Storage of carrots in the cellar in winter 

All summer gardeners, without straightening their backs, work on their plots. Harvested harvest always brings satisfaction. Now, the main thing is to save it in the winter. After all, vitamins are especially needed in winter.

Many novice gardeners are interested in storing carrots in the cellar so that there is no rot and blackening. There are many ways to store a sweet vegetable, we will try to talk about the most common options.

Choosing the right variety

The issue of storing carrots in the basement includes compliance with harvesting technology, site preparation and the right choice of root crops. Good keeping quality are mid-season and late-ripening varieties. There are among the favorite varieties and early ripening. Most often, gardeners for long-term storage choose:

1. Moscow winter, a variety with an average ripening period. This carrot is high-yielding, the root crop is dense, juicy.
2. Early maturing of Nantes. It also stands out for its yield stability. Ripens a month and a half after germination. Can be stored in the cellar until summer.
3. Shantane is characterized by medium ripening, sweet, fragrant pulp. It is stored in the cellar and does not rot for up to 10 months.

Harvest Rules

Dry warm weather is the best time to harvest carrots. Harvested root crops are slightly dried before storage. Root crops are harvested in the second half of September.

Pulling carrots by the tops is undesirable so as not to damage it. Forks are used for digging. It is not difficult to choose root crops from loosened earth. In addition, they will be without scratches and damage. This means that they will be stored well, there will be no rot on it.

Carrots pulled out of the ground are laid out on the beds so that it warms up and dries out under the sun. If the weather does not allow, then sheds or a garage are used to dry vegetables. Root crops are laid out in one layer at a distance from each other. The quarantine lasts for several days.

What to do next to save carrots in winter:

1. Clean vegetables are placed in the cellar for storage. It is not always possible to clean the dirt: if the carrots grew in clay soil, and the pieces of earth have dried up, they do not need to be torn off.
2. Root crops are sorted out, separating vegetables for storage in the cellar without damage and scratches. It is through them that microbes penetrate the vegetables, causing putrefactive processes. One diseased carrot can destroy the entire crop during storage.
3. The cull must be recycled as soon as possible.
4. To keep carrots in the cellar, they are sorted by size. Small root crops quickly lose their presentation, they need to be eaten first.
5. Using a sharp knife, the tops are cut off, leaving a tail no more than 1-2 mm.

The sorted and trimmed vegetables are transferred to the cellar for storage.

Cellar preparation features

The question of how to properly store carrots in the cellar is of particular concern to beginner gardeners. Everyone knows that this root crop is very capricious. When creating the wrong conditions, you can lose the crop: carrots become flabby, germinate and rot.

There are special requirements for the place of storage of the root crop:

• temperature -2 — +2 degrees;
• humidity not less than 90%;
• the room must be ventilated.

Before laying the root crop for storage in the underground, it is thoroughly cleaned. If necessary, the walls are disinfected – whitewashed with slaked lime. If there is a fungus in the vault, it is better to light a sulfur bomb.

Root storage options

How to store carrots in the winter in the cellar without loss of production and quality of root crops? This is a very important question not only for beginners, but also for experienced gardeners.

It is in the cellar that it is best to store carrots, subject to the necessary conditions.

In the boxes

Without filler

1. To store root crops, you can use wooden or cardboard boxes. Carrots are laid in layers and tightly closed with a lid. It is better to put them on high shelves 15 centimeters from the wall so that moisture does not get into the container with vegetables from the sweaty surface.
2. The second option is to simply pour the layers with clean sand:
   How to store carrots

In the sand with chalk

The question of how best to store carrots in the cellar in winter, each gardener decides in his own way.

1. The first option with the use of chalk. Prepare a mixture of wet sand and chalk. If chalk is in sticks, then it is first ground into powder. You will need a wooden box with a lid without holes. Root crops are put into it while standing, as a vegetable grows in a garden. The sand-chalk mixture is poured on top.
2. The second option is using chalk. Chalk is diluted in water (it does not completely dissolve) until a slurry is obtained. Each carrot is lowered into it, dried and placed in layers in a box. Each layer is covered with sand.
3. Root crops powdered with chalk powder have good keeping quality. For every 10 kg of carrots take 200 grams of white powder.

Why do gardeners consider this storage of carrots the best way? It’s all about the chalk. First, this natural mineral, which has alkaline properties, reduces the possibility of bacterial growth. Secondly, carrots do not dry out for a long time, remain juicy and dense.

In coniferous sawdust

Many gardeners consider the best way to store carrots in sawdust of coniferous plants. They contain phenolic substances that protect vegetables from putrefactive processes. What is the best way to use sawdust? You can lay out the carrots in layers in boxes, sprinkling with wood waste. If the basement is large, then the sawdust is poured directly onto the shelf (not on the floor!), And then the root crops are laid out. Layers are repeated.

In sacks of onion skins

When peeling onions, collect the husks, it will come in handy for storing carrots in the cellar. Put it in a large bag, put the carrots in the same place. Onion peel is an excellent tool that will not allow carrots to rot. Root crops are folded in layers, sprinkled with husks. Bags can be stacked on a shelf or hung on a carnation.

sand pyramids

For this method of storing carrots, almost dry sand is required. It can be poured on the floor or shelf in the cellar in a thick layer. Having laid the first layer of root crops, they cover it with sand. The next layers are laid out across. And so on. The height of the pyramid should not exceed one meter. During the storage of carrots, you need to monitor the condition of the sand. If it starts to dry out, the pyramid can be sprayed with a spray bottle.

Clay sheathed

Many may not like this method, because there is dirty work to be done. But this option is considered the best.

Liquid clay is diluted, carrots are laid in it in batches. Root crops need to be gently mixed to get a shell without gaps. The removed vegetables are laid out until completely dry and stored in any container. It is not necessary to cover. What does this method give? Root crops do not dry out, remain fresh and juicy for a long time, microorganisms do not damage carrots.

In polyethylene bags

This is a good option, but you need to follow some rules to keep root crops in the cellar until spring:

1. Only well-dried and chilled root crops are laid:
2. Holes are made in the bottom of the bag for condensate to drain, the top is not tightly tied.
3. The bags are stacked on a stand, not on the floor.
4. An audit is recommended from time to time.

Best before

The question of how best to store the root crop in the cellar will not be fully disclosed if nothing is said about the shelf life of the vegetable, depending on the method chosen.

Consider the storage periods (averaged data):

1. In a clay shell, in chalk, in sawdust, in onion peel and in sand – up to 12 months.
2. In boxes without filler, in pyramids with sand – up to 8 months.
3. In plastic bags up to 4 months.
4. At the bottom of the refrigerator up to 30 days.

Instead of a conclusion

We talked about how to store carrots in the cellar in winter. And now a few tips. Experienced gardeners always share their best practices, including keeping carrots fresh in winter:

1. During storage, you need to regularly monitor the condition of vegetables. When spots appear on carrots, blackening is removed and processed.
2. If the tops grow, pruning is urgently required so that the greens do not draw out the juices.
3. First, substandard vegetables are used, too small, until they have time to dry. In large and dense specimens, the keeping quality is much higher.
4. Light should not enter the cellar.
5. In cold cellars, where there is a risk of freezing, root crops in containers are insulated with felt.

Each gardener decides which method of storing carrots to choose. The main thing is that vegetables remain fresh, juicy throughout the winter.