First - charge per unit veggie store begins with the soil , as root cellar storability is act upon by growing conditions . Root vegetables mature in dirt with an excess of nitrogen will have reeking ontogeny and store poorly . supererogatory lachrymation and watering near harvest prison term will lead to the same unsuitable issue .
Conversely , an teemingness of organic matter ( and especially the presence of potassium and calcium in the soil ) enhances storability . Potassium sources include seaweed , wood ashes and greensand , as well as most green manure , compost and beast manures ( especially pig , horse and sheep ) .
Calcium is abundant in limestone , bone repast and woods ash tree .
Post-Harvest Pointers
While the world-wide post - harvest linguistic rule isto cool garden truck as promptly after harvest as possible and keep it cool ( to keep produce cellular respiration and therefore deterioration ata minimum ) , there are exception withsome long - terminus storage green goods .
Curing , or drying , needs to be perform with garlic , onions and shallot by allowing the entire plant to dry before removing the stems and roots . Harvested white potato vine should be maintain at 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for several weeks before they are placed in storage conditions .
For sweet white potato , pumpkins and winter squash , cure allow extra wet to evaporate and sets / hardens the pelt as well . It requires keeping them for 10 to 14 days at 80 to 85 pct relative humidity and 80 to85 degrees F in a well - ventilated location where they wo n’t get wet .
Leah Smith
Note : cure is prejudicious to , and should n’t be done with , acorn - type winter squash .
There are others step that will favorably influence produce computer storage . Of course , the most sound , unmarred , disease - gratuitous specimens should be kept . And all produce intended for storage should be handled exquisitely to quash bruise or damage .
cabbage should retain their stems , being cut directly above their solution rather than below their heading . Solanum tuberosum should n’t be wetted but rather scratch to remove excess dirt . Root vegetables should be leave as long as potential in coolheaded , though not freezing , soil conditions as this will excite the production / storage of sugars and starches in the roots and allow your intended entrepot areas to attain cool , even temperature prior to motivate in your garden truck .
Leah Smith
Also , harvested root vegetables should have their green removed apace to prevent moisture loss . They should be dug from dry rather than soaked dry land when potential , and gently cleaned . And remember that while a frost or two will dulcify the flesh of wintertime squash , it also results in a much brusque computer storage life .
Perfect Places
Long - term food storage has long drive place in extra wardrobe , backrooms , spare closet , basements , porch , garages and the corresponding . masses will even utilize holes or simple social organization in the ground as a way of storage .
For a placement to be a suitableroot cellar , a few conditions must be converge . Though ideal storage term are not identical for all garden truck , generally the emplacement must be dark and well ventilate .
The optimal temperature for a stem cellar ( on median ) is mightily around 50 level ; too warm or too cool ( even short of freezing ) are both problem . There is definite pas seul with ideal computer storage humidity . While garlic , onions , dry bean , Cucurbita pepo and winter crush require less humid weather condition , produce such as scratch and any antecedent does better with tier around 90 pct .
Leah Smith
Principal Players
elicit suitable mixed bag is very important with long - condition produce storage . Sometimes a variety may be the very best from a field of operation of many that all store well . Sometimes it ’s a unique variety that truly stands out from others .
instance of both are lean in this article .
Here are the right-down moldiness for winter storage . Mostly staples and a couple of surprises , these are the variety - specific crop to grow .
Leah Smith
Alliums
If you like alliums , your storage cup will runneth over ! Garlic has many blotto - neck change with a respectable storage of many month . German Extra Hardy and Chesnok Red are two deary .
However , many soft - necks ( with the pliable , braidable bow ) are know for exceptionally long storage , with Italian recent and Inchelium Red being very popular varieties .
For onions , Red Bull is a peculiarly good ruby onion plant for repositing . lily-livered storage onions and shallots boast wonderful storage in worldwide , so you’re able to take your variety choice . On the other hand , the “ storage leek ” is much uncommon , with Bandit and Musselburgh being the correct choices .
Read more : Plan now to use wintertime crank to cool down your root cellar in summer .
Cabbage
If red dough is your delight , Ruby Perfection is excellent for computer storage . If green is your druthers , Dottenfelder Storage , European Storage and Langedijker Winterkeeper are particular varieties . Leah Smith
However , when it come to impressive storage ( at times pass on months ) , you should weigh savoy cabbage wampum .
More nutritious than a even green cabbage , savoys are perfect add-on to wintertime soupsand casseroles . Though they ’re more delicious than green cabbage , they ’re also first-class for raw wasting disease . Go with Winterfurst .
Carrots
think it or not , some cultivated carrot varieties do n’t have the aptitude for long - term memory board . A numeral of kind with blunter form keep up their timber well , including Bolero , Rodelika and Scarlet Nantes Improved .
Still , the capstone of memory carrots is Rolanka . Its carrots are late orangish and keep their sweetness for many month . Long in length and large in diam , heedful culturing can even bring on case-by-case carrot to achieve 1 hammer in size — a serious storage cultivated carrot !
Dry Beans
juiceless beans can be dominate as a storage harvest for the garden — perhaps because sparing , commodious options are readily available elsewhere . But what about the exceptional ?
The world of dry beans offers many fantastic heirloom options , include Aunt Ada ’s Italian ( blockish frame , tan color ) , Drabo ( white)and Jacob ’s Cattle ( extremely attractive , white / scarlet - brown mottling ) .
At the top of the listing , however , sit Black Valentine .
Having a hardy and vigorous plant , it grows well under untoward conditions . A top germ of phytonutrients ( as many darkly colored ironical bean are ) , it also holds its shape well in soups .
Note that when take maturate other dry beans , many can be picked at the unripened bean stage ( as all of these can ) . party will lean both “ days to picking ” in reference to their newly - pluck phase and “ days to maturity ” for dry - bean bombardment — so give attention .
Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi has become widely make out , but you may not be familiar with the warehousing mixture . While regular Brassica oleracea gongylodes must be harvested before they reach 4 in in diameter , storehouse varieties achieve much largersizes .
They can easily be used to make coleslaw , a gratin or even “ mashed faux - tatoes . ” Keeping for several months well , kohlrabi will do best take in moist sand or sawdust ( though any humid location will do ) . Superschmelz ( being 8 to 10 pound ) and the majestic - skinned and not as huge Blaril ( average 2 pounds ) are the 1 to try .
Melons
The Christmas or Santa Claus melon vine wo n’t see you through the winter , but it does n’t ask to ! With a mild , very fresh flavor and creamy white soma with a honeydew texture , it bring in its keep handsomely .
This melon has a mottled , xanthous - greenish skin , is the size and shapeof a football game and can achieve 9 Lebanese pound in weight . Harvested as of late in the time of year as potential and hive away in a nerveless location ( such as a refrigerator ) , its exceptional storability ( approximately 6 weeks longer than an intermediate melon ) may keep it around to when the snow pop out flying !
record more : static root cellar conditions treat your stack away veg good .
Potatoes
One of the most basic of entrepot vegetables . Potato varieties have early- , mid- and late - time of year harvest times , with the “ lates ” being most prone to good storability . Yukon Gold , Russet Burbank and especially Elba are excellent .
But Red Maria goes above and beyond . Leah Smith
A red - skinned , all - purpose spud with white flesh , Red Maria is unchanged after 5 month in repositing when other potatoes are on to wrinkling and sprouting . If Red Maria does sprout , they ’re very short , stocky and easy removed .
start stop for sprout in late wintertime . slash them into the compost bin , avoiding feeding to fauna .
Root Brassicas
Root vegetables were made for long - terminal figure storage in the root cellar , of course . Though they may all store fairly well , some standouts come forth .
For exercise , there are many superb reposition radishes , but the watermelon vine / cherry-red meats offer a very attractive appearance . Try Starburst and Beauty Heart .
Zuercher is a fine and various Brassica rapa . It may be harvested at salad turnip size as well as allow for to hit that for repositing .
Tomatoes
Everyone tries to stretch the “ tomato time ” of the year for as long as possible , gathering unripened fruit at the end of the time of year and follow specialized procedures to guarantee the majuscule potential longevity .
Garden Peach is a very sweet , yellow tomato with a pinnace skin and is a good keeper , hold easily for a month or two . But if you require tomatoes in April of the undermentioned fountain , Longkeeper ( ruby ) and Golden Treasure ( plenteous yellowish ) are the tomatoes for you .
Golden Treasure ’s clearly acidulous tang and firm skin equip it absolutely for its truly singular storage .
Winter Squash
Winter squashes are n’t allcreated equal when it comes to storage . Acorn is least storable , at only a couple of months .
Hubbard , bananaand buttercup will well store doubly as long , actually improving in flavor with storage ( try out Blue , Sibley and Bonbon , respectively ) . So , too , will butternuts . Leah Smith
For top - level computer storage ( not to note superior nutrition ) , it ’s unmanageable to thump the Waltham . average out 4 Pound , possess an eatable skin and wide consider the bench mark of butternuts , it ’s an old deary for a very good ground .
Make room for the output and storage of these crop on your farm . You ’ll be happy you did !
More Information
Dehydration is a ready to hand method for keeping food . It ’s most popularly done with blueberry , celery , greens ( peculiarly kale ) , hot peppers , mushrooms , snap bean , sweet corn , tomatoes , almost all herbs and apples !
For apple dehydration , your preferences are all - crucial . If you need an orchard apple tree that give its configuration very well ( for attractive apple rings ) , try Golden Delicious or Pink Lady .
If you want a very sweet desiccated apple , take from Cortland , Fuji and Gala . Looking for a tart taste ? Braeburn and Granny Smith are the apple for you .
freeze is a great way to preserve several foods that ca n’t be kept with ( foresighted - terminus ) saucy storage in the theme cellar . It may require produce to be blanched ( submerge in boiling body of water for a short period , then directly chilled in cold water ) or not , depending on the intellectual nourishment .
Blanch
Do not blanch
If you have flock of way to commit to wintertime solid food ( and even some to experiment in ) , adjudicate some of these keepers :
For serious winter warehousing , Lutz Green Leaf , aka Winterkeeper , is the one to try out .
Similar to the husk or dry land cherry , the mantle gooseberry ( Physalis peruviana ) is a great yield with an almost tropical fruit flavor and the same in - the - husk storability .
Celery for storage ? Try put plants in 5 - gallon pails for continued production . take between Fordhook and Giant Pascal .
Darkened conditions ( complete with a humidity collapsible shelter ) are perfect for growing a mushroom outfit !
Add Vermont Red Kernel to your corn patch and pop away .
For particular flavor and fair storage , render Winter Luxury . For in force flavor and exceptional store , Long Pie .
Stores in affectionate conditions than the typical ascendent cellar . Try Allgold .
This article in the beginning appeared in the September / October 2022 issue ofHobby Farmsmagazine .
