Carrot. What is the best way to store carrot roots in winter in the cellar, underground and apartment

As autumn approaches, any summer resident wonders how to preserve the harvest grown with love. Carrots are considered one of the most common crops in garden beds. Storing root vegetables without meeting certain conditions for a long period is impossible. When choosing a method for preserving vegetables, it is especially recommended to take into account the location of the harvested crop.

Carrot varieties for long-term storage

The best varieties carrots that retain their beneficial features over a long period of time are presented below.

Among late ripening types:

• Nantes. A long root crop with a high yield.
• Chanton. The main advantage is considered to be high fertility and great content carotene in fruits.

Among mid-season types:

• Vitamin grade, characterized by excellent resistance to negative temperatures.
• Touchon. Carrots have very juicy pulp and can be stored in the basement until spring.
• Boltex - elegant root vegetables, reminiscent of a cone shape, retain their beneficial properties until the end of winter.

Among early varieties:

• Alyonka. Preservation of beneficial properties is possible until mid-winter.
• Bangor. Stored until mid-spring.
• Lagoon. Starts to deteriorate at the end of winter.

Important! Early varieties are still more intended for consumption (especially for making juices) than for storage.

Rules for collecting carrots for storage

• Harvesting can only be done in warm and dry weather. If root vegetables are removed from damp soil, they must be thoroughly dried before being sent to the cellar.
• The best harvest time is September. It is not recommended to keep carrots in the ground longer than the end of October.
• When digging carrots, it is recommended to use pitchfork. Each of the root crops must be held by the tops.
• Under no circumstances acceptable damage to vegetable skin during harvest. The integrity of the skin guarantees a long shelf life of the fruit.

Having carefully dug up the vegetable crop, you should place the collected root crops on an oilcloth under open air. Thorough drying will take about 5-6 hours. The fruits should be laid out in one layer. Root vegetables should not touch. If the crop is too wet, it is better to dry it in the sun for several days.

After drying, the following manipulations must be carried out:

1. Clear the crop of earthen deposits.
2. Select specimens with damaged skin, since when it is damaged, microbes very quickly penetrate into the carrots, which will soon lead to spoilage of the product.
3. Re-sort fruits according to size characteristics.
4. Use a sharp knife to remove the tops, or unscrew them by hand.

Following these simple rules will allow you to properly prepare carrots for storage for the winter.

Optimal storage conditions

The shelf life of vegetables is also influenced by the choice of containers where the root vegetables are located.

Temperature and humidity

When choosing a place to store carrots, you should look for rooms where the air temperature is within 0 +2 degrees C. For example, this could be a basement, subfloor or cellar, as well as the same refrigerator.

Air access must be limited. In this case, moderate ventilation will be required. Air humidity should not exceed 97%.

It is extremely important to consider that even minor temperature fluctuations can lead to premature rotting of vegetable fruits.

Storage containers

Before digging up root crops, care must be taken to prepare containers for placing the crop.

As a rule, the following containers are used for storing carrots:

• plastic bags;
• plastic boxes.

How to store carrots in an apartment and a private house

In the private sector To preserve carrots in winter, use a basement, subfloor or cellar. In such conditions, the red-haired beauty remains fresh for about 5-6 months.

And here for apartment residents there is no such possibility. As a rule, before frost, the carrot harvest is stored on the balcony or loggia, and after the onset of cold weather it is placed in the apartment. In the refrigerator, carrots are best stored in bags in chopped form. Shelf life is about 2-3 months.

By the way! With a small amount of harvest, it is more advisable to use a freezer for storage. To do this, chopped carrots are packaged in polyethylene and sent to the freezer.

Popular ways to preserve carrots for the winter

Various ways to keep carrots fresh at home will be discussed and shown below.

In plastic bags

This method will require polyethylene bags. Thanks to high degree Due to air humidity, carrots will not sprout in burlap and will not begin to rot. After placing root vegetables in polyethylene, it is necessary to leave it open, which will prevent the occurrence of fungal infection. If you seal it tightly with polyethylene, the vegetable will soon begin to rot. If desired, you can tie the bag and make it in a circle a large number of holes through which air will flow. If there is excessive humidity, the bag will begin to fog up. In this case, experts recommend placing fluff lime near the bags, which will absorb excessive moisture. Carrots can be stored in bags both in the cellar or basement, and in the refrigerator.

In cling film

The method using cling film is quite simple. To use it, you will need to wrap a small amount of dried and thoroughly washed carrots in cling film. Send the harvest packed in this way to the basement.

In sand

Storing carrots in sand for the winter is very popular among residents of private houses with basements or cellars. Sand does an excellent job of reducing moisture and preventing the development of fungal infections. What kind of sand do you need? For this method, only clay sand is suitable. You will also need boxes and water. Pour slightly moistened sand into the prepared container. Lay out the vegetables in one layer and sprinkle with sand. Again a layer of root vegetables and moistened sand.

In the sawdust

Method with sawdust no less effective. Therefore, it is possible and necessary to store carrots in sawdust. This will require plastic containers and pine sawdust. Sawdust is poured into the bottom of the container, then carrots are laid out, which are sprinkled with sawdust on top. Phytoncides contained in sawdust prevent the growth of vegetables and counteract the development of fungal diseases.

In the moss

A very interesting storage method using moss. It is very important to properly prepare the raw materials in advance. In this case, washing carrots is not recommended. After digging, the fruits are sent for drying. Then the vegetables are sent to the refrigerator or basement for 24 hours. After this, moss is laid out in a plastic container, a layer of carrots and moss again. The plant does not weigh down the boxes and has preservative properties.

In clay

A very popular method of storing carrots is clay. To do this, you need to prepare in advance cling film, a plastic container, water and clay, which will successfully prevent the germination of root crops.

There are 2 ways to store vegetables in clay, namely:

1. Layering clay in layers. Take an empty bucket, fill it halfway with clay and dilute it with water. After 24 hours the clay will swell. Stir the resulting substance thoroughly and add a little water. Place the bucket in a cool place for 24 hours. The finished clay should be thick enough to resemble the consistency of sour cream. After preparing the clay, cover the surface of the bottom of plastic containers with polyethylene and lay out the carrots in one layer. Fill the vegetable with clay and leave to dry. Subsequent layers can be laid only after the clay has dried.
2. Dipping vegetables in clay. This storage technique is similar to the previous one. The only difference is the fact that the carrots are not filled with clay, but only dipped in it. In this case, the root crop cannot be washed. After drying the root vegetables, you need to roll them in a clay solution and lay them out to dry in a draft. Then the harvest is placed in a prepared cardboard box and sent for storage in a cool place. To prepare the solution you will need to combine the clay with water. The solution should resemble the consistency of sour cream. Under no circumstances should the clay drip from the carrot.

In the peels of garlic or onions

Method for storing carrots peelings from garlic or onions. It is similar to the method of storage in sawdust. To use it, you will need to prepare wooden boxes and the husk itself. Onion peelings contain essential oil, which prevents rapid spoilage of vegetables. Dried root vegetables are laid out in wooden boxes and covered with husks. A layer of cleaning is also poured onto the surface of the bottom of each box.

• alternate crops when planting;
• dig up the area deeply;
• apply sufficient amounts of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers;
• Harvest carefully, avoiding injury to the skin of the vegetable.

To prevent damage to carrots in the basement by rodents, it is recommended to use Saracen mint leaves. To do this, we place the stems of the plant around the boxes. The smell of the plant will repel rodents and preserve the harvest.

Typical storage mistakes

The following errors Vegetable growers most often perform when harvesting and preparing carrots for storage:

• they overdry and overexpose the crop, sending it to a cool place at the wrong time;
• they dig up crops better in cold or rainy weather;
• carelessly remove soil from a vegetable crop, damaging the skin;
• do not monitor the temperature and humidity of the storage facility.

Thus, following simple tips and recommendations for preserving root vegetables at home, fresh carrots will delight you all winter and even spring.

In contact with

How to store carrots is a completely natural question, especially in the autumn. winter period. Everyone knows about its benefits, but storing carrots causes some difficulties not only for beginners. That is why I decided to collect in this article all useful information about how to store carrots.

You've probably heard that theater begins with the wardrobe. So, like this, proper storage of vegetables begins from the moment they are harvested. Although, perhaps, even from the choice of a variety of a particular plant, not all varieties are stored the same. In the article I will definitely dwell on such important points as “when to harvest carrots” and what varieties of carrots are available for long-term storage. By the way, you can learn about the intricacies of growing these useful root vegetables.

There are some subtleties when collecting this root vegetable and preparing it for storage. I won’t talk about harvesting carrots on large plantations, since you are unlikely to sow your entire plot with carrots only. Let's talk about an ordinary underground beauty grown in a country house or garden plot.

Harvesting carrots and preparing them for storage

When should you harvest carrots? It is best to do this in good weather and when the soil is dry. This will reduce the drying time required before storing the root crop.

You can start harvesting after September 15, but since carrots are not afraid of frost, they can be harvested until mid-October.

Before removing the root crop from the ground, it is worth digging up the soil. For these purposes, you can use a shovel, but it is best to use a dull pitchfork, as they will damage the carrots less. If your soil is light, then after digging the root crops can be easily pulled out of the ground.

Then place the vegetables to dry. If the weather is dry, then a few hours is enough, but if the carrots were harvested on a rainy day, then it will take 1-2 days to dry.

After drying, we clean the carrots from any remaining soil, but so as not to damage them. Nothing bad will happen if there is some soil left on the root crops.

The next stage is removing the tops. We remove it almost completely, leaving only a few millimeters. We place these carrots for storage.

Another tip. For long-term storage, select whole, undamaged root vegetables. Use the rest in the coming months.

Alternatively, you can make this simple preparation for the winter:

How to properly store carrots

Among all vegetables, storing carrots, both industrially and at home, poses some difficulties. This is due to the fact that it is very demanding on storage conditions. They must be followed impeccably if you want to get a good result. By the way, did you know that it is better to store carrots and apples in separate rooms? Why this is so, you will find out from the article.

Conditions for storing carrots in winter
The temperature of the storage room should range from - 1 to + 2 degrees, and the air humidity should be close to 90 - 95%. Ventilation is moderate; air access to root crops should be limited.

These harsh conditions storage is due to the fact that even a slight increase in temperature, fluctuations in humidity and excess oxygen can disturb the dormancy of carrots. Subsequently, it will begin to sprout, wither and rot.

But beets are easier to store (you can read about this).

Methods for storing carrots
Carrots are stored very well in cellars and basements, as well as in pits and piles that do not freeze in winter. Proper storage will help preserve its beneficial properties and reduce losses. There are several ways to store carrots, and I’ll tell you about them now.

Storing carrots in the basement
1st method– storage in small boxes.
It’s better to choose boxes that can accommodate no more than 20 kg of carrots. This storage method will help you save space for other vegetables. The boxes should preferably have thick walls and a lid. Carrots will be stored better in such boxes than in containers with holes. The boxes themselves should be installed on a stand, 15-20 cm high above the floor, and at the same distance from each wall.

2nd method– storage in pine sawdust.

Using this method, you can store carrots in the same boxes discussed in method 1. If you do not have suitable containers, you can store it in pine sawdust simply on shelves or in piles. To do this, arrange shelves or heaps at a level of 20 cm from the floor, which are covered with sawdust. Place root vegetables on the sawdust, which you also sprinkle with sawdust. Do the same with each row of carrots you place.

For long-term storage of carrots, you need to take pine sawdust. They contain essential oils, which prevent germination and the appearance of rot.

How to store carrots in the cellar?
Method 1 - pyramids or piles. It is best to store carrots in the cellar, folded into piles or pyramids. It is advisable that their height does not exceed 1 meter. Pour sand under the bottom row in a layer of 2 cm. Then lay the root vegetables with their heads facing out and pour sand again, but 1 cm is enough. Do this with each row of carrots. Please note that you need to make sure that the root vegetables do not touch each other. Upper layer sand, as well as sand on the sides of the pyramid or bead, should be sprinkled with water as it dries.

Method 2 - carrots in clay clothes. Storing carrots in winter is also possible in a clay shell. Prepare a thick solution of clay and water the consistency of sour cream, place the root vegetables in this solution for 2-3 minutes and dry. Make sure that the root crop is completely covered with such a shell. You can store carrots prepared in this way in open boxes or baskets.

How to store carrots at home?
To store carrots at home, you will need dry onion peels. Place a layer of husks on the bottom of the box, then carrots, and so alternate almost to the top. As stated above, store only whole root vegetables. Place the box of carrots in a cool place in your home or apartment. If you store it on the balcony, then on very frosty days cover the box with a blanket or something similar.

How to store carrots in the refrigerator?
Unwashed carrots should be placed in a plastic bag (bag), rolled tightly and placed in the refrigerator. To make it last longer, it is better if you put 2-3 root vegetables in one bag. This will prevent excess air and moisture from getting into it. Before placing the root vegetables in the bag, chill them overnight in the refrigerator, uncovered. Otherwise, condensation will form and the carrots will begin to sprout and rot.

Shelf life of carrots
Of course, the shelf life of carrots depends on the chosen storage option.
These are the deadlines:

• In plastic bags (in the refrigerator) – from 1 to 2 months;
• In a clay shell (in the cellar) - until the new harvest (up to a year);
• In sand (in a cellar) – from 6 to 8 months;
• In pine sawdust (in the basement) - up to a year;
• In closed boxes (in the basement) - from 5 to 8 months.

Varieties of carrots for storage

That's all I wanted to tell you today.
You now know how to store carrots in winter. Take note of the methods for storing carrots that suit you and eat these healthy vegetables until the new harvest. Well, in the spring, sow the seeds of carrot varieties that are suitable for long-term storage. It's better if they are different varieties. How do you store carrots?

P.S. Sowing carrots and “forgetting” about them until it’s time to harvest – is this possible? Yes, this is possible:

I advise, dear readers, not to miss the publication of new materials on this blog.

How to store carrots for the winter? Among the methods that are intended for storing carrots, each gardener will find his own, the one that is most preferable to him. But first you should prepare for this and decide, adhering to the right technology. First, we decide on the timing of cleaning.

Despite the fact that this root vegetable can withstand light frosts, you should not overexpose it in the garden. However, harvesting vegetables too early reduces consumer qualities root vegetables, not allowing them to pick up sufficient quantity sugars

And vice versa - staying in the garden for too long allows for the accumulation of sugars in large quantities, which makes the root crop very attractive to rodents during further storage.

Therefore, harvesting should be scheduled at the time when the lower 2-3 shoots of the tops begin to acquire a yellow color - such root crops already have good consumer qualities, but will be the least attractive to pests.

Before harvesting, do not water the bed with root vegetables for several days, and when digging, use a fork that has blunt teeth - this way you will avoid damaging the vegetables.

It begins from this stage. You should not clear carrots from clods of earth by hitting the root vegetables against each other, this will damage the vegetables and reduce their shelf life.

Equally important is cooling the root crops immediately after digging. This usually happens within 1-2 days, until the temperature of the vegetable products drops by +1.5 degrees. Timely cooling increases the efficiency of preserving root crops.

You can cool it in the air if the temperature outside is low enough. But at the same time, it is necessary to monitor the presence of frosts so that the temperature of root vegetables does not drop below 0 degrees - frozen vegetables will rot. Good result gives cooling in refrigeration chamber, if possible.

Usually it is enough to stand at outside temperature for a period of time while the vegetables dry, clear them of clods of earth and trim the tops.

Processing carrots before storage involves first cutting off the tops as close as possible to the head of the root crop. This type of pruning allows you to remove buds, which can subsequently grow. You should immediately lay out the root vegetables to dry, and then remove the soil with your hands, being careful not to damage them.

After this, the root crops are sorted, separating good, healthy specimens from damaged and various defects. Some vegetable growers also use this method of cutting tops, such as cutting off 0.5 -1 cm of the top of the root crop itself.

If this method is used, then the vegetables should be kept for some time before being placed in the main storage location - until the top cut is covered with a crust. Otherwise, the root crops will begin to rot soon.

Rejected copies can be processed and stored in a form already prepared for further use. How to preserve carrots for the winter? To do this, use the following methods:

• Canning carrots.

Each of these methods will allow you to store ready-to-eat root vegetables. long time, allowing you to preserve all the nutritional qualities of vegetables, although it requires a lot of labor and availability extra space in the apartment.

Good quality specimens that do not have visible defects are stored in a variety of ways.

Depending on how much space the vegetable grower has for organizing storage, the location is selected. How to store carrots for the winter?

Basic Rules

How to properly store carrots for the winter? There are no specific recommendations on how best to store carrots for the winter and where. The determining factors for long-term preservation of the crop are compliance with:

• choosing a variety of root crops;
• compliance with preparation technology;
• temperature regime;
• humidity conditions;
• lack of excess oxygen supply;
• pest protection.

For long-term storage throughout the winter, they show the best performance late-ripening varieties. These could be Moscow Winter and Chantane. But early ripening varieties demonstrate poor keeping quality.

At what temperature should carrots be stored in winter? Temperature is very important. At temperatures approaching zero, metabolism will slow down up to 10 times, which guarantees long-term preservation of root crops. Best Temperature should not exceed +10 degrees Celsius. However, it is better to maintain it at a level of +1 - +2 degrees - at a temperature of more than +5 degrees, buds that have not been removed may begin to grow.

Equally important is maintaining the humidity regime in storage areas. It should be at the level of 90-95%. Lower humidity will lead to premature withering of root crops, and higher humidity will cause them to rot. What is the best way to store carrots for the winter?

Shelf life

How long to store carrots? Shelf life of carrots in different ways classified like this:

• in plastic bags, subject to storage in a refrigerator - from 1 to 2 months;
• in the cellar in closed boxes - up to 5-8 months;
• in the cellar in pine sawdust or in a clay shell - until the next harvest;
• in a cellar in sand – 6-8 months;
• in the garden - until the new harvest.

This is in conditions where the pests will have limited opportunity to feast on root crops. To prevent them from having this opportunity, the following measures should be taken:

• set traps with bait;
• place repellers;
• treat vegetable storage and storage areas accordingly.

As another tip, avoid storing carrots in the same room, this will preserve the root vegetables longer.

The question also remains controversial whether carrots can be stored together with potatoes..

Reasons for damage

Why do carrots rot during storage? There may be several reasons why carrots rot during storage.:

• bookmark for storage of damaged copies;
• sharp fluctuations in temperature;
• excess humidity;
• non-compliance with storage technology.

That is why you should extremely carefully adhere to the technology of preparing root crops for storage, starting from the moment you dig up the vegetables. Since this type of root crops is very easily damaged by any blows, you should not knock the vegetables off the ground or throw them from place to place.

Such damage will be barely noticeable, but subsequently it will become the site of the beginning of rotting of the root crop itself and the infection of other root crops nearby with fungal diseases.

A sharp change in temperature during storage leads to the formation of condensation - this gives impetus to the rotting of root crops. Storage areas such as bags made of polyethylene are especially susceptible to this. To eliminate condensation, it is necessary to provide holes at the bottom of the bags.

Even slight freezing of root crops, which can occur already at a temperature of -1 degree, will lead to subsequent rotting of the root crops.

Excessive, as well as insufficient, humidity reduces the shelf life of root crops. Therefore, it is important to maintain it at the proper level - if it is insufficient, by additional humidification, if it is excessive, by transferring it to another room, but avoiding temperature fluctuations.

Often, non-compliance with storage technology leads to excessive formation carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide has Negative influence on the storage conditions of root crops, therefore it is necessary to follow the storage technology chosen by the vegetable grower as closely as possible.

carrot fly

How to preserve carrots damaged by carrot flies? The carrot fly is one of those pests that damages root crops even at the stage of their cultivation. It is a real disaster for all gardeners. Unfortunately, storing root vegetables that are damaged by carrot flies is only possible in processed form.

Sometimes they use a method of removing damaged areas and then keeping vegetables in the air until the area becomes covered with a crust. However, the shelf life of such vegetables will be significantly reduced.

Therefore, it is better to immediately process such root vegetables - drying, drying, freezing or canning. Moreover, modern technology, which is used at home, allows you to do this in the best possible way.

Storing in vegetable storage

How to store beets and carrots in large quantities for the winter. Vegetable storage facilities are used to organize storage large batches root vegetables And since large batches are delivered to vegetable storage facilities, as a rule, after mechanized harvesting, the most careful sorting of root crops should be carried out.

Storing beets and carrots for the winter with the greatest efficiency will help to ruthlessly remove damaged, broken, uneven or depleted specimens from the total mass. Modern vegetable storage facilities allow you to maintain the required temperature and humidity conditions.

How to store carrots in winter in storage? Typically, carrots in vegetable stores are stored in bunches or in special containers. It is advisable that the height of such edges does not exceed 2-3 meters.

If storage is organized in special containers or pallets, then the stack height should not exceed 5.5 m. In this case it is necessary:

• carry out constant ventilation of the room;
• cover root crops with burlap;
• implement measures to support high humidity air.

To increase air humidity in the room, place containers with water, and spraying is also used upper layers root crops located on outdoors, spilling passages with water. However, the best results are shown by vegetable storage facilities that are equipped with refrigeration equipment.

Unfortunately, such equipment has a high cost, so the organization of storage of carrots is still limited to modern technologies carried out in very few farms. The rest will have to come to terms with the loss of the harvest, up to 30% of which does not reach the consumer due to spoilage.

Now you know how to preserve carrots until spring. Root vegetables such as carrots are considered the most difficult vegetable crop for storage. Therefore, it is extremely important to follow the technology of all stages of storage organization, and then for a long time this delicious root vegetable, grown with your own hands, will be on your table.

Hello dear readers. Think about where and in what form it will be stored. harvested necessary even before it matures. Mostly, most We can preserve the collected vegetables and fruits, since we know for sure that they will not be able to survive the winter fresh. But some vegetables are still able to survive the winter, but what condition they will be in by the end of the cold season is another question. Carrots are one of the foods that can be stored fresh for quite a long time. But keeping carrots in perfect condition will not work without some tricks, which you will learn about a little later. The condition of vegetables is influenced by many factors that many people simply do not notice. It is necessary to provide all the conditions for harvesting so that the carrots delight you with their freshness and benefits all winter, and maybe even in the spring.

This product contains great amount vitamins, which our body simply cannot do without, especially in the cold season.

Therefore, let's get acquainted with the basic storage conditions, and also consider several ways to keep carrots fresh. We already talked about that, now let's talk about carrots.

How to store carrots in winter - in a cellar, basement, apartment

Such sweet vegetable everyone probably loves it, especially if you grate crispy carrots and cover it all with sugar. The fact is that in winter it is very difficult to enrich your body with all essential vitamins. That's why it's so important for us to preserve useful material carrots, which are very useful to our body during the difficult winter period.

We try to keep the carrots in their original condition, but this is not always possible. Very often, the product begins not only to deteriorate, but also to wither, losing the most important thing - the juice, which contains all the vitamins.

The appearance of rot on a vegetable indicates that its skin is not dense enough to protect the root crop itself. But the situation is not hopeless, because we have many secrets that will help avoid such troubles.

Shelf life of carrots

The time frame for keeping the product in its original condition largely depends on temperature conditions, as well as from controlling air humidity in the room where the product will winter.

If all the rules are followed, you will be able to enjoy the sweet vegetable for 7 months. But this number may vary depending on the environment that will be provided to the product.

1. A box filled with clay, chalk, sawdust and even onion skins. You just need to cover the carrots with one of the types of raw materials, and they can last up to one year.

2. Carrots will not last in plastic bags for as long as we would like, but still 3-4 months is not so short.

3. Place the carrots in damp sand and they will retain all their beneficial substances in their original composition. Plus, it will remain as crisp as when harvested. Therefore, in this state it can easily be stored for 9 months.

4. In a simple wooden box, the product can be stored for about 7 months, without any fillers.

5. Sawdust will provide the product with an ideal storage environment, because it is able to absorb all the excess moisture from the air. And this will help the vegetables to be stored quietly throughout the year.

Temperature conditions

Carrots should be stored in a cool room, so the cellar will be easy for them. ideal place. In addition, you don’t have to worry about excessive humidity either, because the air there is most often dry.

The temperature should not exceed 0 degrees, otherwise the product will simply be spoiled.

It is important to note that it is necessary to limit the supply of carrots to the box itself. fresh air, because it can disrupt the structure of the product with excess moisture.

But this does not mean that it should not enter the premises at all. Ventilation should be moderate, and the room should be ventilated regularly.

Humidity levels should not exceed 97%. You should carefully monitor the temperature in the room, because sudden changes can lead to rotting or drying out of vegetables.

How to properly trim carrots before storing?

In general, the length of storage of carrots depends not only on the conditions created, but also on the type of vegetable. It is necessary to immediately select proven varieties that can be stored throughout the winter:

- Shantanay;

— Vitamin;

— Skorospelka Nantes.

In addition, you need to carefully select vegetables, because the slightest damage to one carrot can lead to contamination of the rest. So, the entire harvest will simply be ruined. Such damage opens the way for the penetration of destructive bacteria and fungi.

Before placing the crop in the cellar, it is necessary to carefully remove the tops. You just need to cut it, but under no circumstances tear it off.

This doesn't mean you have to cut it off completely. top part carrots, because such damage will definitely not leave it a chance to survive. It is the tops that are trimmed, so try not to touch the root crop itself.

How to store carrots in the cellar - harvest storage

Preparing the premises plays a significant role in achieving the goal. Therefore, you will have to carry out a number of actions in order for the carrots to successfully survive the harsh winter:

— Ventilation. Preferably the day before the harvest goes into the cellar, the room must be properly ventilated. The air should be as fresh as possible, because this, after all, will affect the safety of the product;

— Disinfect the premises. About a month before harvest, you should cover the walls with a lime solution. In this way, you will protect the room from the formation of various fungi, as well as from the penetration of unwanted insects, which may certainly covet the sweet harvest.

1. In the garden

We will try to create the most natural environment for vegetables by artificially forming a bed. If your cellar is equipped with special shelves for storing vegetables, then you can create an artificial vegetable garden on them.

So, you need to lay fairly dense polyethylene on the shelf, on which a layer of sand will later be placed, pre-mixed with a small amount of shavings and fallen leaves. The layer should be large enough so that we can “immerse” our carrots in it. And it is located in a row, one next to the other.

Please note that the carrots, partially immersed in the soil, are covered on top with the same layer of polyethylene, the edges of which must be tightly fastened with simple clothespins or binders. Thus, vegetables can be stored until spring without losing their beneficial properties.

2. In an enamel pan

First of all, you need to trim the tops, after which the carrots must be dried in the sun for some time so that excess moisture is removed. Next, we will definitely need an enamel pan, because the interaction of vegetables with any metals leads to their damage.

It is advisable to choose a saucepan big size in order to fit as much as possible in it more carrots. So, put the vegetables in a bowl, and then cover them paper towel. Cover the pan tightly with a lid and send it to the cellar, which has been ventilated in advance.

note that this method storage required high humidity in room. This is how carrots can be stored in good condition all year round.

3. In a plastic box

A box like this artificial material involves placing a special filler in it, the role of which can be played by the following types raw materials:

- Sawdust.

Such a box will turn out to be ideal option for storage, because, unlike natural materials, plastic does not deteriorate. Wooden boxes are good in their own way, but the main drawback is their rapid rotting.

And besides, a plastic surface is not the best place for the spread of fungi and other harmful microorganisms, so at least this way you can protect your crop from the rotting process.

In general, any box can contain a fairly large amount of product, so we will lay out the carrots in layers.

The selected filler will separate one layer from the other, so they will not touch, which will protect the carrots from possible rotting.

4. In a wooden box

Of course, wood is not a durable material, but this does not make it worse than others. But it is environmentally friendly, and this will protect your crop from the effects of various chemical impurities. Storing carrots in such boxes can be done in two ways:

— No filler. Vegetables are placed in the box, and they are laid out in neat layers. After this, the box must be tightly covered and placed on one of the high shelves. It is important here that the distance from the shelf to the wall is approximately 15 centimeters. One box can hold no more than 20 kg of product;

— With filler. Carrots are also smoothed in layers, but each layer must be sprinkled with sand.

Methods for storing carrots in the basement

There are several other ways to save fresh look carrots. Here everything depends on auxiliary raw materials, which will provide the product with suitable conditions for long-term storage. So, you can enjoy the fresh product even in the spring, when it’s time to plant a new carrot crop.

The condition of carrots harvested in this way must be constantly checked. And we are talking not only about the vegetables themselves, but also about storage conditions, which also need to be controlled and regulated. If you do not know how to do this correctly, then we suggest you consider the following tips:

— check the root vegetables from time to time, because spots or blackening may form on one of them. Such carrots are unsuitable for further storage, so they must be urgently removed from the box;

- if the temperature in the basement tends to minus, and the risk of vegetables freezing increases, then it is better to insulate them with felt;

— during the winter, the tops may grow back, which should not be allowed. The fact is that the newly grown greens take away some of the juices contained in the root crop. Therefore, such greenery should be cut off immediately;

— prerequisite storage of vegetables is protection against sun rays, therefore it is necessary to ensure that they do not penetrate into the basement at all times;

— when you start eating carrots, it is better to choose only small root vegetables, because they still won’t be able to survive the winter.

1. In a plastic bag

Before starting the harvesting process, you need to stock up on a small number of ordinary film bags that can withstand up to 25 kg. Such bags are good because they do not allow moisture from the outside to pass through, which usually causes premature rotting of root crops.

But there is one important point: Before placing in a bag, carrots must be pre-dried. If at least some amount of moisture remains on it, then polyethylene will only accelerate the process of rotting.

In addition, such bags must remain open, because their main drawback is the release of carbon dioxide. Therefore, it is better to pierce the bottom of the bag several times with something sharp. This way, you will provide the vegetables with fairly good ventilation.

If you notice that with inside If condensation has formed in the bag, this means that the air in the room is too humid, which may cause the carrots to spoil.

2. In sawdust

This method is constantly practiced, because it is considered one of the best. Moreover, it is best to use pine sawdust. As you know, pine needle juice is quite good antiseptic, which means it will help eliminate various bacteria that can harm the structure of the vegetable.

The method of placing sawdust is the same as in the case of sand. Each layer of carrots simply needs to be covered with sawdust. For this method, you can use a box from the same coniferous tree. So, your harvest will be completely safe.

3. In the husk

Both onion peels and garlic peels are suitable here, it’s your choice. Of course, this method cannot be considered the safest, but it’s still worth a try. In addition, you will need too much husk, which needs to be collected almost all year.

But this also has its advantages, because the peels of onions and garlic contain essential oils, which will also protect the product from spoilage.

The first layer consists of dried husks, after which a layer of carrots is laid out, which is also covered with the next layer of raw materials. By the way, you can use not only boxes, but also simple canvas bags.

4. In the sand

This method is also no less common due to its reliability. The sand must be clayey, but river sand is not suitable for us. Sand is able to maintain the same temperature, moreover, it absorbs moisture coming from carrots.

The sand must be wet, so it should be moistened first clean water. The first layer of sand is laid out at the bottom of the box, after which a layer of carrots is placed in it, which is again covered with sand.

You can also use dry sand. The laying principle is slightly different, because in this case we should get a pyramid of carrots and sand.

In the process of laying out vegetables, their direction will alternate as each layer is laid out. From time to time the sand needs to be moistened with a spray bottle.

5. In dry chalk

Chalk prevents the development of various bacteria on the surface of carrots, which helps them survive. for a long time in the same fresh condition.
It is necessary to combine the chalk, crushed to a powder, with wet sand. At the bottom wooden box place the carrots in a vertical position, then cover with the prepared mixture.

How to store carrots in an apartment in winter

If you live in an apartment, then it is unlikely that you will have your own personal basement for storing various canned goods and vegetables. The storage temperature of carrots certainly does not correspond to the room temperature, so we need to look for other methods that would help solve this problem.

• Place the carrots in plastic bags and place in the refrigerator. If there is no space in the refrigerator for such a product, then you can store vegetables on the balcony.

• Freeze your vegetables. Here, of course, you will have to sweat a little, because carrots are frozen mainly in grated form. This crushed product is packaged in bags that are placed in the freezer.

By eating carrots, we get enormous benefits from them. That’s why it’s so important for us to preserve its freshness during the winter, when diseases simply attack us from all sides. The considered methods helped us understand the question of how to store carrots in the winter - in the cellar, basement, apartment.

Preserving a carrot harvest is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Of course, many of us have had to throw away rotten carrots from time to time and clean the refrigerator from the terrible smell. Some even concluded that carrots store very poorly. The conclusion is completely wrong: if vegetables rot and wither, it means you simply don’t know how to store them.

Especially for those who like to enjoy fresh carrots, I have prepared 18 useful tips.

1. Sort. Or sort it out. In general, do whatever you want, but only store root vegetables. highest quality, no damage, rot, wormholes, etc. Remember - one rotten carrot can ruin a couple of kilograms of vegetables in a week. And even more.

2. Don't wash. Even if you really want to. Dried soil can be carefully shaken off the root crops. If that doesn’t work, let them be stored in their “pristine” form. Wash before use.

3. Pre-select appropriate place for storing carrots. This needs to be done before the problem in the form of two or three bags of vegetables appears in your kitchen. Never store vegetables in a hurry!

4. Immediately after harvesting, cut off the carrot tops. Otherwise, it will draw some of the moisture from the root crops during drying. It is best to trim carrot tops in two stages: - first, the leaves are cut just above the head of the root crop, - then the “head” is cut off completely together at the growth point, and the cut should be even and smooth.

5. Do not break off or tear off the tops - there is a risk of damaging the root crop itself. The most annoying thing is that you may not even notice it, and you will lose your harvest. So be careful and trim the tops as carefully as possible.

6. It is very important to choose root vegetables in a timely manner; be guided by the color of the tops: if lower leaves yellowed - you can remove it. Remove the carrots from the ground carefully, being careful not to touch them with the shovel. Use cut root vegetables immediately; they are not suitable for storage.

7. Next tip Suitable for avid summer residents or owners of private houses with vegetable gardens. When harvesting, leave some fruit in the soil. Cut off the tops completely. Cover the soil with film and sprinkle sawdust and dry leaves on top. Lay down roofing material or a layer of polyethylene, secure it around the edges with something heavy. Carrots will overwinter well.

8. To ensure that root vegetables remain juicy for a long time, they should not be watered the day before harvesting. Do this 2 weeks before the expected harvest - pour water well between the rows, wait until it is absorbed and fill again. And after 2 weeks, remove the juicy and sweet carrots.

9. It is recommended to keep the root crops dug out of the ground at a temperature of 10-14 °C for 7-10 days. Before harvesting carrots into storage, they are inspected and sorted again. It is recommended to keep the vegetables in a cool place the day before storing them (temperatures up to 5-6 degrees Celsius are allowed).

10. The best place for storing carrots - dry room with a temperature of +10...+12 degrees and a humidity of 90-95%. Too much warm room will not work: moisture will evaporate from the carrots and the root vegetables will wither. It is known that normally 16 g of moisture is released from 1 ton of carrots during storage.

11. An excellent way to preserve root vegetables is to put them in the cellar. If, of course, you have one. The main thing is that the cellar should not freeze in winter, and root crops will need to be protected from excessive air humidity and damage by pests.

12. Storing carrots in sand is very popular among summer residents who have cool cellars, crawl spaces, and garage pits. Sand reduces the evaporation of moisture from carrots, prevents the development of putrefactive diseases, and provides constant temperature– all this contributes to the excellent keeping quality of root crops.

13. Sand must be damp for storage. For the purpose of moistening, use one liter of water for each bucket of sand. Then the prepared sand is poured onto the bottom of the box in a layer of 3-5 cm, after which the carrots are laid so that the root vegetables do not come into contact with each other. The carrots are covered with a layer of sand, and then the next layer is laid out.

14. Tree sawdust coniferous species- another great filler for boxes of carrots intended for long-term storage. The phytoncides contained in the needles prevent the germination of root crops and prevent the penetration of pathogenic fungi and bacteria.

15. How to store carrots in an apartment where there is no basement or cellar, and where there is nowhere to put boxes with sand or sawdust? A balcony will do, but provided that it is glazed. Place the prepared root vegetables in a box and cover them with something thick, such as an old blanket.

16. Carrot harvest can also be stored under the bed. Arrange the vegetables in one layer and sprinkle with onion skins. The root crops should not touch each other. Of course alternative ways require storage preliminary preparation vegetables - they must be dried, sorted, and the tops trimmed.

17. Great way storage of juicy orange root vegetables - in freezer. Wash the fruits, peel and grate on a coarse grater. Place the grated carrots in plastic bags and place in the freezer. Of course, this preparation is not suitable for all dishes, but it can be added to soup or stew.

18. Try storing your carrot harvest in more than one way. For example, send half of it to the cellar, leave a little in the ground, grind some and freeze it. By doing this, be sure: even if one of the options does not justify itself, most of the root crops will be saved until spring.