Pumpkin after cleaning is kept warm not for full ripening

For many mature winter pumpkins, a short warm aging before storage is useful: the peel becomes stronger, small surface scratches dry. The immature fruit will not become fully ripe, and deep cuts will not heal.

For aging, take fruits with a hard peel and a dense peduncle. The pumpkin is cut with a knife or secator, leaving a part of the peduncle, but not transferred for it. Cracked, badly bruised and frozen pumpkins for months of storage are not suitable - they are used earlier.

For suitable species and varieties, the curing point is 7-10 days at 27–32 °C and good ventilation. In damp autumn, the harvest can not be left in the rain or in a stuffy humid room. If it is impossible to ensure the desired temperature, it is more important to keep the fruits dry and regularly check their condition than to delay warming up.

After aging, many mature winter pumpkins are stored at about 10–13 °C in a dry, ventilated place. This regime is not suitable for summer zucchini with delicate skin; in some winter varieties, the need for warming varies. Fruits with soft or rotting areas are immediately separated from the rest.

The period of relevance for the Kostroma region: mid-September - early November (cleaning and post-harvest preparation of pumpkin).