How to save carrots in winter
The keeping quality of carrots is not high enough; it is stored worse than beets and potatoes. The vegetable is more sensitive to storage conditions, and if they change, the keeping quality of carrots decreases.
Preparing root crops for storage
After digging the crop and primary ventilation, it is prepared for storage. Preparation includes washing, trimming the growing point, drying and storage.
Washing. To wash or not to wash carrots, everyone decides for himself, this is a matter of taste. Washing does not affect the storage process. Root crops are washed in running water or in a basin, changing the water. For disinfection, you can add potassium permanganate to a pale pink color. The solution disinfects the crop and during storage it is less affected by rot.
Top trim carried out only after washing. If the carrots have not been washed, then you cannot cut off the top, this is a sure way to infect. Cut off the upper green end of the root crop along with the growing point. When the growth bud is removed, the carrot sinks into deep dormancy, the intensity of respiration decreases markedly. Such root crops are stored much better, they are less prone to rot and, of course, do not germinate.
This cuts off the growing point.
Sorting. Carrots are sorted by size. Small root crops, as a rule, are more friable, they contain few sugars, and they wither faster during storage. Deformed copies, despite the shape, are stored well.
Cracked, diseased, damaged specimens during harvesting are rejected, they are not subject to storage. The rest of the carrots are sorted by size and stored separately. After sorting, the crop is dried under a canopy.
Drying lasts 5-10 days. This is a quarantine, during which specimens are detected that will not lie in winter. It is advisable to dry the carrots in a cool place at a temperature of 7-10°C. At higher temperatures, it begins to wilt.
During quarantine, a dense skin is formed in the root crop, the processes of storing sugars are actively going on, and carrots are immersed in the winter dormancy period.
At the end of drying, the vegetables are again sorted out and the unsuitable ones are discarded, the rest are laid for the winter.
Optimal storage conditions for carrots in winter
The keeping quality of carrots directly depends on the storage conditions. The winter dormancy period of a vegetable is not as deep as that of potatoes or beets, and it does not tolerate fluctuations in indicators.
- Store carrots in dark room. In the light, it does not go into winter rest, it begins to sprout and wither. Under such conditions, the sugars in root crops are rapidly destroyed.
- Temperature should be 1-3°C. At higher values, the root crops intensively evaporate water and quickly wither. If poor air circulation is added to the high temperature, the crop will rot. But there is one thing here. Root crops with a removed top can be stored at temperatures up to 6-8 ° C and even slightly higher, provided there is good ventilation. This is due to the fact that in the absence of a growth bud, the carrot sinks into deep dormancy, its respiration and evaporation of water is minimal and, of course, it cannot germinate.
- Humidity. The optimum humidity should be 85-95%. With a decrease in humidity and an increase in temperature, root crops begin to come out of dormancy, quickly wither and germinate.
- Intensive air exchange. With poor circulation, the moisture released by the carrots again settles on it, the roots rot.
If at least one indicator is violated, the keeping quality of carrots decreases sharply.
Preparing a cellar for winter storage of carrots
It takes 1-1.5 months to prepare a cellar for storing vegetables in winter. Preparation includes sanitary cleaning, wall and floor treatment, rodent and insect control.
Cellar cleaning
Start it no later than a month before laying vegetables. The shelves are cleared of the remnants of the previous crop, the remaining land is swept away from them. The top layer of earth (2-4 cm) is removed and thrown away. During the year, spores of various diseases accumulate in it. All burrows and holes are sealed in the walls and floor.
Shelves, boxes and other wooden structures are taken out to dry. They are dried in the shade (the tree can be deformed in the sun) for 20-30 days. All rotten boards are replaced with new ones. At this time, the cellar is thoroughly ventilated.
Room disinfection
Every year, the walls are disinfected by treating them with disinfectant solutions. Processing is carried out even if the cellar is dry. Before processing, airing is carried out for 3-4 days.
- When placed in bulk, root crops are poured onto pallets with a layer of no more than 20 cm. Shelf life with this method is 6-8 months.
- In boxes, the keeping quality of root crops is low - 4-6 months. Vegetables are placed in crates placed on pallets. To scare away rodents, boxes are covered with coniferous branches.
- In sand. Many recommend storing crops in wet sand in winter. This is not rational, since the root crops are excessively moistened and rot. In addition, when the temperature drops to 0 ° C, wet sand freezes, gas exchange between the crop and the environment is disrupted, and the vegetables rot. To store carrots in winter, it is better to use dry sand. It is poured onto the bottom of the box, the carrots are laid out in one layer and covered with sand. Layers of carrots and sand alternate. Keeping quality of root crops is 6-9 months. Dry peat can be used instead of sand.
- In sawdust, the vegetable is stored in the same way as in sand, in layers, alternating them. But in sawdust, carrots are stored much better - up to 1 year. Sawdust, especially coniferous, contains phytoncides that prevent the development of diseases.
- In the moss, carrots lie well all winter. To store carrots in winter, the moss must be dry. Moss and root crops are laid out in layers. The material perfectly protects the vegetable from excess moisture, without interfering with normal gas exchange and, at the same time, protects the crop from rot. However, with a large harvest, it is difficult to find such an amount of moss.
- Onion and garlic husks, as well as sawdust, contain phytoncides that prevent the development of pathogens. In addition, it absorbs excess moisture well. For storage, layers of carrots alternate with layers of husks.
Sprinkling layers of vegetables protects them from the spread of disease. If in some layer the vegetable is rotten, then the rot will not spread to other layers, and even neighboring root crops
A private option for storing root crops in the cellar is to store carrots in the basement or underground. Here the temperature is higher, and although the humidity is high, the ventilation is insufficient, so the vegetables lie much worse. To increase the keeping quality, the roots are dipped in clay, then dried and put into boxes. The clay reduces respiration to a minimum and the crop can be stored at 4-7°C.
How to store carrots in an apartment
The keeping quality of vegetables in an apartment where there is no balcony is low. Long-term storage of a large crop in urban conditions is impossible.
All small carrots are grated and kept in the freezer. If the crop is large, part of it can be dried, part canned, and juice can be made from the largest root crops.
Do not store carrots in the refrigerator, there is too little air circulation, and after 5-7 days they become damp and rot.
The modern method allows you to store vegetables in plastic bags without oxygen for a long time. A small number of root crops are put in bags and all the air is drawn out of them with a vacuum cleaner. The bags are tied and stored at a temperature not exceeding 7-9°C. But this method is only suitable for carrots that have had their top removed. In a vacuum, respiration is reduced to zero, all vital processes almost stop, and root crops remain under such conditions for 7-9 months. If the growth bud is not removed, then it will not be possible to keep the carrot in a vacuum. The kidney needs oxygen and in its absence the vegetable rots.
If the top of the vegetable is cut off, then in winter the carrots are well stored in the apartment in the coolest place. Root crops are placed in a box, covered with foam plastic and kept in a pantry or corridor. If possible, the boxes can be taken out into the common corridor at the entrance.
The crop processed in clay lies well in winter. But before that, it must be cooled at a temperature of + 1-3 ° C, and then dipped in a clay solution. Clay has low thermal conductivity, and root crops can lie in an apartment in a cool place for 6-8 months.
Carrots are well stored under a clay crust.
Carrots cannot be stored in plastic bags without a vacuum. Polyethylene does not allow air to pass through, so condensation quickly forms inside. With insufficient oxygen, vegetables rot. At the same time, if you leave the bag indoors, then the lower carrot will rot, the upper one will wither. If you put it in the refrigerator, then in a week all root crops will rot.
Storage of crops on the balcony
With a balcony, the task of preserving carrots is greatly simplified. The keeping quality of vegetables in winter on the balcony is much higher than in the apartment. They are laid out in boxes and sprinkled with sawdust or sand. You can keep vegetables in boxes without spilling anything.
Carrots lie well in winter in bags of flour or sugar. The bags are filled 1/2-2/3, to absorb excess moisture, the vegetables are lightly sprinkled with ash.
When the temperature on the balcony drops to 0 ° C, the container is covered with old rags, pillows, blankets. If possible, cover with hay. In severe frosts, in order to avoid freezing vegetables, they are brought into the room. But you can’t keep carrots in the room for a long time, it will wither or begin to sprout. Therefore, as soon as it gets warmer, the crop is taken out to the balcony. It is better to properly insulate it than to keep it in an apartment.
The main mistakes when storing carrots
Mistake #1. Too late cleaning. The plant tolerates frost well down to -4-6°C. But in the pre-winter period, when the temperature is not only at night, but also during the day below 0 ° C, the vegetable freezes slightly and does not lie in winter. It needs to be reworked right away. If the carrot is heavily overgrown with sucking white hairs, then it becomes woody and flabby, there are practically no sugars in it. It makes no sense to keep such a crop.
Mistake #2. Bookmark for the winter of damaged root crops. Such carrots often rot, and from it the infection spreads to neighboring specimens. As a result, there can be significant yield losses.
Mistake #3. Storage of crops in rooms where temperature and humidity change very strongly and sharply. The vegetable is extremely sensitive to the microclimate; for good keeping quality in winter, it needs stable conditions. With a sharp change in indicators, the carrot either germinates or rots.
Mistake #4. Keep vegetables in plastic bags. Even if the bags are not tied, condensation quickly forms inside, and the root crops rot.
Mistake #5. Store carrots with apples. Apples emit ethylene, which accelerates the ripening of the crop and leads to the rapid aging of the fruit. When stored together, carrots quickly wither and become woody, if left on top, they germinate even in cold conditions.
Experienced summer residents are well aware of the fact that of all vegetable crops grown on a personal plot, carrots after harvesting are the most difficult to preserve for a long period of time.
It is quite possible to feast on delicious root crops throughout the cold season if you know the basic secrets of how to store carrots in the winter in the cellar. A responsible approach to this issue and strict adherence to a number of rules will help every summer resident to keep a valuable harvest for a long time.
Harvesting and drying carrots
Traditionally, gardeners prefer to grow late-ripening varieties for long-term storage of carrots, but mid-ripening varieties may also be suitable for this purpose. Usually their growing season is more than 120 days, which allows you to harvest in the most optimal weather conditions for this.
It is desirable to collect carrots in warm and dry weather, but harvesting root crops is also allowed with light humidity. In the event that the soil is slightly moist after a recent rain, the collected fruits must be dried until they are laid in the cellar.
It is recommended to harvest the late harvest from mid-September, and finish no later than the end of October. Even if the carrots have not yet been harvested and the first frosts have suddenly come, the root crops can still be considered suitable for harvesting.
It is best to dig up the fruits with a pitchfork, holding each vegetable by the tops. You can also use a small garden shovel, which will allow you to carefully remove the roots from the soil. But it is undesirable to use a large shovel when digging up this vegetable crop, so as not to damage the carrots.
Greater care should be taken when digging up root crops with any tool, because even if the carrot skin is slightly damaged, it will quickly rot.
After harvesting, it is necessary to spread the root crops on the street, laying paper. In good weather, only two hours are enough to fully dry the carrots. But in the event that it is damp outside or even light rain falls, you should lay out the harvested crop on a dry bedding in a garage or house.
Carrots should be placed in one layer for quick and more uniform drying. It is also very desirable that the vegetables do not touch each other. If the roots are raw, then it will take several days to dry them.
After the carrots are completely dry, follow these steps:
- clear the fruits of excess land;
- select root crops damaged during the collection process;
- sort carrots by size;
- remove the tops with a knife.
Then the carrots should be kept in quarantine, giving the tender peel the opportunity to get stronger. Only when all of the above actions are completed, carrots are considered completely ready for laying for long-term storage.
Proper preparation of the cellar for storage
Carrots are considered one of the most capricious root crops, and therefore require special storage conditions. That is why the basement must be excellently equipped so that the harvested fruits do not deteriorate for a very long time and retain their original attractive appearance.
It is important to create an optimal microclimate in the cellar or basement, because for long-term storage of carrots, constant temperature maintenance is required within 2 ° C with an air humidity of at least 90%. But the ventilation in the room should not be too intense in order to avoid starting the processes of fruit germination.
Before laying the root crops, the cellar must be thoroughly dried and disinfected all the shelves, get rid of debris and the remnants of last year's harvest. Disinfection is recommended with sulfur checkers or slaked lime. It is also important to take care in advance of the absence of rodents and all kinds of insects that are carriers of many infections and diseases.
Only after carrying out all of the above measures is it allowed to lay the harvested crop for long-term storage.
The best ways to store root vegetables
The cellar is considered the best place for laying carrots for long-term storage, because it is there that it is easy enough to create the most optimal conditions for this. After the juicy orange roots are harvested from the garden and dried, you should choose one of the ways to bookmark them for the winter.
Ways to store carrots in the cellar:
- In wooden boxes with a lid - carrots must be carefully folded into wooden boxes, covered with lids and placed in the basement, retreating a few centimeters from the wall.
- Among the onion peel - each carrot must be carefully rolled in the peel left after peeling the onion, then put the vegetables in tight bags, which should be tied and lowered into the cellar.
- Between coniferous sawdust - wooden boxes must be filled with sawdust from coniferous wood, then lay the roots with a thick end up and sprinkle them on top with wood shavings again.
- In wet chalk and sand - Carrots should be placed in sturdy wooden boxes filled with clean, slightly damp coarse sand and chalk powder.
- In a chalk solution - each root crop must be moistened in a solution of chalk and water, then dried thoroughly and placed in one layer on storage shelves.
- Among the moss - boxes of any kind of wood must be carefully laid out in layers of carrots and moss, observing a clear sequence.
- In plastic bags - dry root crops are packed in tight plastic bags, at the bottom of which several small holes should be made to drain the condensate, after which the untied bags are lowered into the cellar and placed on a shelf or stand.
If any of the above methods is performed correctly, then the safety of root crops will be quite high. Juicy carrots can be preserved in their original form for 5 to 7 months, regardless of the method chosen, and will not be susceptible to disease.
The collection and preparation of the crop plays a huge role.
Need to collect carrots at the certain time if this is done early, then you can miss the main growth of root crops, which occurs in late August - early September.
It is also important to be on time before the first frost- Frozen carrots lose vitamins and quickly wither. When harvesting, damage to the fruit must be avoided. It is best to pull out the root crops by the tops, and then clean them from the ground.
At what temperature should it be stored? As mentioned above, the temperature in the storage should not exceed 5 degrees.
Carrots do not respond well to sudden changes in temperature, so it is important to monitor thermal uniformity in room.
The best conditions are 1 degree above zero and humidity around 90%. To achieve these parameters, it is necessary adjust ventilation and restrict airflow. If such conditions are created, the crop can be stored for up to 12 months.
The best place
Where is the best place to store carrots? Before the onset of the first cold weather, the crop is well stored on the balcony.
It is very important to carefully monitor temperature fluctuations, and as soon as frosts will come, harvest the house.
In this case, a container with vegetables can be put next to the balcony door where the temperature is lower compared to the whole apartment.
Root crops are best stored in apartment pantry or in the underground of the house where the temperature and humidity are suitable. This is usually done in bulk: carrots are scattered on the spread surface. Or in boxes made of corrugated cardboard or wood.
Note! Carrots are best stored in a dark, cool place away from heating appliances and batteries.
Where is the best place to store it? The best place to store root crops in an apartment is a dark, cool place, such as a pantry. Many housewives prefer to leave vegetables in the kitchen, but it is better not to do this while cooking. the temperature in this room is rising, which adversely affects the safety of root crops.
It is best to immerse vegetables in a specially prepared box or. Spread the fruits in a dense layer, and put between them horseradish rhizome.
Horseradish has bactericidal properties that prevent the formation mold and fungus.
How to store carrots with horseradish without a basement, you will learn from the video:
Tare selection
What is the best way to store? At home, the fruits should be stored in plastic bags, leaving them untied for air to enter. Polyethylene contributes to the creation of moisture and the formation carbon dioxide.
There are several options for storing carrots in an apartment. It can be stored not only in bags, but also in boxes.
Savings terms
In an apartment, vegetables can be preserved no less than, for example, in a cellar.
This is influenced by many factors, from the variety of carrots, the quality of its processing and the temperature regime.
As a rule, carrots are stored a little more than six months, rarely a year.
It should be remembered that the longer vegetables are stored, the less vitamins remain in them. As you know, 100 percent of the vitamins in vegetables and fruits are preserved. within 2 hours after collection, and in those that lie for a month or more, only 30 percent remain.
Ways
There are a number of tricks that can extend the shelf life of vegetables. It depends on the chosen location.
In the apartment
Before storing carrots for the winter at home, they must be processed. Can choose "claying". Root crops are immersed in a special solution, which is prepared from clay. Clay is dissolved in water to a creamy consistency, then dried. Drying, the solution forms a thin film, providing long-term storage and protection against diseases.
Claying- Processing carrots with a clay "talker" for long-term storage. Wash vegetables well with water before eating.
Another way to process the crop - coating. This is spraying the fruit with a solution of chalk. A 30% suspension is taken at the rate of 100 grams per 10 kilograms of crop. Processed root crops dry quickly.
On the balcony
How to store carrots for the winter at home in an apartment? Vegetables are stored until the first frost in boxes or bags. In autumn, after the harvest, high humidity which is good for vegetables.
If you have glazed loggia, then you should spread a coating on the floor and pile carrots. Cover vegetables with burlap on top.
In plastic bags
How to store carrots for the winter in and? Cellophane bags with vegetables put vertically and do not tie tightly to allow oxygen to enter. Before sending the root crops, the bags must be processed. Rinse the bags with detergent and dry well by turning it inside out. Tight, non-transparent bags are best suited.
How to prepare carrots for the winter in jars? Another common storage method is in banks. It is suitable if the crop is not very large and the size of the fruit is small. Banks should prepare- Rinse well and dry. The best option would be to boil the containers, but this is a time-consuming task that can be avoided.
Carrots are not immersed in jars in a dense layer, it is important to ensure that there was a distance between the fruits, you can put a small fruit of horseradish or sprinkle with sawdust. Place the containers in a dark, cool place and do not close the lid.
Peel carrots, grate or chop with a knife, spread out in containers or packages. In this form, vegetables can be added to soups or main dishes. Read more about that on our website.
Important! Carrots will last longer in the refrigerator due to the high humidity and low temperatures. However, it is important not to mix it with other vegetables - so roots will rot quickly.
In the underground of the house
How to store carrots for the winter in the underground? If it is possible to store vegetables in the underground of the house, be sure to use it.
In such a place, the crop is stored the longest, for this you must first prepare shelves, rinse and dry.
Lay out on the shelves burlap or polyethylene and pile on the carrots. Once a month carrots should transship to avoid the formation of mold and fungus, and prevent it from winding up.
Another good way to store a vegetable is, which is suitable for the underground of the house. Sand is scattered on the surface, then a layer of carrots is laid out, then again a layer of sand.
It retains moisture and at the same time passes air. To check suitability of sand for storage, it is necessary to squeeze the lump in your hand - if it crumbles, then it is too dry, and if it breaks up in lumps, then it is suitable.
Many owners store vegetables. For this conifers are perfect They contain essential oils that have disinfectant properties.
Root washing
How to store washed carrots? Washed carrots dry very well If you store wet vegetables, they will quickly rot, and bacteria and mold will also start in them. Therefore, spread the root crops in one layer in the sun. However, it is also important do not overdry harvest, such carrots will quickly wind up and lose their taste properties.
For disinfection you can wash the carrots not with running water, but with a weak solution manganese or add a few drops alcohol. After treatment with a solution, it is better to rinse the carrots with plain water. Vegetables should be washed with gentle movements, trying not to damage the peel. It is better not to use sponges and other traumatic materials.
We wrote about whether carrots can be washed before storage, and read about how best to store a vegetable - clean or dirty.
Another way to store carrots at home in this video:
Grated or chopped vegetables
How to store grated carrots? It is very convenient to have pre-grated or chopped vegetables in the kitchen - this saves cooking time. To prevent grated carrots from spoiling, they should be put in the freezer in a special container.
There are other ways to store peeled carrots. For example, it can be dried in food warmer- food warmer.
To do this, cut the carrots into slices or circles, boil for 5-10 minutes and dry. Read more about it with us.
If there is no special device, then you can put the vegetables on a baking sheet and leave in the oven at 60 degrees. In this form, the fruits can be placed in a container for bulk products or a glass jar.
Another way to store grated carrots is spicy snack. To cook it, you need to cut the red root crop into strips, heat it in a frying pan in vegetable oil. Add onion, garlic and spices to taste, you can add soy sauce.
This appetizer is laid out in jars and stored in the refrigerator. You can also roll into sterilized containers, then a spoonful of vinegar or citric acid should be added to the solution.
Note! Carrots can also be stored in a processed form, for example, dried, as a spicy snack. You can also make carrot juice or sauce. Find out how to cook a very tasty and healthy dish from our article.
Carrots are not only tasty, but also healthy vegetable. It contains a large amount of vitamin E and A, as well as vitamins C, D, K, P, PP and many others. The mineral composition of this fruit also includes a high content of magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and potassium.
All this is necessary for proper metabolism. It is very useful for children to eat carrots to strengthen the body. It is useful for anemia, as well as for the prevention of diseases of the eyes and the immune system.
Carrots increase their beneficial properties when heat treatment, so it is better to add it to soups and side dishes.
So that carrots always fall on the table, it is better stock it up for the long haul. Moreover, this vegetable is distinguished by the possibility of long storage.
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How to store carrots is not an idle question for many private traders. This root crop, popular for our cuisine, is even comparable to ginseng in terms of the composition of nutrients. And you can save carrots for the winter in many ways: dried, canned, and also frozen. But fresh root vegetables are still tastier, so we share our personal experience on how to store carrots in the winter in the cellar, on the loggia or in the refrigerator.
How to store carrots: all the secrets from preparing for long-term storage to consumption
It is archival to prepare carrot roots for storage at the harvest stage. It should be harvested after the first frost, as carrots must necessarily go through a stage of natural cooling. Sometimes summer residents have to harvest carrots before frost, then you need to keep it in the refrigerator for a day, otherwise the tops will continue to grow, and the root crop will wither.
Of course, now we are not talking about early varieties, but about those that are intended for wintering. Early and mid-season varieties in the garden also cannot be overexposed, otherwise they will start to grow and when you dig you will find a washcloth of new roots. So don't throw away the ripening bags until you find a good variety for yourself and start growing your own seeds (they are very fragrant, by the way, and when ground, they are an excellent seasoning).
Another way to prepare for storage is low haulm processing. It is either cut off very low right on the garden bed, grabbing a bunch of leaves, and with a tilt to the side and down, the entire bunch is pulled out with a sharp movement, damaging the growth point. Or cut off the top of the root by 0.5 cm along with the tops. The cut must be even.
by cutting off the growing point with the pulp capture by 0.5 cm, you will extend the shelf life and preserve the juiciness of the carrots
The ripening is determined by the color of the tops - in more mature root crops, the tops are darker. And the first signs of yellowing of the lower leaves indicate that the feeding roots are already dying, there is an outflow of nutrients to the root, growth processes stop, and the plant is preparing for winter.
Choose carrots from the garden with a pitchfork with flat teeth, raising the soil by half the height of the root crops. By extracting carrots in such a neat way, we preserve the natural structure of the soil in the garden to the maximum: the layers do not mix, anaerobic microbes do not turn out to the surface (for more details why it is better not to dig, see).
Then the tops are removed and the root crops are sorted by size, shape and presence of damage. Crooks, centipedes and wounded carrots can be immediately processed or chopped and dried. The tops are scattered in the garden, where next year it is planned to cultivate pumpkin crops. In autumn, you don’t have to worry that pests will fly into the smell of tops. But when collecting early and mid-season varieties, it is better to take the tops to a compost heap or to berry fields away from the garden.
Note: do not damage the growing point on specimens intended for seed production. In the southern regions, carrots for seeds can be left right in the garden, it winters quietly. In the northern zone, root crops preserved in winter are planted on seeds.
The harvested crop is dried for 7-10 days before being stored for winter storage and cooled. At this point, cuts and small scratches are tightened. The so-called “wet tip” may also appear - such root crops are not subject to storage, and before storing carrots, diseased root crops are removed during re-sorting.
If the days are warm, the crop is lowered into the basement early in the morning, after the cool of the night. It is better to sort out root crops and put them in boxes or bags for the winter by hand in order to avoid damage caused by rough pouring or tedding with a shovel-grabarka.
In the southern regions, part of the root crops can be saved right in the garden by cutting off their growth point and marking the abandoned plot with some markers. After harvesting the tops, the bed should be covered from above with something dense that does not let light through. In this case, we cover with black agrofibre. But under it we definitely throw branches and elderberry leaves to scare away rodents.
The best varieties of carrots for winter storage
There are many carrot varieties, they differ in size, shape, color, sugar content. There are even varieties of carrots without a core that are great for storage: Karotinka, Canada, Red, Queen of autumn, Moscow winter. But they are not for everyone - although they have a weakly expressed core, the flesh will seem harsh to many.
Late varieties of carrots are selected for winter storage. Very cool indicators of keeping quality in varieties such as Malika, Giant Ross, Belgrade, Nayarit. But you need to choose the best varieties for yourself according to several factors: taste, keeping quality and productivity in the conditions of your site.
How to store carrots in the cellar in winter
Underground, basement, garage pit and cellar are great places to store carrots for a long time. Of course, before storing carrots in the cellar, the room is ventilated (cooled). Root crops are laid out in boxes, spilling wet sand. This reduces evaporation.
Particularly careful summer residents try to place carrots rarely so that they do not touch each other. In addition to boxes, buckets are used, and then the root crops are placed vertically. To moisten a bucket of sand, add about 1 liter of water.
Winter storage of carrots in the cellar is also possible without a sand cushion, if the root crops folded in boxes are covered with a couple of layers of agrofiber. Dried and sorted root crops are lowered into the cellar and in sugar bags. In this case, the bags are not tied so that the carrots do not suffocate. Cover the folded crop with slouchy non-woven fabric to reduce evaporation. Storage temperature from +1 to +5 degrees, humidity - 90-95%.
Storing carrots at home for the winter
A basement or cellar in a country house is not at all convenient for winter trips, and part of the crop should always be at hand. Well how to store carrots in the apartment? Of course, the winners are those citizens who have glazed loggias or balconies in their apartments.
Then insulated boxes help out - the same ones that are used to store potatoes. They are made of plywood or OSB, and are insulated from the inside with foam or other porous materials. Ventilation holes are provided in the lid or on the sides, which are tightly clogged with cotton wool or burlap.
insulated boxes are used to store carrots on a loggia or balcony
If the floor is not insulated, bars are placed under the boxes. At home, such insulated boxes allow you to store carrots in the most difficult months for transportation from the dacha - from December to February.
How to store carrots in the refrigerator
As needed, carrots from balcony boxes and garage pits should be taken to the kitchen and stored in the refrigerator until cooked. It is not necessary to let the root crops lie down warm, since it is much easier to keep carrots in the refrigerator if condensation does not have time to come out of the frost. Moreover, do not let her lie down until she is completely warmed up to the temperature of the apartment, and dry out.
With cut tops, the crop is elegantly stored in the lower vegetable drawers of the refrigerator in ordinary plastic bags, they make a couple of holes for ventilation, or tie loosely. If the packages were placed in the refrigerator large enough (for example, 5 kg each), then pour a little chalk into them, it will neutralize carbon dioxide and save the carrot from rot.
The use of natural bactericidal layers during the storage of root crops
To prevent the development of diseases, you can layer boxes with carrots, sphagnum moss, peat, onion peel and pine shavings - their bactericidal properties perfectly inhibit the development of fungi.
You can also store root crops in raw pine sawdust - coniferous trees prevent putrefactive processes. But here also it is impossible to overdo it with humidity.
Freezing and drying carrot harvest
Some nationalities believe that it is better to save fresh carrots only until March. Then mycotoxins accumulate in it and the beneficial properties are lost. This is the main reason why carrots are bitter during storage. Of course, much depends on storage conditions and varieties. The accumulation of harmful substances can be protected by hot processing, or canned preparations can be made, as well as freezing and drying part of the crop.
In freezing, it is best to put already chopped carrots, distributing semi-finished products in portions. It is best to dry finely ground products by driving the root crops in a food processor, or on a simple grater. Shredded carrots are dried on a grid over a stove, stove or radiator, periodically stirring the workpiece. Protecting dried carrots from the ubiquitous food moth is very simple - mix it with salt.
Perhaps these are the most important procedures that must be followed when laying the crop for the winter. Let's hope that these simple secrets of crop storage will come in handy, and over time you will select reliable and productive varieties for your soil and climatic conditions. We remind you that the yield of carrots can be significantly increased by protecting the beds from pests by oversowing onions. How do you prefer to store carrots in winter?
