Lemons are yellow citrus fruits that are very popular thanks to their high vitamin C content and have a wide range of uses. Despite their extreme acidity, they can rot quickly. To counteract this, you need to properly store the yellowish colored fruits. We will tell you how this really works in our article with several instructions that will make you familiar with the correct procedures step by step.

Lemons should be kept in an open basket

Best storage conditions for lemons

The ideal place to store lemons, like other citrus fruits, is in a cool, dry, dark place. For example, the basement, the pantry or the attic are possible - depending on which rooms are available to you. In these places, lemons stay fresh (at temperatures of five to ten degrees Celsius) for about two to three weeks.

Note: If you keep your lemons at room temperature, the fruits can be used and enjoyed for up to five days. However, you must not keep them too warm - otherwise they will dry out quickly.

Keep lemons in the fridge?

Lemons are naturally very sensitive to cold - they originally come from warmer regions. However, it is possible to store the citrus fruits in the refrigerator. This emerges from the reports of various hobby gardeners and cooks.

How to store your lemons in the fridge:

  1. Place a piece of kitchen paper in a mason jar.
  2. Then place a lemon on the piece of paper.
  3. Seal the jar airtight.
  4. Place the lemon glass on the lowest shelf in the fridge.

The lemon often stays fresh for several weeks. However, always make sure that your refrigerator is not colder than about five degrees Celsius.

tips

You can also store a lemon that has been cut open or cut as described. But: Use up such a citrus fruit within a few days.

Freeze lemons for a long shelf life

If you have a very large supply of lemons, you can simply freeze a few specimens to extend the shelf life to a few months.

General tips for storing lemons

Like other citrus fruits, lemons should always be harvested when they are fully ripe. In contrast to apples or bananas (example), they do not ripen afterward. This is beneficial as it extends the shelf life of lemons. In order to prevent the possible negative influences of fruit and vegetables that ripen later, you should always store lemons separately from them. Otherwise, the ripening gas ethylene can cause the yellow fruit to spoil faster.

It is also important not to place several lemons too close together or on top of each other - the air must be able to circulate well. This way you avoid moisture and mold.

tips

Place your lemons in a wide bowl or basket with holes in your chosen storage location (except in the fridge).

What you should also know and bear in mind: If a lemon has a hard and wrinkled skin, it needs to be used up quickly (mold is approaching). Such a fruit is already quite dry on the inside. Lemons with a damaged peel should also be consumed as quickly as possible - preferably immediately.

tips

Harvest or buy only intact fruit!

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Vegetable garden