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Vegetable Gardening

How do you clean your hands and dishes after handling zuccinis?

9 years ago

Every time when I pick zucchinis and leave them for an hour or two in the bucket, it gets covered with glue-like substance oozing from zucchini's cuts. Also when I skin them, all my hands got covered with the same substance and no soap or oil helps to remove it - I have to peel it manually. Anybody knows a secret how to clean it?

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Comments (15)

sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
9 years ago
Glue? Cuts?

Pick before 9am...just about all crops in the garden.
Evenings are fine but not the best time.
Cut from the plant with a bit of the stem attached.

Straight to the sink within 10 min. Or rest in a shady spot if a bit longer. Into the sink and rinse in cool water, then straight to the fridge.
I've never peeled zucs.
galinas
Original Author
9 years ago
Good advice, if you can fit them in the fridge) I usually pick them for making canned zucchini spread and it is about 2 5-gallon buckets full. I also have to skin them, because I harvest not the "market" size ones - they are too watery for the spread, I let them grow, then remove seeds and skin. So some of them have to stay in the buckets while I process others and yes, they ooze the "staff". And question was - how to remove it(I have this question for about 30 years now))), not how to harvest zucchinis)
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elisa_z5
9 years ago
Scouring powder? Seems to me I've used it for that purpose.
sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
9 years ago
Maybe the market gardeners forum will have a tip. Did not realize you had so many and processing...
I do use lava soap after gardening because of the gritty texture. For pine tar after cutting we use a mechanics soap in a pump container....also has a fine stone pumice grit to it.
Comes in small, med, and a large gallon size. One brand has lanolin so hands are not so 'dehydrated' after cleaning. I usually use a bit of coconut oil to prevent any irritation from my drying clay soil.
sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
9 years ago
BonAmi is great on dishes...gentle and safe and will not scratch stainless steel. Easy to make a paste by mixing it with soap. I use DrBronners diluted a bit.
Seems to take care of any slimy veg residue on my cutting boards.
And a safer mix in or near the garden.
galinas
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you sleevendog and elisa_Z5, will try you suggestions!
zzackey
9 years ago
wear plastic gloves.
digdirt2
9 years ago
Lava soap or any of the various salt scrub recipes (baby oil and coarse sea salt) work great for any garden hand cleaning purposes. But then I've never had or even heard of the problem you describe either.

Dave

PS: my zucchini spread/butter recipes don't call for peeling them. Only freezing is approved for preserving it. Didn't think there were any approved canning recipes for it because of the low-acid pH and density.
elisa_z5
9 years ago
Well, now I've been introduced to a new zucchini idea -- thanks, ganlinas! Just found a zucchini spread recipe and will try it.

And yeah, it sounds like it falls under the new "though shalt no longer can pureed squash" safe canning guidelines.
galinas
Original Author
9 years ago
Peeling and removing seeds comes naturally when you can large ones. The skin is too tough and makes the spread uneven. For guidelines - I do not can for sale. We eat it our self. And I do the way I do for many years. Driving the car has some risk as well). The key with the zucchini spread - you almost fry it with good amount of oil covered for about an hour, that makers the temperature high enough to kill bad guys. And then I store all my preserves in the spare fridge - too hot in summer to keep it on the shelf. I do not encourage anybody follow my way and do not share recipe.
elisa_z5
9 years ago
do you grate it first or just chop?
And then how do you eat it? I read spread on crackers, but I'd love more suggestions.
I can't believe all these years I never knew about this!
galinas
Original Author
9 years ago
Did it both ways. If you grate, it comes out more even, but just chopped is also fine. I don't know what in your recipe, my also includes tomato paste, carrots and onions. Grated carrots usually are recognizable in spread, but not zucchini. As for the eating - I love to eat cold it with a spoon from a jar ). But for serving, we spread it on a piece of ray bread(not like a sandwich, just one piece of rye bread) or just a side dish. The consistency of it not worse then Mexican bean side dish, may be even a little more dense.
elisa_z5
9 years ago
Thanks! Now I'm really hoping to have "too many" zukes this year :)
nancyjane_gardener
9 years ago
Recipe? Or do I have to go to the harvest board for that?
I don't can, I freeze. Nancy
galinas
Original Author
9 years ago
Nancy, I sent it to you in email.

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