This workshop starts in the basement. In the underground. And it is dedicated to winter storage of vegetables: carrots, beets, cabbage. We share our experience and pass it on to others.
A basement and a cellar are completely different things. A basement is a technical structure in which the foundation of a house is used instead of walls. Communications pass through this room: sewerage, water supply, etc. And above it there are warm living rooms.
Cellar
A cellar is when a hole is dug somewhere to the side of the house and lined with bricks. There is no heated room above it, like in the basement. But it is not always possible to arrange a cellar. This can be caused by groundwater close to the surface. Therefore, sometimes it is necessary to store the harvested crops in the basement under the house. In winter, the temperature here remains constant at +5-6C. Optimal storage mode.
How to store carrots and beets?
It is convenient to do this in old milk flasks. They may even become leaky from time to time, this is only for the better. Better yet, drill additional holes in them. Three four. Drill 10 millimeters. This will ensure sufficient ventilation.
But it's not all tricks! Look at the carrots in the first jar.Over the course of several months of storage, it grew tops about half a meter long. And the carrots in the second and third flasks are noticeably different. There are no tops at all.
What's the secret? During storage, a root crop will always grow tops if its growth point is not cut off. And with the growing point removed, the carrots will be stored wonderfully, remaining firm, crunchy, and juicy.
The same applies to beets. The storage of this vegetable is completely the same as carrots. And the result is just as good.
Cabbage storage
Now about storing cabbage. It is better to assess its safety from the photos provided. The forks are in excellent condition. There are very few damaged upper leaves. To estimate their quantity, weigh the forks before cleaning. For 45 kilograms of clean, good cabbage, only 4 kg of waste was obtained after five months of storage. Green manure sown in the bed in front of the cabbage had a positive effect on excellent preservation. She grew after mustard. But this is not the main secret. The main storage secret is to use vacuum packaging.
How is cabbage prepared for long-term storage? You should take a plastic bag of the required size. And even with a reserve. It is better to use polyethylene that is a little tougher. We put forks in it. We fill the vacuum cleaner pipe into the bag and wrap it tightly with our hand. Turn on the vacuum cleaner. We lift the package slightly and twist it near the vacuum cleaner pipe. We tie it with a string like a balloon. And then additionally the top of the package itself is knotted. That's all the packaging. It is then placed in a net and hung in the basement.
Only dry cabbage should be packaged. The head of cabbage must be dry. If you bring it from a cold street in the fall, it will quickly rot in the warmth.
These are the simple secrets.Have a good harvest!
