Keeping broccoli fresh for a long time is not an easy task. This is a delicate vegetable that quickly deteriorates if storage rules are not followed. But still, experienced gardeners manage not only to grow an excellent harvest of this vegetable, but also to extend its shelf life. In this article I would like to understand when it is better to cut broccoli and how to store it correctly. We will also see interesting videos about growing and harvesting cabbage, beloved by many.
Harvesting
The whole process growing It might just go down the drain if you don’t collect the cabbage in time. Moreover, you should not collect either unripe or overripe fruits. It is especially difficult to predict the readiness of the heads if the broccoli is grown in the country, and there is no way to constantly monitor growth.
You can determine that the time to pick fruit has come by the following signs:
- A ripe head of broccoli has a diameter of at least 10 cm. You can use the size of your palm as a guide. This is roughly what cabbage should be like.
- You can also determine readiness by the color of the heads. Ripe broccoli is dark green in color. At this time, the buds are still closed. If you see that the buds are beginning to bloom and turn yellow, then there is no time to delay harvesting. Blooming cabbage loses its taste and is unsuitable for use in cooking.Even slightly yellowed fruits no longer have the same attractiveness and exquisite taste.
- Full maturity usually occurs 2 months after the appearance of the first shoots. At this stage, each head of cabbage should weigh at least 250 grams.
- As long as the temperature does not drop below 0, the cabbage can safely remain in the garden. Broccoli is often harvested in late fall. In each region, cabbage ripens at a different period.
The video below shows how and when to harvest kaputa broccoli.
How to properly harvest broccoli
Fruit harvesting occurs as follows:
- The best time to collect fruits is early morning. In the scorching sun, cabbage will quickly wilt.
- Do not uproot cabbage or tear off the fruit. Only the head itself is cut off. So, we retreat about 10 cm down from the head itself and cut off the broccoli. Under no circumstances should you cut the stem; this will only damage the bush, which may re-grow in the future.
- You need to harvest your broccoli before the temperature drops below -2°C. Cabbage does not tolerate low temperatures well and may simply freeze. One night of light frost and you can say goodbye to the harvest.
- When the main head is cut off, the side shoots will begin to actively grow. Since they are small in size, they grow quite quickly. It is necessary to constantly ensure that mature cabbage is cut on time. Usually, young shoots fully ripen within 3 days. If the weather outside is cloudy, then ready-made fruits can be expected no earlier than in a week. Fruits collected in time are stored much better. So, without missing out on the ripeness of broccoli, you can get a tasty and healthy dietary vegetable.
Harvest storage
Of course, every gardener would like to preserve his harvest for a long time. This is why it is necessary to leave the base of the bush in the garden bed. After the main head of cabbage is cut off, new side shoots will appear on it. Thanks to this property, cabbage can be harvested from the garden several more times.
This cabbage keeps well in the freezer for 6 months. The inflorescences should be separated and placed in vacuum or other freezer bags. Do the same with the main head of cabbage. In the video below you can see more clearly how to properly freeze cabbage for the winter.
But not everyone knows how to freeze broccoli correctly. This is done as follows:
- wash the cabbage in cold water;
- then the heads of cabbage are cleared of leaves and woody parts of the stem;
- the head is divided into small inflorescences;
- prepare a saline solution (2 tablespoons of salt per 2 liters of water);
- The inflorescences are soaked in the prepared solution for half an hour. This is done to ensure that caterpillars and other insects are removed from the cabbage;
- after 30 minutes, rinse the broccoli in water again;
- Place a large container on the stove and pour more than half of the water into it. Turn on the heat and bring the water to a boil;
- after the water boils, the prepared inflorescences are thrown in and kept in boiling water for at least 3 minutes;
- Remove the cabbage from the pan using a colander and immerse it in ice water for 5 minutes. If the water is not cold enough, you can throw ice in it;
- Now the broccoli is taken out of the water and left in a colander to drain;
- further, the cabbage is packaged in special bags or containers. Remove the air from the bags and tie them well;
- Broccoli is completely ready to freeze.
But many gardeners want to store broccoli fresh. This method of storage is also practiced, but vegetables will not last as long as in the freezer. Typically, ripe cabbage can last no more than 5 days. If all storage rules are followed, this period will last up to a maximum of 15 days. This does not apply to damaged or diseased heads of cabbage. In this case, the timing of harvest plays an important role. Heads cut on time will be stored a little longer than overripe ones. The video above shows what mature cabbage should look like.
It is best to store fresh cabbage in the refrigerator. For this there must be appropriate conditions:
- air humidity should be about 90%;
- temperature regime is not less than 0 and not more than +10°C;
- There should not be any other vegetables or fruits in the broccoli box. Some of them have the ability to release ethylene, which is bad for the quality of broccoli. Because of this substance, cabbage begins to rot and quickly deteriorates.
To keep broccoli fresh, you must follow the instructions exactly:
- It is necessary to inspect the heads of cabbage for insects and damage. In addition, the cabbage may have mold and dark spots. Because of this, the fruits quickly begin to deteriorate and rot.
- There is no need to wash vegetables before putting them in the refrigerator.This is done immediately before using the cabbage.
- You can put the head in a plastic bag, but under no circumstances should you close it. The fumes will remain inside the bag, which may cause the vegetable to become moldy.
- The humidity in the refrigerator must be at least 90%. If it is not enough, you can use the following technique. Place a damp paper towel in the bottom of the vegetable drawer. Then you should put a bag of broccoli there. This method allows you to extend the shelf life of cabbage. Now the vegetable will be stored in your refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.
It is better not to keep broccoli in the refrigerator for a long time. The longer the vegetable sits, the worse the taste will be. It is recommended to cook cabbage within 4 days after harvesting. If you don’t have time to cook the vegetable, it is better to freeze the cabbage using the method described above.
Conclusion
So, we looked at how broccoli is harvested and stored. These are very important steps. Every gardener knows how difficult it is to keep broccoli fresh for a long time. These tips will help you avoid making mistakes and prepare dishes from self-grown vegetables all winter. Also, don’t forget to watch the video about preparing broccoli for the winter.
