Sometimes, the garden provides much more than we can eat today or even tomorrow.
Some crops we grow specifically to store.
With that in mind, here are the best ways of storing some of the most popular root vegetables.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Tip
Never store damaged root vegetables with healthy ones.
Instead, leave bruised veggies in the kitchen for immediate use.
In most all cases, do not wash root vegetables, water can lead to mildew and rotting.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Also, keep them away from light, which encourages sprouting.
What About Bulb Vegetables?
Before refrigerators, they were built under homes to store root vegetables for the winter.
An unfinished basement with no heating and earthen flooring is essentially a root cellar and is perfect for storage.
An unfinished basement with flooring and no heating can also work if it stays cool and above freezing.
Basements work best if they have a window allowing you to add more cool air if needed.
you could also add humidity by leaving a pan of water to evaporate and add moisture to the air.
Your root vegetables release ethylene gas as they ripen, shortening shelf life.
Ventilation is necessary for allowing ethylene gases to escape.
If digging a hole, ensure it goes below the freeze line.
The freeze line differs by region.
The freeze line can be as deep as two feet in some areas.
If using an earthen pit, protect it against rodents by enclosing it entirely in wire mesh.
Don’t Forget the Greens
Several of the root crops listed above also have edible greens.
Store the greens wrapped in a damp towel or paper towel in an airtight container in your refrigerator.
