How to store pears to keep them fresh longer

How to choose pears for long-term storage

Give preference to late varieties - for example, “Cure”, “Pervomayskaya”, “Parisian”, “Noyabrskaya”, “Conference”. These pears are suitable for long-term storage, unlike earlier types. The fruits of the latter are too juicy and soft, which is why they can begin to deteriorate already tree. If you are buying fruit, check with the seller for the name and characteristics of the variety.

Going to harvest in your own garden and vegetable garden, wait for dry weather. Remove slightly unripe fruits from the tree - they will last longer. Try to tear off the pears together with the stalk. To avoid damaging the fruits, do not throw them away, but carefully place them in prepared containers.

Those specimens that fell from the tree on their own are best sent to blanks or eat right away. Such fruits are already overripe and, most likely, have begun to rot. You should do the same with frozen fruit.

How to prepare pears for storage

Sort the fruits carefully. Set aside those that are soft, damaged, rotten, or damaged by diseases and pests. For storage, choose firm, healthy, strong fruits with thick, intact skin. Make sure they have a stalk. Pears without a “tail” will spoil faster. There is no need to wash the crop.

Since different varieties of pears have their own ripening times, place them in separate containers. This way you can eat the fruits that started to spoil earlier first.

Where to store pears

Fruit stocks should be kept at a temperature of 0 to 5 degrees. Optimal air humidity — 80–90%. If the room is too dry, the pears may crack and rot. The harvest can be kept in a cellar, basement or other place where there are suitable conditions.

A glazed balcony or loggia is suitable for storage in the house. The main thing is that as little light as possible falls on the fruit. If the temperature drops below 0 degrees, you need to wrap the container with blankets, jackets or other warm things.

If there are no suitable conditions or there are few pears, put them in the refrigerator with the stalks up on the bottom shelf or in the compartment for vegetables and fruits.

Try to keep pears away from other fruits. These fruits produce intense ethylene, which can speed up the spoilage of food in the neighborhood.

How to store pears

Try to periodically inspect the crop in order to remove spoiled fruits in a timely manner. This way the remaining pears will stay fresh longer.

1. In boxes or boxes

Line a drawer or box with paper. Arrange the pears in a single layer with the stems facing up.

Cover the top of the fruit with another layer of paper or a dark cloth that allows air to pass through. This way the fruit will not be exposed to light.

Store the pears in a cool place. However, you should not place them on the floor. Place the harvest on a rack, stool or other elevated surface. If the sides of the boxes are high, you can stack them on top of each other. The main thing is that the fruit is not pressed down.

2. In egg trays

For this method you will need large square trays in which eggs are sold. Arrange the pears in the cells with the stems facing up.

Cover the fruits on top with the same substrate, paper or dark, breathable fabric to protect them from light.

Send the pears for storage to the cellar, basement, balcony or other cool room, placing them on a hill. However, fruits in such containers can also be kept in refrigerator.

3. In paper

The paper shell will absorb excess moisture from the surface of the pears, so they will not spoil longer.

Wrap each fruit in one layer of paper. Place them in a drawer, box or other convenient container.

By the way, wrapped pears can be arranged in one or several layers.

Store the fruits in a cool room or refrigerator. In the latter case, you can put them in a separate container or directly into the compartment for vegetables and fruits.

4. In sawdust or straw

Before storing pears, make sure that the sawdust or straw is completely dry, otherwise the fruits will rot due to excess moisture. If necessary, pre-dry the selected material.

Place sawdust or straw at the bottom of the box or box in a layer of 5–10 cm. Place the pears with the stems facing up so that the fruits do not touch each other. Cover them completely with sawdust or straw on top. In this way, you can place the pears in several layers, sprinkling them with dry material.

Send containers with pears for storage in a cool room, placing them higher from the floor.