Harvesting, storing and preserving zucchini

Zucchini are versatile vegetables and can be preserved well with the right method. We provide tips on harvesting and storing zucchini as well as recipe suggestions for preserving and pickling.

The cultivation of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo convar. giromontiina), also called summer squash, is worthwhile in every kitchen garden. Because with just a few plants you can harvest numerous tasty fruits throughout the summer. Nutrient-rich soils or potting soil, like ours Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil, also promote the blossoming of the pumpkin family (Cucurbitaceae). During the ongoing Care of the zucchini many young fruits can already be harvested. In midsummer, a veritable zucchini glut quickly occurs. With proper storage or methods of preserving zucchini, the summer squash fruits can be enjoyed for a long time. We give you tips for the correct harvesting, storage and processing of zucchini.

Harvest zucchini

Zucchini can be harvested early in the summer from June. But how do you know when zucchini are ready to harvest? We give tips on the right time to harvest and how to proceed.

When can you harvest zucchini?

Zucchini can be harvested for the first time about 6 to 8 weeks after planting. The plants continually produce new fruit throughout the summer. The harvest time for zucchini is therefore between June and the first frosts in autumn. Zucchini are harvested as young, physiologically immature fruits, because they are tender and do not yet have any recognizable ovules. Whether round, white or yellow courgettes - the fruits can be harvested just a few days after flowering. Depending on the variety, they are between 15 and 25 cm long and weigh 200 to 400 g. Regular harvesting promotes further flowering and thus fruit set. You can harvest around 20 fruits or 4 to 6 kg of courgettes per plant over the course of the summer. You can't harvest zucchini too early, because the younger they are, the more tender, crispy and aromatic they taste. The ideal time of day to harvest the tender vegetables is in the early morning before the summer heat. The water content is then at its highest and the fruit is juicy.

What is the correct way to harvest zucchini?

Ideally, when the vegetables are 15 to 20 cm long, cut them off the stalk with a sharp knife. While harvesting young fruit increases bud production, older and larger specimens can be stored longer.

Important note on poisonous zucchini: If courgettes taste bitter, they should definitely not be eaten! The reason for the bitter taste is the substance cucurbitacin, which is toxic and can cause severe gastrointestinal problems. You can read more about this topic in our article on poisonous zucchini.

Harvest zucchini flowers

A special delicacy in the kitchen are not only the fruits but also the blossoms of the zucchini. The male flowers - recognizable by their long flower stalks and missing ovary - are particularly suitable for this. It is best to cut off the flowers just before opening. These can then be filled and used for baking or roasting. Be sure to use the zucchini blossoms on the same day as they are harvested, as they wither quickly and are no longer suitable for consumption the next day.

Store zucchini

Zucchini are delicate vegetables that can only be stored for a limited period of time. We give you tips on the ideal storage conditions for summer squash.

How long can zucchini last?

The shelf life of zucchini depends on the age of the fruit, temperature and humidity. Young zucchini fruits can only be stored for a few days as they lose water quickly due to their thin skin. The cold-sensitive vegetables can be stored at 10 °C and a high humidity of between 90 and 95% for a maximum of one week. Older, larger specimens with a thicker skin can be stored well for up to two weeks at the same temperature. Courgettes that have already been cut should be used up quickly within a few days, as they too suffer from dehydration and microorganisms can quickly colonize them.

Store zucchini in the refrigerator

Zucchini are extremely sensitive to cold and should never be stored in the refrigerator. They quickly suffer cold damage there, lose most of their flavor, become limp and often mushy when retrieved.

Preserve zucchini

If you want to enjoy excess zucchini in winter, freezing or processing is a good idea in the long term. We present three different methods of preserving zucchini.

Freeze zucchini

Freezing is a good way to store raw and even cooked zucchini for months. For a fresh zucchini, proceed as follows:

1. First, cut the zucchini into medium-sized pieces.
2. Add a little salt to draw most of the water out of the fruit.
3. After a few minutes, the water should be poured off and the pieces can be placed in a tin or freezer bag.
4. Zucchini will keep in the freezer for several months.

tip: Pre-cooked zucchini can be placed directly in the freezer. Ready-made zucchini dishes like a vegetable ratatouille can also be stored in the freezer for about six months.

Insert zucchini

Pickling is a good way to preserve larger quantities of zucchini for the winter. Zucchini can be pickled in brine, vinegar or oil.
For pickled zucchini, the ingredients are onions, water, vinegar, salt, sugar, and mustard seeds. Proceed as follows:

1. In the first step, the zucchini and onions are cut into small pieces.
2. Then you boil both with the remaining ingredients for a few minutes in the pot.
3. There are no limits to the composition of the ingredients. When preserving, however, care should be taken not to heat the zucchini for too long, as they quickly become mushy.
4. To fill the jars, zucchini and onion pieces are removed from the boiling broth and layered alternately.
5. As a last step, the jar is filled with the hot spice mixture and closed tightly.
6. The glasses are then optimally stored in a cool and dark place such as in the cellar. After about three months, the glass is finished and can be enjoyed.

Canning and boiling zucchini

If you like to plan for the long term, you should think about canning zucchini. Canning and preserving are the same process: preserving vegetables or fruit by heating them to high temperatures. The difference to pickling is that when canning the vegetables are cooked in the closed jar. This treatment allows the contents to be stored much longer. One way to cook savory zucchini is as follows:

1. Wash zucchini and cut into cubes.
2. Mix the cubes together with the onions, garlic, mustard seeds, salt, sugar and vinegar and leave to stand overnight.
3. The next day, clean the jars thoroughly and boil them in hot water for a few minutes.
4. Pour the mixture into the jars and seal tightly.
5. Boil the preserving jars at 80 °C for 20 minutes. As an alternative to the preserving machine, the jars can be heated in a water bath in the oven.

By preserving zucchini, they can easily be stored for several months to years.

tip: An unusual but extremely delicious way to preserve zucchini is to make jam. Mix the zucchini with the same amount of apples, chop both and add the jam sugar, lemon juice, star anise and cinnamon. The mixture should steep overnight and can be boiled the next day and filled into sterile jars.

The variety of different shapes and colors of summer pumpkins is immense. In our overview we present yellow, white and striped as well as round and climbing ones Zucchini Varieties in front.