USU extension Cache County

horticulture agent

LOGAN-- With the first frost just around the corner, many people harvest and store their produce for later use. Many fruits and vegetables can be canned, pickled, dried or frozen. Another option is to store them fresh. Consider this information.

Tomatoes are very sensitive to freezing. They should be covered with tarps or blankets during a light frost. When weather permanently turns cold, fruits should be picked, then allowed to ripen indoors.

Fruits should be light green or have some hint of red. Tomatoes picked too green may rot. Temperatures near 70 F are ideal for faster ripening, but temperatures near 55 F will delay ripening for up to a month.

Tomatoes stored below this temperature will develop a bland or off flavor. Additionally, stored tomatoes may shrivel in low humidity before ripening. To prevent this, place a layer of fruit in a box and cover it with wax paper. Another layer can be placed on top of the first and covered with more wax paper. Place the lid on the box when finished. Another option is to wrap each tomato individually. Remove tomatoes as they ripen.Placing a banana in the box and allowing it to ripen in proximity to the tomatoes may also speed ripening.

Winter squash are another vegetable commonly stored. They are ripe when the skins develop an apparent waxy coating and cannot be damaged easily by scratching the outer skin with a fingernail. However, unless a person is going to immediately consume the squash, fruit should be left attached until the vines have mostly been killed by frost.

Leave some stem on the fruit when it is picked. Store winter squash at temperatures ranging from 50 to 60 F at relatively low humidity.

Onions should be harvested when the tops start to fall over. They should be lifted from the ground and stored in a well-ventilated area. When the necks turn brown and they "rustle when disturbed," they are ready to be stored.

Shelf life is maximized when the bulbs are stored at low humidity and near freezing. Many factors influence shelf life including variety and whether the bulbs were grown from seeds or sets. Bulbs should be checked periodically.

For a more complete look at home food storage, USU has produced a comprehensive bulletin. It can be accessed at http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN_502.pdf.