Rules and tips on how to save beets and carrots for the winter

It is not easy to preserve the beneficial properties, taste of carrots and beets. An improperly selected storage location, excessively high or, on the contrary, low temperature contribute to the fact that very quickly vegetables begin to rot, lose their juiciness and vitamins.

Recommendations on how to properly preserve a rich harvest of beets and carrots for the winter at home will help you enjoy healthy and tasty vegetables for as long as possible.

Can it be stored together?

In conditions of limited storage space (basement, garage or balcony), a natural question is whether it is possible to store beets and carrots in the same container?

It is possible, provided that the required air temperature and humidity level are maintained in the room., and root crops during storage do not come into contact with each other.

You can save storage space for the harvested crop if you sprinkle beets and carrots over potatoes. This is a great option for long-term storage in a garage or basement.

The fumes from the potatoes will help preserve the juiciness of the carrots and beets, which in turn will protect the potatoes from damp indoor air.

Where is better?

For storing beets and carrots can be used:

• basement,
• cellar,
• garage.

For residents of apartment buildings, an ideal place is an insulated balcony.

Regardless of where the root crop will be stored, it is important that the required level of humidity and air temperature is maintained in the room, there is no direct sunlight, and there is a constant supply of fresh air.

If a basement, cellar or garage is used for storage, the walls of the room must be disinfected (covered with bleach) before laying vegetables.

Read about how to organize the storage of beets and carrots in the cellar. here... You will find all the most important things about storing carrots here.

How to organize storage correctly?

You can preserve a rich harvest of carrots and beets for as long as possible by adhering to certain recommendations.

In order for root crops to be stored for a long time, they must be properly collected:

• shed and weed the garden seven days before harvest;
• cut off the tops in three days (leaving 1.5-2 cm);
• carefully, trying not to damage the beets or carrots, dig up the crop (it is convenient to use a pitchfork).

After harvesting, the roots are manually cleaned of clods of earth and laid out in the sun to dry (no more than twenty-four hours).

Then the container for storage is selected. For such purposes, suitable:

• wooden boxes,
• plastic boxes,
• enameled buckets,
• plastic bags.

He will tell you how to store carrots in bags this article.

There are several ways to store vegetables:

1. In sand (storage time up to eight months). The essence of this method is simple: a layer of sand (dry, clean) is poured onto the bottom of a box or box, a layer of vegetables is laid on top.
2. In sawdust (storage time up to six months). Sawdust from coniferous trees is ideal for this method (phenolic substances prevent the development of pathogenic microorganisms). They are laid out in a thick layer on the bottom of a box or box, sorted vegetables are placed on top.
3. In a plastic bag (storage time up to four months). Place the beets and carrots in a clean bag. Without tying, the package is placed on a pallet in a row.
4. In clay (storage time up to one year). This method is good if vegetables are stored in a damp basement. The essence of the method is simple: each vegetable is individually dipped in clay diluted to a liquid state. After the root vegetables are allowed to dry and spread on a shelf for further storage.

Similar actions can be carried out using chalk instead of clay.

Features of preserving vegetables at home

There are several ways how to preserve the harvested crop of root crops in an apartment:

1. In fridge in the apartment... Beets and carrots peeled from the ground are placed in a bag and stored in the lower drawer of the refrigerator. In this way, vegetables are stored for one to two months.
2. In the freezer... This method is only good for carrots. It is washed, cleaned, rubbed and folded into a bag, sent to storage in the freezer.

   In this form, carrots will retain their taste for up to ten months. For beets, this method is not suitable, since after defrosting, the root crop loses its nutritional and taste qualities.

3. Houses on the balcony... Provided that the required level of temperature and humidity is maintained on the insulated balcony, the harvested crop of carrots and beets is preserved for three to four months.

How not to do it and why?

Inexperienced gardeners often make a number of mistakes that affect the storage time of the harvested crop:

1. Use last year's sand for storing beets and carrots. Such savings can lead to spoilage of the freshly harvested crop. This is because pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms settle in the sand during the last year's storage of beets and carrots. The collected vegetables are placed only in fresh, clean, well-dried sand in the sun.
2. Carrots and beets are laid for storage, without waiting for the clay or chalk processing to dry completely. Such a rush can cause rapid damage to the root crop.

   This is because the not completely dried clay or chalk protection falls off, opening up access to pests, bacteria and other pathogenic microorganisms.

3. Wet sawdust is used for transferring vegetables. In order for wood chips to absorb excess moisture well, thereby preventing the development of putrefactive processes, it must be well dried in the sun.
4. Store beets and carrots in tied plastic bags. The lack of ventilation leads to a sharp increase in the level of humidity and, as a result, the development of decay processes.To keep vegetables as long as possible, the bags must be left open.
5. Forgetting to inspect beets and carrots during storage. A rotten root crop not removed in time can cause damage to the entire crop. The state of the stored vegetables must be monitored at least once a month.
6. Dump the harvested beets or carrots in one pile on the floor or shelf. To preserve vegetables as long as possible, they need to ensure normal air circulation. To do this, the harvested crop is not dumped into one heap in the corner of the basement or garage, but laid out on a wooden lattice or placed in wooden boxes, which have cracks.

Recommendations

It is important to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. Root crops must be sorted by size before storing them. Small beets and carrots are kept separately and used first.
2. Before you put the root vegetables in the sand, it must be calcined in the oven or thoroughly dried in the sun. Such actions will help get rid of harmful microorganisms that develop in a humid environment.
3. It is forbidden to store washed, damp roots.

Related Videos

The method for preparing and storing beets and carrots is presented in the video:

Conclusion

Adhering to simple recommendations for storing beets and carrots, you can enjoy the taste and beneficial properties of vegetables from the moment of harvest until spring.