Storing beets for the winter at home 

Beets have long been an indispensable vegetable for preparing not only first courses and salads, but also excellent as side dishes and preservation. The agricultural technology of this root crop does not differ in special requirements, and therefore all gardeners try to grow it in sufficient quantities on their plots. Therefore, it is so important to familiarize yourself with the conditions for storing beets in winter in order to always have stocks of this healthy vegetable.

Selection and preparation of beets for long-term storage

An important factor is the choice of beets for winter storage. It is best to give preference to late varieties, since it is they who tend to maintain their qualities over a long period of time. The later the harvest is carried out, the better it is suitable for storage.

In order for beets to be well stored in the winter at home, they must first be prepared before being put for a long period. Initially, it should be collected in advance before the onset of frost, since a sharp decrease in temperature will significantly affect the shelf life. Therefore, it is best for the regions of the middle lane to harvest beets at the beginning of October, and for the southern regions – at the end of October or at the beginning of November.

Vegetables should be dug up on a sunny, clear day, after which they must be laid out to dry in the shade for several hours. When the weather is less than ideal, the harvested beetroot needs to be dried indoors for a few days.

The root and tops should be cut off with scissors or a knife within 3 cm from the root crop. It is better not to tear off the tops with your hands, as this can later cause it to rot. Then it is also carefully necessary to cut off the lateral roots and shorten the main one to 5 cm.

After that, the beets are placed for several weeks in a dry, dark room. After this period, only intact and strong fruits that are suitable for further storage are sorted out and laid, and then transferred to a permanent place.

The best storage options

Storing beets at home is possible in several ways, which depend on individual capabilities and preferences. For these purposes, boxes, boxes, plastic bags, vacuum containers, sand, chalk, table salt and even ferns are used.

In a special box

You can store beets in an apartment in a wooden box, which is ideal for potatoes and beets at the same time. At the bottom of it there is a pallet in the form of a lattice, which contributes to the free circulation of air.

Moreover, both root crops will benefit from such a neighborhood, this is due to the fact that the beets will take in excess moisture, and thereby protecting the potatoes from its negative impact.

It is best to place such a container on a glazed balcony, and with a significant decrease in air temperature, the box is additionally covered with old blankets.

In the boxes

Storage of beets at home, like other vegetables, occurs in baskets or boxes, after pouring it with layers of river sand or table salt. This method will help protect vegetables from excessive moisture, which contributes to the development of fungal diseases.

For winter storage, it is better to use wooden boxes in which beets are laid in layers, sprinkled with a thick layer of river sand or sawdust, but so that the fruits do not touch each other. The prepared container is best placed on the balcony and, in severe frosts, additionally insulated from above.

You can often hear or read on the forums the phrase: “I store beets by shifting them with fern leaves.” This method also helps to preserve vegetables for a long time, as the leaves of this plant prevent the development of bacteria due to their fungicidal properties.

Vegetables sprinkled with chalk powder or wood ash retain their useful and gustatory qualities well, this helps to significantly increase their shelf life and protect them from the occurrence of fungal diseases.

Features of storage in packages

Another way to store beets in an apartment is to place the beets in plastic bags, but do not tie them up, this promotes air circulation. Place vegetables in a cool place:

• on the balcony;
• near the outer door.

About 30 kg of beets can be stored in one bag, sometimes they need to be sorted out in order to sort out fruits that begin to deteriorate. When condensation appears on the walls, the vegetables are taken out and dried.

in clay solution

In the absence of a balcony in the apartment, beets should be stored in the winter, after wetting them in a solution of clay, this can protect them from loss of moisture and useful qualities, and also significantly increase their shelf life.

To prepare the necessary mixture, you will need water and clay. These two components must be mixed until a homogeneous mass and consistency of sour cream is obtained. Then each root crop is dipped in the resulting solution and allowed to dry for several hours. Dried fruits are put in a prepared container and stored in the coolest place in the apartment.

In a refrigerator

With the same success, you can store this root crop in the refrigerator, but not more than 1 month. Since after this time, the beets begin to lose their useful qualities and moisture, which leads to the unsuitability of its further use. It is best to pick fruits 10-15 cm in diameter, as they lose less moisture and are not as susceptible to fungal diseases. You will also need to comply with certain rules and storage conditions.

1. When using plastic bags for storage, place peeled but unwashed beets in them and at the same time make additional holes in the bags for air circulation.
2. Also, vacuum bags are used to store root crops. In this case, the beets must be washed and all remnants of tops removed. Then each vegetable should be dipped in a strong saline solution and placed in a bag. In this way, you can save beets for a month or even more without losing their useful and taste qualities.
3. Often, root crops in the refrigerator are placed in vacuum containers, in which, when tightly closed, vegetables can be stored for 1 month.
4. You can also use foil for storage, in which the beets are wrapped individually. This helps the fruits not come into contact with each other, as well as retain moisture and beneficial properties for 3 months, because this method allows you to avoid direct contact of vegetables with air, but at the same time they continue to breathe.
5. For longer storage, you can grate the beets or cut them into cubes, then freeze them in the freezer. But with this method, vegetables lose some of their vitamins and useful qualities, but their shelf life increases to 3-4 months.

Storing root vegetables in the refrigerator is not the best option, but they are always at hand, which is very convenient.

You can see more clearly how to choose and store this vegetable correctly from the proposed video, many of the author’s tips will help protect the harvest of root crops in the winter season:

Conclusion

It is not difficult to keep beets in the house, but it will require compliance with temperature, humidity and storage conditions. It is also necessary to remove spoiled or sluggish fruits in time. Compliance with these rules will help protect the crop and extend its shelf life.