A large amount of ash at the disposal of a summer resident is great luck. Non-combustible residue or ash obtained from burning untreated wood, fallen leaves, tops of garden plants and other plant debris is widely used in summer cottages as an effective and completely free potassium-phosphorus fertilizer with microelements.
The benefits of ash for crop preservation
But not all gardeners know that ash can be used as an excellent preservative when storing root crops harvested from a plot, in particular potatoes, garlic and onions. The product has a pronounced alkaline reaction and has powerful antifungal and antibacterial properties. When tubers or bulbs come into contact with ash, most of the phytopathogens die.
That is why the happy owners of a bathhouse on the site, who have a large amount of ash at their disposal, can safely use it for long-term storage of garlic both in the cellar and in the kitchen.
According to reviews from zealous owners, winter and spring garlic bulbs can be preserved fresh in the ashes. Winter garlic, harvested in mid-summer and properly dried, will remain juicy until mid-winter. Spring garlic, dug up at the beginning of autumn, will not dry out or rot until next summer.
Such shelf life indicators are observed when garlic sprinkled with ash is stored in a vegetable storehouse equipped with a ventilation system (cellar, basement, subfloor) at low temperatures. Garlic is stored in ashes a little less when stored in a warm way, for example, in a city apartment.
Method for storing bulbs for long-term storage
Prepare the bulbs by drying them in a well-ventilated area for a month. Trim the stems, leaving stubs of 1-2 cm if you dried the garlic in bunches or braids.
Remove peeling integumentary scales with soil that has dried on them.
Garlic for storing must have a dense (not cracked) husk, a characteristic color for the variety, for example, white or purple, clean and dry.
Take a cardboard box, fill the bottom with a two-centimeter layer of vegetable ash, place the garlic heads in one layer with the bottoms down, and sprinkle them with a layer of ash so as to completely cover them.
Place the garlic in several layers, the last of which is ash. Place the container either in the cellar (temperature from 0 to +3°C) or in the pantry (temperature from +16 to +18°C).
Small amounts of garlic used for culinary purposes throughout the fall and winter can be stored in glass jars. The principle of placing heads in them is the same as in boxes. For convenience, you can store such containers directly in the kitchen or on a shelf.
Try preserving bulbs in ashes by storing them this fall, and you will appreciate such a simple method!
