink pure squash juice, also 100 ml.

The juice and pulp of squash are so rich in healing natural substances that they are also used for cosmetic purposes. With their help, damage to the skin and mucous membranes is healed; masks with them soften, rejuvenate and brighten the skin. The simplest homemade squash mask is to apply thin sheets of it to the face. You need to keep them on for about 20 minutes, and then remove them and wipe your face with a swab dipped in unboiled milk.

To lose weight with the help of squash, you just need to include them in different dishes, and they should be their main component. You should put less salt in your dishes, and ideally do without it at all: squash quickly normalizes metabolic processes and removes excess cholesterol; It is not difficult to maintain a long-term diet on them - they are very tasty and can be combined with any food.

Salting rules

Squash can be easily pickled. Salted vegetables are no less tasty than pickled ones. They have an even richer taste. On the holiday table they will be much more in demand than cucumbers or tomatoes. This is due not only to their taste, but also to their appearance.

Fruits that look like a flying saucer immediately attract attention

The best pickled carrot recipes for the winter

Products:

1.6 kg squash;
45 gr. garlic;
25 gr. hot pepper;
85 gr. dill;
35 gr. celery;
25 gr. horseradish;
1.2 liters of water;
70 gr. salt.

Squash can be easily pickled. Preparation:

Wash the vegetables, cut off the stalks.
Wash and chop the greens.
Add salt to the water and stir.
Place vegetables and spices in jars, alternating.
Fill them with freshly prepared brine and cover with a lid.
Place the container in a warm place and do not disturb it for a week and a half.
After this, move the jars to the cellar.

Prepare spicy Korean squash for the winter

Korean carrot seasoning is a really necessary thing in the kitchen, because with it you can prepare a wide variety of salads using almost all types of vegetables. Take squash, for example – round little pumpkins easily turn into a real Korean snack masterpiece.

It is worth considering that this salad is quite spicy, as it contains a decent amount of garlic and hot pepper, and is not suitable for everyone. If you have stomach problems, you should refrain from eating too much snacks.

Other winter storage methods

You can dry the squash for the winter. They will also retain all the nutritional components. You can dry it in direct sunlight or in the oven. It is necessary to select only ripe, undamaged fruits. They are washed, the edges and stem are cut off. Then you need to cut the vegetable into rings.

Place the sliced rings in one layer on a baking sheet or sheet of paper. It is imperative to turn the cuttings over after a certain time. In the oven, the whole process will take about 6 hours. It is recommended to store the finished dried slices in a fabric bag.

Squash is often canned. There are many popular and proven recipes. Vegetables can be salted, pickled, made into salads and jams.

Patisson is a type of pumpkin, also known as "Pumpkin". The plant is quite actively grown all over the world, but it is unknown to grow wild. In this regard, its origin is not known with certainty. Most likely, the squash arose as a result of random crossing.

The product is incredibly beneficial for the body. It has the property of lowering cholesterol levels, preventing the formation of blood clots, removing excess salts, and improving the functioning of the immune system. Squash contains vitamins of groups C, PP, A and some vitamins of group B. In addition, squash is rich in protein, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.

Pumpkin is a summer vegetable. However, there are ways to preserve squash for the winter so that you can enjoy this product all year round.

How to preserve squash for the winter and use it in the summer?

Like zucchini, squash is consumed unripe, when the skin has not yet hardened, the seeds have not formed, and the pulp has a fairly pleasant consistency. When the pumpkin ripens, the surface layer becomes inedible, the inside of the fruit becomes loose, and the seeds ripen. It is not difficult to preserve such squash for the winter, but their nutritional value is low.

It is a little more difficult to save and prepare for future use delicious squash with a diameter of 5 to 12 cm, suitable for frying, stewing, stuffing and canning. Such fruits are harvested at least twice a week, always leaving the stem on the squash.

The more regularly the cutting is carried out, the more new ovaries will form until the cold weather.

It is almost impossible to keep young squash fresh for more than a month. At home, at a temperature of no more than 4–8 °C, fruits retain their appearance and taste for the longest time. Squash with thick skin is perfectly stored until spring. In this case, the fruits sent to storage must be intact, without scratches or dents on the skin, with a small stalk and the remains of the flower removed.

The best storage conditions are a temperature of 1–3 °C, moderate humidity and ventilation.

How to preserve squash for the winter indoors? To do this, the fruits are wrapped in paper and placed in a dark place so that the pumpkins do not touch. Like zucchini, squash, harvested long before ripeness, can become excellent ingredients for homemade marinades, pickles and delicious vegetable caviar.

How to keep squash practically fresh and juicy for the winter? Young squash can be kept fresh by quick freezing in the form of whole small fruits intended for stuffing, or small cubes used in stews, soups and other culinary dishes. Frozen vegetables fully retain the nutritional value and taste of freshly picked fruits.

Other ways to keep dill fresh

Other variations of harvesting greens without freezing are described in the table below.

Storage method	Description
Pickling	The greens are cleaned, rough stems are removed, and finely chopped. The approximate proportion of dill and salt is 1:1. Mix, leave for 2-3 hours, compact tightly into jars, and close with a lid. Dill with salt can be stored for the winter for 8-9 months in a cool place.
Drying	The stems are peeled but not chopped. Dry in the warm season, in a slightly shaded place, or in the oven at 40-50°C. Dry spice can be stored for 2-3 years.
As part of conservation	The leaves and stems of the plant perfectly complement the taste of other vegetables in winter preparations. You can choose any recipes: · eggplants with dill and garlic for the winter; · sauerkraut with spices; · zucchini with dill; · pickled tomatoes; · cucumbers with dill and spice marinade.

During the harvest, you should also take care of planting material, from which you can grow a batch of greens next year. Dill seeds should be stored in glass jars, filled no more than halfway, and in fabric bags. Raw materials are stored for the same amount of time as dried herbs - 2-3 years.

It is important to choose the appropriate storage method: drying will allow you to have the spice on hand for a long time, salting will maintain color and aroma, marinating as part of other preparations will offer delicious dishes ready to be immediately served on the table. What to do: dry, freeze dill or choose something else - depends only on your personal preferences

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How to freeze various vegetables fresh for the winter in the freezer

bell pepper

A vegetable that is perfectly stored for a long period. Wash the pepper, remove the seeds, and dry thoroughly. Then cut into cubes or strips, put in food containers or bags and put in the freezer.

If the pepper is being prepared for further stuffing, then after removing the seeds and drying, simply cut off the top and place it in a stack, after which we pack it in plastic bags. If you want the skin to be more tender, you can blanch the vegetable before slicing.

Zucchini or zucchini

Wash and dry the zucchini. Cut into cubes and place in molds or bags if the zucchini will be used for stew or soup. For frying and baking, cut the zucchini into slices and lay them in layers. We cover each layer with plastic film. You can also grate the vegetable, thereby making a puree from it, from which you can make pancakes.

Eggplant

Before freezing, blanch the eggplants for 5-10 minutes, then cut into cubes or rings. To prevent the eggplants from becoming bitter, salt them and leave for 20 minutes so that the vegetables release juice, after which we drain it. Then we pack the processed vegetable into portions and put it in the freezer.

Squash and pumpkin

Before storing these vegetables in the freezer, we peel and remove seeds. Then cut into cubes or slices, divide into portions and place in containers or bags.

Usefulness of “Pate”: if the pumpkin will be used in the future for porridges or puree soups, it can be grated, put in a container and frozen.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes should not be cooked before freezing. First of all, wash and dry the berries (and a tomato is a berry, after all). If the vegetable is small, or, for example, cherry, it can be frozen whole.

If the vegetable is large in size, then you need to cut it into slices, lay it out on a flat sheet and put it in the freezer for initial freezing, then take it out again and put it compactly in a mold or bag. Tomatoes are also often frozen in the form of puree.

Cabbage

This vegetable has several subspecies, which are frozen in different ways:

We clean the white cabbage from the outer leaves, chop it and place it in containers or bags.
Separate cauliflower or broccoli into inflorescences, wash thoroughly and dry well. It is advisable to blanch it, so it will be less tough.
Broccoli can do without blanching if the vegetable is tender enough. We form the processed inflorescences into bags and store them in the freezer.
Blanch the Brussels sprouts for 2-3 minutes, then dry them thoroughly, place them on a baking sheet or flat sheet, put them in the freezer for initial freezing, then pack the frozen cabbage into bags.

Green peas and corn

We remove the green peas from the pods, and separate the corn from the cobs. Place the grains on a wide flat sheet and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Then we take it out and pack it into containers or bags. A prerequisite is the milky ripeness of these products.

cucumbers

This vegetable is one of the watery vegetables. Wash the cucumbers, dry them, then cut them into cubes or slices or into three on a grater. If these are cubes, then you can pack them in bags. In the case of puree, it should be laid out in a thick layer in the mold. Frozen cucumbers can be used to make salads, okroshka or vinaigrette.

Benefits from “Pate”: okroshka lovers can be advised to make a vegetable mixture from chopped cucumbers, radishes and chopped dill.

Green beans

Wash and dry the bean pods, then cut into small pieces. Before packing, spread the beans on a wide flat sheet and keep them in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, after which we put them into bags.

Asparagus

Remove the stems from the plant and cut into small pieces. Be sure to blanch the asparagus for about 2 minutes, then cool, dry, put in a container, and put in the freezer.

How to cook squash

. Peel the squash and remove the stem. It is advisable to remove seeds from large fruits. Cut the squash into slices, 0.7 - 1 cm thick.

. Pour a little (about 0.5 cup) flour into a cup. Dip each piece of squash in flour on all sides.

3. Melt butter (about 30 grams) in a frying pan.

Place the squash coated in flour in a frying pan. Fry each piece on both sides until golden brown. Each side should be salted while frying.

Rules and methods of storage

You only need to store vegetables at home in the freezer. The lower the temperature, the longer you can keep them there. The optimal temperature is considered to be -18 degrees. At temperatures above -10 degrees, storage is allowed for only three months.

You should not choose glass containers for storage, as they can crack due to sudden temperature changes. Vacuum bags that are closed with special clamps are best suited. It is convenient to use plastic containers.

There are several options for how to freeze squash for the winter. You can cut vegetables in different ways. The shape depends on the purpose for which they are intended to be used after defrosting. You can place the chopped pieces in one large bag, or you can put them in small ones for portion use.

You can puree frozen vegetables:

The squash is peeled and gutted, cut into small cubes;
sliced vegetables are placed in a pan with water and cooked over low heat until tender;
cooked vegetables are turned into a paste using a blender;
the resulting homogeneous mass is laid out in small, portioned containers;
squash puree is placed in the freezer for three hours;
The frozen cubes are removed from the molds and poured into a bag.

As needed, the cubes are reheated or added to another ready-made, hot dish, such as porridge or mashed potatoes. They defrost quickly and give the dish a delicate, pleasant flavor.

Many housewives freeze squash with other vegetables: “If you plan to freeze squash for a vegetable stew, then I prepare it at the same time as other vegetables. I wash and remove seeds from bell peppers, eggplants and tomatoes. I cut all the vegetables into cubes and place them in one bag. “I have frozen vegetables this way for several years in a row. It’s very convenient to use ready-cut vegetables in preparing various dishes.”

Preparatory stage

Squash can be kept fresh for no more than a week. But when frozen or canned, the vegetable can be used as food for a long time. You need to choose squash for freezing that does not have scratches, dents or other damage.

The product must be thoroughly washed to remove dirt; you can use a sponge. Small vegetables can be frozen whole. After washing in cool water, they need to be dried well and placed in bags.

The shelf life of frozen squash pieces is approximately 10 months.

Large fruits are recommended to be cut into slices. The peel should be cleaned first. The cut cubes are placed on a flat dish and placed in the freezer for two hours. After this, the cubes are collected in one bag and sent back to the freezer. This procedure will prevent the slices from freezing to each other.

Selection of squash variety, preparation of seeds and beds

In the Moscow region, hybrid early-ripening varieties of squash are chosen for cultivation so that they have time to ripen. These include: Umbrella, Sunny Bunny F1, Cheburashka, Polo F1, Disc.

Good yields can also be achieved by planting early ripening varieties of squash (ripening period no more than 2 months): Malachite, Solnyshko, Snow White, Chunga-Changa, NLO White.

Squash reproduces generatively, that is, by seeds. They are collected independently from ripe vegetables, or purchased already processed in a specialized store.

Seed treatment

Seed material obtained from vegetables is disinfected by soaking for up to 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then rinse with running water and dry.

After 48 hours, to prevent diseases, the seeds are treated with a solution of boric acid (20 mg per 1 liter of water), washed and dried again. It should be remembered that seeds only 2-3 years old are suitable for sowing. Fresh planting material produces male flowers.

In preparation for sowing, the seeds are soaked in water at room temperature, preferably boiled.

Site selection and soil preparation

Growing squash is recommended on a flat area, in the south or southwest, the soil should not be swampy and the groundwater should not be surface water. The vegetable loves loamy soils with a neutral pH or black soil. Wood ash is used to neutralize acidic soil.

You should avoid planting squash in places where zucchini and pumpkin grew. Beds after growing green manure, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and early greens are well suited.

To prepare the site in the fall, rotted manure is used, which is dug deep onto the bayonet of a shovel. Additional fertilizers are also used to saturate the soil.

On sandstones and sandy loams, per 1 square meter it is necessary to add 3 kg of sawdust, a bucket of peat, 3 kg of humus, a bucket of turf soil, 1 tbsp. l superphosphate and 2 tbsp. l. fresh organic ash from the oven or barbecue.
Chernozem per 1 sq. m enough 2 kg of sawdust, 1 tbsp. l superphosphate powder and 2 tbsp. l wood ash.
For peat land per 1 sq. m use 1 tsp potassium sulfate, 2 kg of organic fertilizers, 1 tsp superphosphate, 2 tbsp. l. wood ash. Fertilizers are applied by digging to the depth of a shovel.
Clay soil per 1 sq. m is fertilized with a mixture of peat, humus and sawdust (2-3 kg). Fertilizers are used the same as for sandy soil.