Root Cellaring

Root cellaring:

Barbara Damrosch writes side bars for www.kitchengardenseeds.com
Quoted:
"Root Storage for All
Back when everyone had a root cellar it was so simple. Vegetables like leeks, cabbages and fennel could be kept edible long after harvest, and root crops like potatoes, beets, turnips and carrots could sustain a household all winter long. A root cellar is still a great idea for a gardening family, even if it’s just a corner of the house cellar with an insulated wall to keep it cooler, and a basement window you can crack open as needed to let in cold air. A large extra refrigerator will also keep a limited amount of winter produce.

But there are other tricks you can use too. In a place with temperate winters an unheated shed or garage might fill the bill, even though it won’t have the 95% humidity that most root crops favor. A cool attic or an unused room is also better than nothing. Such cache spots are ideal for vegetables like winter squash and onions that prefer it dry, and needn’t be kept quite as cool.

Better yet, build a mini-root-cellar right in the garden by burying a metal garbage can right in the ground~or several, each filled with a different root crop. Set it just below the frost line, with insulation on top of the lid. Building an insulated box is even better, though it’s helpful to protect it from rodents by stapling hardware cloth to the outside. Where winters are cold, bury the box inside a cold frame or home greenhouse for more frost protection. A few hardy crops like parsnips and carrots can be left right in the ground where they grew, mulched with straw or evergreen boughs if needed. They’ll be a sweet treat come spring! "


This message was edited Mar 18, 2007 8:46 AM