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There are carrot beds in every summer cottage. This is not surprising, because carrots are healthy and very tasty, it is difficult to imagine traditional borscht, eggplant caviar, salads and savory snacks without it. Many housewives make pies and pancakes from an orange vegetable. All this explains the desire of the owners to keep at least part of the carrot harvest until the next season – this is how they stock up on useful vitamins and microelements.
You can learn about how to store carrots at home, how to properly prepare a carrot crop for storage, as well as how to save vitamins, from this article.
Rules for storing carrots
Any vegetable retains a maximum of nutrients and vitamins only with properly organized storage.
All the beneficial properties of carrots can be saved if maintain a suitable environment for this product:
- The first rule requires maintaining a constant temperature within from 0 to +5 degrees. If the thermometer drops below zero, the roots will freeze, which will subsequently lead to rotting of the carrots. Higher temperatures are perceived by vegetables as the onset of spring, due to which they begin to germinate and wither.
- Humidity in storage should also be within the normal range: about 65%. Only in this way the carrots will remain juicy, will not wither, and will not begin to rot and deteriorate. To prevent the evaporation of moisture from the root crops, the tops are cut off from the carrots, and the vegetables are also shifted with moisture-intensive materials (sand, sawdust, etc.).
- Ventilation storage plays an important role. Root crops retain all nutrients, do not get sick, do not become infected if the room is regularly ventilated.
How to store carrots for the winter
For those who live in a private house, it is much easier to keep carrots until next spring. Usually such owners have a cellar, a barn or, in extreme cases, a garage. Having properly organized storage in such premises, it is quite possible to feast on fresh carrots all winter.
It is somewhat more difficult to stock up on vitamins for city dwellers and apartment dwellers. But for them, there are several convenient and effective ways to store carrots in an apartment.
In any case, before storing carrot roots for storage, they should be prepared for a long winter. And yet – the storage itself needs special preparation.
We store carrots correctly: harvesting
Only those root crops that have undergone special training will be well stored. To do this, do the following:
- harvest. The time of harvesting carrots is directly related to its variety. Noted what is most suitable for storage for the winter at home are medium and late root varieties. Usually such carrots are harvested at the end of August or at the beginning of September, because it is at this time that the active growth of the mass of the root crop ends. It is best to pull out the carrots, gently pulling them by the tops. If the soil is too dry and dense, you can dig the vegetable with a shovel.
- After pulling out, the carrots should lie in the sun for a couple of hours. During this time, the roots will become weathered and dry.
- Then cut off the tops of the carrots. To do this, use a sharp knife or large scissors (secateurs). You need to cut off all the tops, to the very point of growth. If this is not done, the carrots will certainly germinate ahead of time, as a result of which they will wither and lose their taste.
- Now the crop is thoroughly dried, after cleaning each carrot from adhering dirt. Dry carrots should be in a shady, well-ventilated place. Do not pour root crops directly onto the ground; you need to lay a film, tarpaulin or thick fabric.
After drying, the root crops are sorted: it is not recommended to store small and large carrots together.
It is strictly forbidden to wash vegetables before storage, you just need to clean them from dry soil. Wash only those carrots that will be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
Gardeners note that not all varieties of carrots are stored equally well. Most of all, root crops of medium size and conical shape are suitable for these purposes. Cylindrical large carrots are not stored well; it is better to use such varieties directly from the garden.
How to store carrots in winter in a private house
Definitely, it is much easier for residents of the private sector to save any root crops until next spring, because they usually have basements. In the cellar, there are optimal conditions for storing not only carrots, but also potatoes, beets, and apples. There is high humidity, constant positive temperature. The only thing that can harm the crop is fungal spores, insects and rodents, so they will have to be dealt with.
How to store carrots in the basement
To save a carrot for the winter, it is not enough just to put it in the basement, you need special processing, a suitable bookmark. There are several ways to store carrots in the winter at home:
- In a bucket or enamel pan. In principle, any vessel with a lid is suitable for this method. In this case, the carrots are folded vertically, the root crops are covered with a piece of dense matter on top and the container is closed with a lid. The fabric will absorb excess moisture from fresh root crops, and subsequently will gradually give it back to the vegetables.
- Any bags also great for winter storage of carrots. It can be canvas, and fabric, and plastic bags. Root crops are simply put in a bag, pouring layers of carrots with fresh sawdust. No need to tie a bag, vegetables should “breathe”. They put the carrot in the corner of the cellar, where it is dry and dark.
- Wooden and plastic boxes, thick cardboard boxes also perfectly keep the harvest until spring. Carrots are folded so that their tails do not touch each other, that is, in a checkerboard pattern. The root crops themselves should also not touch the neighboring ones. Be sure to sprinkle the crop with moisture-absorbing disinfectant material. Coniferous sawdust (only fresh), onion or garlic husks are well suited – these materials actively resist the appearance of fungal spores and rot. Sand is also suitable, especially if it is slightly damp – so the carrots will not wither, it will be crispy and juicy throughout the winter.
- Can be stored for a very long time carrots sealed in clay. This method is laborious and dirty, but it allows you to keep the roots in their original form until next summer (up to nine months). Peeled root crops are placed in a solution of liquid clay, then taken out and put in boxes or boxes. Before laying in the cellar, the clay must dry out.
- Some gardeners leave carrots to winter in the beds. To do this, it must be prepared appropriately. First, the tops are cut off, then the carrot bed is sprinkled with dry sand and covered with a dense film. Now you need to fill the film with a thick layer of insulating material (sawdust, foliage, humus or spruce branches). All this is covered with roofing material so that the insulation does not get wet in the rain. In such a shelter, carrots are not afraid of frost and precipitation, it will remain fresh until the next harvest.
Where to store carrots in the apartment
Everything is clear with the cellar, but what about people who live in apartments and do not have underground storage facilities, sheds and basements? Turns out, you can save carrots throughout the winter and in the conditions of an ordinary city apartment.
And it can be done in several interesting ways:
- perfect for home storage of carrots glazed balcony or loggia. Carrots are stacked there in the same way as in the basement: in bags, boxes or simply on shelves. Be sure to sprinkle root crops with sawdust, husks or sand. A container with vegetables is well wrapped with warm blankets, felt or other heat insulators. It is important to monitor the temperature on the balcony, if it stays above zero, heating the carrots is not needed, otherwise it will rot.
- In a cold closet you can save the crop like this: wrap each root crop with a newspaper and put it in a wooden box or in a cardboard box. The method is suitable for those cases when there are few carrots.
- In a refrigerator carrots are stored in plastic bags or in airtight plastic containers – this way it can lie for several weeks. The vegetables are washed and dried first.
- Before bookmark into the freezer it is recommended to chop the carrots: grate, cut into cubes, circles or large straws (it all depends on the dishes that the hostess will cook in winter). The chopped vegetable is put into small plastic bags.
If before the carrot did not last until spring, it means that it was simply stored incorrectly. To provide the family with vitamins for the whole year, you need to follow the recommendations for storing carrots at home for the winter.
