How to keep the beet harvest until spring. Secrets of winter storage of the beet crop. The key to successful storage of beets is proper cultivation and harvesting

There are products that you can't live without for a long time. The body simply requires from time to time to eat them. One of them is an ordinary beetroot. It is part of many famous and beloved dishes. The most popular method among the people, which makes it possible at any time to have on hand the main product necessary for preparing, say, vinaigrette or red borscht, is storing beets in the cellar.

Ideal room

From time immemorial, people have been accustomed to stocking up for the future with the most necessary food products. No one is tempted by the idea of ​​being hungry. That is why it has long been customary to set aside part of the products and store them until the next harvest. This applies more to vegetables, which are known to be seasonal. Experience shows that it is not possible to store them at. Therefore, for such purposes, there must be a separate room that meets certain requirements. There are several indicators that determine the ability of a particular building or room to be an ideal storage for beets:

• temperature (from 0 to +3 degrees);
• access to fresh air and the possibility of ventilation (a must);
• humidity (from 85 to 90%);
• the availability of direct sunlight (in our case, this should not be).

Under all these conditions, storage of beets in the cellar is possible for quite a long time. Moreover, she has excellent “keeping quality”, and this is a rather rare ability for vegetables.

Storage method

Each product should be stored in a certain way. It is necessary to take into account all the circumstances that may affect this process. So, storing beets in the cellar begins with the preparation of the vegetable itself. Each root crop must first be cleaned, that is, the remnants of dirt and soil must be removed from its surface. This must be done dry, without resorting to the help of water. Otherwise, excessive moisture will necessarily lead to wilting, germination, and then, possibly, rotting of the product. When cleaning, do not resort to sharp objects that can damage the skin. You should also not rub one product against another. This can also break the integrity of the outer shell. Then it is necessary to cut off the tops, leaving only small petioles 2 centimeters long. Now the product remains only to dry in the wind without access to sunlight, and you can proceed to storage. Storing beets in the cellar is not an easy task. The ideal container for this is a wooden box. And to protect against possible excessive moisture, river sand, peat or sawdust is used. Root crops are laid in 3-4 layers and poured abundantly with the selected filler.

Mandatory conditions

How to store the product in winter

A good farmer should start taking care of the produce even before the harvest. It is necessary to equip the room in advance and think about how this or that vegetable will be contained in it. For example, storage of beets in winter can be organized in different ways:

1. On wide racks, stacking products in a slide.

3. In boxes or specially equipped containers, sprinkled with sand or other hygroscopic material.

4. In the form of a small collar right on the floor of the cellar or basement.

5. Pour the fruits in a small layer, like a bedspread, over the potatoes.

6. In banks in the form of conservation.

Each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages. In any case, only high-quality fruits will be well stored. That is why before laying them you need to carefully review and leave only those that do not arouse suspicion. Otherwise, even one of the smallest beets can ruin the entire crop.

What you need to know about storing vegetables

Do not forget that it is much more difficult to store products from the garden than, for example, canned food. If for packaged products it is enough to withstand a certain temperature regime, then it is much more difficult to observe the storage conditions for vegetables. Two factors should be interconnected here: the option chosen for the bookmark, and It must be remembered that biological processes continue to go on in fresh products (greens, vegetables, fruits). The fruits do not die, they breathe and partially develop. When creating optimal conditions during storage, all vital processes of vegetables partially slow down. At this time, they fully retain their nutritional qualities and taste properties. After a while, products naturally begin to age and lose their beneficial properties. And further storage changes even their appearance. Therefore, no vegetable can be stored indefinitely, but conditions can be created to maintain its positive characteristics to the maximum, for example, until the next harvest.

How to store beets in winter

Harvesting vegetables is usually done for one reason: vegetable products are seasonal and cannot grow naturally in winter. All this forces people to equip special rooms in which vegetables can retain their properties for some time. If we talk about beets, then first you need to know several factors that significantly affect the process of storing this product:

1. Product grade. Not all beets are suitable for long-term storage. It is better to harvest late and mid-season varieties.

2. Growing conditions. During the growth period, it is necessary to observe the optimal watering regimen. This factor is one of the main reasons affecting the keeping quality of the product. With insufficient watering, the beets in the cellar will dry quickly. And vice versa - with abundant it can quickly begin to rot.

3. Storage of beets in winter in the cellar should take place at a certain temperature and humidity of the room.

Note to the owner, help the hostess - how to store beets in the cellar in perfect form until spring. What affects keeping quality, ideas, storage methods, secrets and tips.

What beets to store: the most important part

Not all beets will keep well. Early varieties are not subject to long-term storage: juicy, with delicate fiber and a small amount of solids, with a thin peel, they quickly wither. The priority is varieties and hybrids of medium ripening, late.

How to store beets in the cellar in winter, what kind and what: tips from practitioners, recommendations, tricks.

This is theoretical, but in practice, in the Middle lane, a root crop with a long growing season often does not ripen due to a cold and rainy autumn, it freezes. The solution will be a compromise: the choice of varieties not early, but with a shorter growing cycle.

Good varieties for storage are Cold-resistant 19, Gribovskaya flat A473, Bravo, Late winter 474, Podzimaya, Mulatka, Nosovskaya flat, Renovo, Red ball, Pablo F1, Odnorostkovaya, Bordeaux 237 and others.

How to keep beets in the cellar in winter: preparation is the key to storage

1. They are harvested before the onset of frost: frozen root crops will not lie for a long time, and they lose their taste. Late harvesting threatens to freeze the upper part of the beets protruding from the ground, which greatly spoils the taste and reduces the keeping quality. In rainy autumn, delay threatens with gray rot and other ailments of root crops that have accumulated moisture.
2. How to determine the degree of readiness: the lower leaves turn yellow, growths appear at the top, the tops protrude significantly from the ground, acquire the size inherent in the variety.
3. After digging, the tops are cut to a height of 1-1.5 cm, left to dry for a couple of hours. The beets selected from their wet land are dried from 2-3 days to a week. They do not wash: they wipe the clods of earth with a glove without violating the integrity of the peel.
4. The main root is not cut off: it will let the juice out, fade. You can shorten only its dry part and cut off the lateral thin roots, the removal of which does not violate the integrity of the peel.
5. Sort, discard mechanically damaged specimens, diseases, pests.

How to store beets in winter: important facts

She doesn't sleep. Beets do not have a dormant period. She does not sleep - and, feeling warm, she instantly withers, ready to start growing, with an increase in t to +5..+7 °C leaves begin to grow.

Storage of beets in the cellar and not only: these subtleties are important to know.

The best moisture retainer. During storage, it gives off moisture, which is why it is stored on top of potatoes - to protect against drying out and maintain moisture.

She doesn't like bad neighbors. The bad ones are fruits and vegetables that release ethylene, a hormone that speeds up the growth and maturation of plants. From emitting ethylene - apples, pears, pumpkin. It is better not to store them in the neighborhood, to isolate from each other.

Champion. The first among root crops in terms of keeping quality, it is second only to black radish: it is stored almost until the new harvest. But - if her skin is safe and sound, without scratches and dents. With a damaged peel, beets are not stored until the New Year.

Enemies of its storage and cellar requirements

• humidity in the cellar is above 85-90% - the risk of decay, the development of fungal, rot;
• dry air - below 80% threatens withering;
• t above 0…+1 °C, maximum +2…+3 °C - the way to the germination of tops;
• temperature changes at which condensation forms in the cellar, and the beet itself sweats, as a result - rotting;
• light. Withers in the light, sprouts;
• cellar without ventilation, not meeting the temperature requirements, damp or dry.

Will she be comfortable all winter: that is the question.

To provide beets with comfortable storage conditions in winter, the cellar is equipped as follows.

1. Temperature 0…+2 °C, humidity no more than 85-90%.
2. Lattice flooring with a height of 15-20 cm when stored in bulk for air circulation, ventilation, uniform cooling from below. When stored in this way, the beets do not germinate, do not sweat.
   The distance from the walls of the cellar is at least 20 cm when stored in chests, compartments.
3. The height of a compartment or a bin is no more than half a meter: a high embankment is poorly ventilated, rots, a haven of rot.

Beet Storage Methods: In Search of the Best

After drying, it is desirable to store for 7-10 days in the cellar in bulk: according to the principle of potatoes, root crops should sweat, their peel should coarsen, cuts should heal.

With wet, not hardened cuts, it is impossible to lay beets for storage. And then - choose a method.

In wooden boxes or compartments

The easiest method, but with a caveat. Storage boxes should be with slots or gaps between the slats. On top, to protect against drying out, sprinkle with sawdust, cover with a tarpaulin. The option of plastic boxes is not the best: closed - this is condensate, hypothermia, fogging. Open lattice - excessive airflow, drying out.

On the shelves with pyramids

Pyramids are laid out on shelves covered with burlap, straw. Not for the sake of beauty: and compact, and ventilation, and there is no excessive drying.

We store beets in the sand on the principle of carrots.

In the sand or in the ground

They are placed in a box, sprinkled with sand or dry soil. The layer at the bottom is 5-7 cm, and up to 5 cm on top. The sand must be dry, fine, so that a large abrasive does not damage the thin skin.

The boxes should be wooden: in plastic containers, the beets that give off moisture to the sand rot, deteriorate, and rot.

On potatoes

That's right: on piles, on top of boxes in the bins of the cellar - both compact and useful. Masonry height - 2-3 layers.

Beets and potatoes in storage - a mutually beneficial union.

Joint storage is useful for both: the moisture released by the potato during respiration is given to the beets, which, in turn, protects the potatoes from drying out.

in sawdust

Root crops are placed in a box on a pillow made of chips, and they are sprinkled with it. Sprinkle generously - a layer between adjacent beetroots from 5 mm, because. the material sticks.

Sawdust will save you from drying out, damage, moisture - they will save you from everything.

It is important not to use coniferous shavings - it gives off a smell. Do not use and tyrsu due to high moisture capacity.

Do not use leaf litter as a haven for fungi, straw as food and nesting for rodents.

Let's powder it

Powdered with wood ash mixed with chalk or just ash. Do not sprinkle: just lightly powder. Evil ash prevents the reproduction of spores of fungal diseases, dry rot, takes on moisture.

Fans of original storage methods will find the following options useful.

in clay

How best to store beets in the cellar in winter: a selection of methods that work.

Each copy is immersed in a weak solution of clay with the addition of chalk, dried. The consistency of "talker" - liquid sour cream. “Space suit” will protect from dampness, bacteria, drying out - from all troubles.

in salt

Salt storage is all the rage, they say. The layers are sprinkled with coarse rock salt, which prevents the growth of fungal, putrefactive bacteria. In addition, large crystals absorb moisture - salt is a multitasking thing during storage.

How to properly store beets in the cellar: these simple subtleties are important to know.

As an option - immersion in a saline solution and drying: the salted peel is not afraid of disease or mechanical damage.

moss sphagum

For whom it is exotic, and for whom it is a help in the economy. Including for storing beets in the cellar: the sphagnum is dried, shifted in layers, not forgetting to line the bottom with it.

In plastic bags

The method is controversial, but it works. Just put it in plastic bags, tie it up - ruin the product: it will rot. But to tie, let the condensate come out, untie and store ajar - according to reviews, the storage method is very good.

Having sweated, the beet gives off excess moisture, the peel becomes coarser, and will no longer give moisture. In addition, in polyethylene, it releases carbon dioxide, which prevents spoilage. However, the method can be recommended for short-term storage.

In early September, the beets are still undergoing the final ripening processes, so you should not rush to harvest them. But still you need to look at the weather. Unlike more buried carrots, this root vegetable protrudes strongly from the soil and can be affected by early autumn frosts. The best time to collect such a vegetable is the end of September, the beginning of October. The cleaning itself should be carried out in dry weather.

Preparing root crops for storage

Use a fork or shovel to dig up the beets. It is necessary to pry the ground directly under the fruit, trying not to damage it. The tops can be cut with a knife or twisted by hand.

Important: Do not cut off the beet tops completely. A few millimeters must be left to prevent root crops from sprouting and drying out during storage.

After removing the tops, the beets should be thoroughly cleaned of the ground and side roots. When performing these manipulations, make sure that the fruits do not hit each other. Such neglect can damage the vegetable, and it will spoil much faster. It is absolutely impossible to wash beets stored for storage. It only needs to be thoroughly air dried in dry weather. Spread the root vegetables in a single layer directly on the ground and wait a few hours. If the weather is damp, dry days are not expected in the near future, this process is best done under a canopy or in a dry, ventilated room.

Damaged by diseases or pests, as well as beets injured during digging, will not be stored for a long time. Moreover, it will significantly reduce the safety of the rest of the crop!

Too small and damaged root crops are best eaten in the near future, and for storage, select healthy, full-fledged ones. The best preserved heads are 10 cm in diameter.

Features of storing beets at home

After the preparatory measures, proceed to the laying of root crops for storage. The best place for this at home is the cellar. It must first be aired, dried and disinfected.

The most favorable conditions for storing beets are where:

• dark;
• constant temperature from 0 to +2ºС;
• humidity ranges from 90-92%;
• natural air circulation;
• no risk of freezing.

In a cellar or basement

The cellar and basement, despite popular belief, are somewhat different in nature. The basement is a room under the building, and the cellar is a hole in the ground, closed from above and having reinforced walls. The principles of storing vegetables in these rooms are almost identical.

Storage options for beets in the cellar or basement:

• packaging and stacking in small batches in lattice boxes, cellular plastic containers or wicker baskets;
• backfilling in heaps and bins;
• laying root crops in low pyramids on cellar racks;
• pouring wet sand in boxes;
• joint storage of beets with potatoes.

In sand

This method is very popular among summer residents, as we already wrote about in the article on storing carrots. Sand before use must be dried in the active sun or calcined in the oven. This is done for disinfection purposes to remove insects and pathogens.

Sand in a thin layer should be poured into the bottom of the box. Then lay the beet roots so that they do not touch each other. There should also be a 2-centimeter layer of sand on top.

in sawdust

You can also often hear about the good preservation of beets in sawdust. This method resembles storage in sand, but has its own subtleties. The fact is that sawdust is very dependent on the humidity of the environment. They can dry out, contributing to beet lethargy, or swell with moisture, causing root rot. That is why root crops in sawdust must be isolated from the air. You can put them, sprinkled with sawdust, in small and strong plastic bags or line wooden boxes for vegetables with oilcloth from the inside.

How to save beets in a city apartment?

It may happen that there is simply no basement or cellar, and the rich harvest of beets harvested in the country, I really want to keep until spring. In this case, you will have to create conditions for the safety of beets in the apartment. An insulated balcony is best suited for such purposes. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

• put the selected fruits in strong plastic bags and, without tying them, put them in that part of the balcony where the temperature is the lowest. It is advisable to make cuts over the entire surface of the bag so that the vegetables can “breathe”. Also, beets can be loaded into compact wooden boxes, generously pouring layers of sand or sawdust so that the root crops do not touch each other;
• when the temperature drops too low outside the window, and there is a danger of freezing on the balcony, boxes or bags will need to be wrapped with old blankets;
• it is desirable to store beets in the vicinity of potatoes. Both those and other vegetables will benefit from such a neighborhood.

Can beets be stored in the refrigerator or freezer?

Root crops, folded in bags, are perfectly stored in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartments. But even in the largest refrigerator, it is difficult to allocate enough space for long-term storage of beets. Another thing is special refrigerators in vegetable stores.

It has become fashionable to freeze various fruits and vegetables for the winter. No need to fool around with canning, besides, after defrosting, the products taste like fresh vegetables or fruits. Beets are no exception. It absolutely does not lose its useful properties when frozen, so you can safely use this method of harvesting.

Important: When freezing beets, arrange them in separate bags in small portions, designed for the preparation of specific dishes.

It will not be possible to prepare boiled beets for a long time in the freezer, because the recommended period for such storage is two months. After the specified time, it loses its taste.

But if you still decide, at least for a short time, but stock up on boiled vegetables, then you will need to:

• boil the whole fruit;
• cool in air without pouring cold water;
• clear;
• cut into rings 1-2 cm thick or into cubes;
• put the workpiece in vacuum bags, bags with zippers or containers, trying to leave less air;
• stick a sticker with the date of freezing.

In order to enjoy self-harvested beets during autumn, winter and spring, try to heed the advice of experienced vegetable growers:

• not all varieties are suitable for long-term storage. When buying seeds, check with the seller which of the proposed samples are the lightest;
• dig the beets very carefully to avoid minimizing the number of substandard root crops;
• the main root cannot be cut, otherwise the fruit will quickly dry out;
• when drying, do not leave root crops in the fresh air for too long, so as not to start the process of rapid wilting;
• during storage, it is advisable to regularly monitor the condition of vegetables and remove rotten root crops from the total mass in time;
• for a very long time, beets, shifted with fern leaves, are preserved;
• processing beets with chalk will help from mechanical damage and diseases.

If you do everything right and can keep the beets for a long time, then throughout the year you can delight your family and friends with healthy and tasty dishes - beetroot, vinaigrettes and herring under a fur coat, beetroot caviar and invigorating kvass.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

Beetroot is an autumn root crop, which is often sent for storage after harvesting. If it is properly organized, then the vegetables will be able to lie in storage until spring, and late varieties until the new harvest. That is why it is so important to know how to store table beets at home: in your house and in your apartment.

Not all varieties are suitable for long winter storage. When choosing a variety, last but not least, it is necessary to take into account the keeping quality characteristic of it. Good keeping quality can boast of medium-late and late beets. It ripens late, and the later the roots are removed, the better they are stored.

Among the varieties and hybrids with good keeping quality, it can be noted:

• Libero;
• Bordeaux;
• Detroit;
• Egyptian flat;
• The incomparable A463;
• Gribovskaya flat A473;
• Mulatto;
• Salad;
• Renova;
• single-growth;
• Pablo F1;
• Cold resistant 19;
• Late winter A474;
• Boltardi.

In addition to these varieties, there are others, you can choose among them any other variety intended for cultivation in a particular region.

Rules for preparing beets for storage

It is not enough to choose a suitable beet variety and grow good root crops, you also need to properly collect them and prepare them for storage. When to harvest, it is also important: the root crops must ripen, gain weight characteristic of this variety. Therefore, before the time recommended for a particular variety, it is not advisable to carry out harvesting. But it is also impossible to overexpose the beets in the beds: overgrown root crops become fibrous, rough in taste, and do not boil well.

In addition, the weather changes rapidly in autumn, and prolonged rains may begin, which will interfere with the planned work. Of course, you can remove the beets from the garden even in cloudy weather, but it’s still better to choose them from dry land: such root crops lie better, and it’s more pleasant to work. The main condition for the autumn harvesting of beets at home is to have time to dig it out before frost. The vegetable is afraid of the cold and if it falls under frost, then collected after that, it can begin to rot in the cellar.

It is also necessary to dig up beets correctly. This is best done with a shovel or fork. They need to dig up the ground at a short distance from the root crops and lift them up to free the tails. Then pick vegetables from the ground. The tops must be cut with a knife or twisted by hand. It is necessary to cut the beets intended for storage for the winter, leaving small (1 cm) pieces of petioles at the base of the root crop. You need to cut carefully so as not to accidentally touch the vegetable with a knife. If this happens, it must be set aside to be used in the first place. You don't need to trim the tails. After harvesting, you can proceed to the preparation of beets for storage for the winter.

Root crops must be dried, especially if they were in wet ground before harvesting. To do this, they must be carefully wiped from dirt and small roots, but they cannot be washed. Then lay out in one layer directly on the garden (but not in the sun, but in a shaded, well-ventilated place) if it is dry or collect and transfer to a dry room if it is damp. In it, they are also laid out in one layer and left for a couple of days. After drying, the beets must be re-sorted: all damaged, irregularly shaped or with traces of diseases should be separated from standard and healthy ones. They are also divided into large and small. Keep all fractions separately.

Storage methods

Almost all residents of private houses have a cellar or basement where vegetables and canned food are traditionally stored. Beets should be kept in them, since the temperature and humidity in them are constant and are ideal for storing root crops. In order to keep the beet harvest in the winter in the apartment, you will need to create certain conditions for it. You can store beet roots in the refrigerator or on the balcony, or both at the same time.

In a refrigerator

A very small amount of beets can be stored in a regular household refrigerator in the vegetable compartment. To make them last longer in it, you can resort to the following:

1. Put the cleaned, but not washed vegetables in small batches of several pieces into perforated plastic bags.
2. Cut off the tops of the root crops as close to the base as possible and wash them. After that, each of them must be lowered into saline, dried and put in a vacuum bag. Vacuum containers can be used instead of bags.

When using this method, it is possible to save beets for 1 month or a little more. You can keep the beets in the refrigerator longer (up to 3 months) if you wrap each one in a piece of foil so that the root crops do not touch each other and do not lose moisture.

Freezer

You can store beets in a small amount in the freezer. Freezing increases the shelf life of vegetables by 3-4 times, respectively, they will be suitable for consumption for 3-4 months after laying.

To freeze beets for the winter at home, they need to be washed, peeled and grated or cut into cubes with a knife. Transfer the mass into bags in small portions and put them in the freezer.

Storing a sweet root vegetable in the refrigerator is advantageous in that it is always available, and when stored in the freezer, it is also prepared for use.

On the balcony

If there are a lot of beets, you can store it in an apartment only on the balcony. There is nowhere in the room and conditions do not allow. Storage of beets on a glazed balcony can be done in boxes or a wooden box in which root crops can be kept together with potatoes. The joint storage of these vegetables will have a positive effect on both one and the other: the beets will absorb the excess moisture released by the potatoes, protecting it from decay. You need to put such a box on a wooden grate so that air can freely pass below. In the event of frost, the storage must be insulated so that the beets on the balcony do not freeze, and after the return of heat, the covering material must be removed.

It is easiest to store table beets on the balcony in winter in plywood or fiberboard boxes. They are large enough to hold many root crops and are easy to stack one on top of the other. It is necessary to lay vegetables in them in layers, sprinkling them with wet sand or sawdust. They need not be filled to the top so that the upper root crops do not choke on the upper boxes, if you have to put them on top.

If it is warm outside, then the container can only be covered with a perforated film so that the vegetables under it do not dry out. When it gets cold, they need to be covered with something warm to protect them from frost.

In addition to boxes, you can use baskets. They are also convenient for storing vegetables, but stacking them one on top of the other will not work. Large plastic bags are also suitable, which can hold up to 3 buckets of root crops. You need to make small holes in them, pour beets and tie.

Whatever method of storing beets on the balcony is chosen, during the long winter you need to sort out your crop several times, remove dried or rotten root crops.

If there is no balcony in the apartment, you can try to keep the crop in the room. To protect against drying out, each root crop must be dipped in a clay mash of sour cream density and allowed to dry. Then put in plastic bags and put in the coldest place in the room.

In a cellar or basement

In your home, beets, like other root crops, are best stored in the cellar or in the basement. Before laying vegetables, it must be prepared: cleaned of debris, earth, onion peel, and other plant residues. Then treat all wooden objects with a formalin solution, take them upstairs and let them dry in the sun. Whitewash the cellar walls with lime.

Keeping beets in the basement or in the cellar is easiest in boxes or nets. The boxes are preferably plywood, not slatted, so that sand does not spill out of them, which needs to be poured over root crops.

In order for the beets to dry out less during long-term storage, and also take up less space, the container filled with vegetables should be placed in 2 rows one on top of the other. It is better to take small nets, up to 10 kg, so that it is more convenient to fold them. Nets filled with beets should be folded one on top of the other in no more than 2-3 rows. You can put them on potatoes, which will be useful for both vegetables. You can also use plastic bags, as well as when storing this vegetable in an apartment. If there is no container, then it is permissible to store the beets in bulk on slatted pallets on the cellar floor or on racks in small slides up to 1 m high. It is undesirable to place other vegetables (except potatoes), especially with a strong smell, next to the beets.

To keep the beet harvest until spring, you need to keep them in suitable conditions for this. The temperature should not be higher than 0-2 ° C, the humidity in the room should be up to 90%. The cellar should be ventilated, for which from time to time, in good weather, you need to open the doors of the room. But it’s better if the cellar is equipped with an exhaust system, it’s easier to keep track of it: close it in extreme cold, and open it again when it gets warmer.