The autumn leaves are falling, and it’s time to reap the Roots of your labor!
Think of all those tasty roast dinners, cottage pies and rooty stews to come over the winter. Delicious!
But how do you keep your veggies from going off between now and when you want to use them?
Ben has some nifty tips for how to harvest, cure and store all your favourite roots. Pass the gravy!
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THIS is crucial info and considerations, toyed with storing roots in the ground sometimes and always thought it was one of the 'holly grails' of gardening! 😀
Slightly similar to storing citrus fruit or avocadoes on the tree for months or yr round.
This is perfect! Thank you
Thanks very much Ben, lovely clear instructions. I've previously kept 50lb bought thick paper sacks of potatoes in a galvanised dustbin with lid on to keep rodents out (they've been in the brick shed, but couldn't get to the potatoes). Have now planted my own, and hope to keep them until eaten too.
Vaccum sealing for a few weeks keeps them hard, in the crisper or fermenting them, is another way.
I recently tried storing root plants in perlite -most lasted 12 mths with no sign of trouble -just put in a container that could hold the crop then layered perlite /root crop/perlite ect,ect until full sort the vegies out and leave the saddest in the last one or two top layers so you use them first..you can reuse perlite -discard any areas where vegies have gone bad(you will almost always have a dud somewhere)..PS store in cool light free area
Thanks once again
Hope this isn't a silly question. But, do you need to "water" the potting mix to keep it moist throughout the winter? Thanks
Carrot tops are edible!
You can do a carrot top pesto instead if composting them.
When you store your carrots in a root cellar in the packing soil do you have to add a little more water throughout the winter or is it just when you first do it?
I’d like to try some of these ideas my storage solutions involve me using a chambered vacuum sealer where some of the vegetables will be blanched and then vacuum sealed and some of them just sealed straight away I also have a freeze dryer and sealed them up in mylar bags. I also store them in canning and sometimes pickling or fermenting. But storing them in the freezer is nice but it requires electricity and a lot of freezer space. I would like to build a Root cellar and try some of the traditional techniques too.
We use Genesis Biochar. It is an absorbent and can be used repeatedly or put into your soil
Hi Ben. I'm always watching your videos and learning more each time. However, this time I have a question. I live in South Florida (Zone 10b). Humidity is not a problem, heat is. I have no 'cool dark place' to store any root veggies. Except for a few (3 – 6) days in Dec and Jan, the temp in my garage (the only place with any storage space – no basement or root cellar) is normally 80 to 90+. Is it possible to store in that temp range? I have no problem with canning them all (just canned 25lbs of store-bought potatoes last weekend, my luck at growing them is dismal, lol.), but sometimes you just want fresh. Is there a way to do this, or do I just need to keep canning? Thank for any response. Take care and keep those videos coming.
Carrot tops are delicious in a mixed salad and contribute a mild carrot taste.
I'd love a root cellar one day! But for now, I buried a sprinkler box. It stores potatoes beautifully, if layers are separated with straw. They will keep through the snow season, 4 months here!
For storage, I heard certain kinds of moss are suitable for people with access to it. Bearmoss I believe it was.
Would leaves work well as packing medium?
Great information! Good ideas as well!
This is great. Thank you! Will you produce a video on how to store sweet potatoes and the curing process they need first?
Your enthusiasm is infectious. Thanks bunches.
Ferment instead of canning! Veg is delicious fermented and has a wonderful probiotic benefit.
Love your videos, share them with friends. This video you are using soil/potting soil with the carrots. Would sawdust or wood shavings work as well?
Help!!!
Ben please help
I have just harvested the 3 parsnip that grew, I’ve done it now as it’s not frozen atm but will freeze again and we want them for Christmas so I took the plunge and got them out. That was tough… they have grown well when in the summer I thought they dead but now I don’t know how to store them for the 4 days I’m at home before taking to nans.
Thought this would help but didn’t really explain except keep in the soil till needed.
Please explain for this autistic brain that needs it put simple. Atm I have put them in the sink as they came out the ground and will wait for news on what to do
Please help me
What's the minimum and maximum temp that's acceptable?
This is definitely something I need to work harder at this year, making a dedicated area for storage.
Of course , there are the traditional clamps you make out of straw and soil. Also heeling them in. I dug up my parsnips today, put them together under an overhanging conifer and covered them with soil. The soil under this conifer is a bit drier and finer so hopefully good for temporary storage and shelter from the elements