Pruning carrots for winter storage. How to store carrots for the winter. In onion or garlic peel

If you are a summer resident, and all spring and summer you worked hard to harvest in the fall, then the issues of its storage are the most pressing for you. Yes, and it is useful for everyone else to know how to save carrots until the next season, so as not to buy low-quality goods at inflated prices in winter in stores.

Proper harvesting is the key to success. Water the carrots abundantly before harvesting, water the bed well in a couple of days, and cut the tops of the carrots to 5 centimeters. So it will lose less moisture and retain juiciness. Dig up or pull the carrots out of the ground, spread a cloth somewhere in a barn, pantry or other dry, ventilated place, put the carrots on it and let it dry for a couple of days. Carrots should not be washed before storage, so choose a dry harvest day to prevent the carrots from getting wet in the rain. Suitable for storage only best carrot, without damage caused mechanically or by pests. Therefore, a careful selection of carrots to be stored should be carried out. Set aside damaged and wilted root crops and eat right now. They are not subject to long-term storage, they will only ruin the rest of your crop.

The easiest way to store carrots, which our grandmothers used, is to store carrots right in the garden. The tops of the carrots are cut off, dug up, dried, and then put in bags and buried in the garden, to a depth of 30-40 cm, covered with something from the rain. This method is simple, but not always suitable, because every time you have to dig out a bag to get another portion of carrots, and not everyone lives in the country.

According to another method, carrots are packed - preferably in portions in plastic bags, and stored in an underground or other room with enough high humidity and temperature around 0°C. This method is not very good because the root crops are stored without air access, which means they can deteriorate. But you can improve the method by making holes in the bag and putting it in a box of sand.

The next method is also associated with the presence of sand - carrots are stacked in layers in wooden boxes and sprinkled with sand until they are filled. A storage option is also possible, where the sand is replaced with dry sawdust or newspapers.

Of course, you can store carrots in the refrigerator, pre-packed in cling film. But there is limited space in the vegetable compartment, and there are probably other vegetables in there, so this method is suitable for saving only a small amount of carrots.

Without a dacha, you can also save carrots for the whole winter. If you have a warmed loggia, you can use all the tips. Do not forget that its variety also affects the safety of carrots: those root crops are better stored, the shape of which is round, and not elongated, pay attention to this when choosing varieties for planting or buying.

Instruction

It is possible to save carrots until spring with right choice varieties. It is believed that early-ripening varieties are best stored, since late-ripening ones, during a long stay in the ground, will absorb elements that will subsequently reduce the shelf life. Or, conversely, considering climate zone, the onset of late spring and early autumn, carrots simply will not ripen without accumulating a sufficient amount of the necessary substances.

Timely harvesting will affect the shelf life. There is no specific period and date of harvesting; each variety has its own rules. Typically, growers indicate the planting time, ripening period and expected harvesting on the seed bag. Otherwise, there will be difficulties with determining the term, but this is not a problem either. You can navigate by the color of the tops: when lower leaves will begin to turn yellow, then start harvesting.

There is no need to water before digging. Immediately after harvesting, carrots must be cut off the tops, because during storage it will draw moisture from the root crop. And then, by 0.5 - 1 cm, cut off a part of the carrot from the side of the junction of the tops. Such a process will prevent the germination of the root crop during storage, which in turn will preserve the taste. Although many prefer to cut the tops without touching the fruit itself. Further, it is advisable to let the vegetable lie down in a dark, ventilated place. In order to preserve carrots until spring, eliminating premature spoilage, it is necessary to remove from the number of fruits those that have flaws before storage: sick, rotten, spoiled by slugs, mice and other pests, cracked, etc.

Keeping carrots until the new harvest is much easier if there is a cellar or basement. Storage in sand (loamy, soil sand) will be optimal, which, according to its characteristics, prevents the appearance and reproduction of rotten formations, keeps a constant temperature well and retains moisture in root crops. The process consists in laying a layer of sand, wetting it with water and laying the carrots in a row without touching. Then the procedure is repeated until the box is full.

It is possible to store carrots in the cellar in the sand not only in boxes, but also simply “in bulk” - folded into heaps or pyramids, in the same way pouring sand, which must be moistened as it dries. The bottom layer is always sand.

Instead of sand, you can use sawdust (necessarily coniferous), which is an excellent brake for the spread and penetration of bacteria and pathogens. Sand and sawdust are the most common fillers for storing carrots. You can also use moss or onion peel, coat with paraffin, wrap in newspapers. More laborious will be the storage process in clay, which forms protective film on the surface of the root.

You can stock up on enameled pans and then tightly put carrots in them in vertical position. Root crops must be clean and dry. Topped with a napkin or light fabric and placed in a dark cool place. A simple way would be to store in film bags, which should be open or closed, but with holes for ventilation. This is necessary so that the accumulated carbon dioxide emitted from carrots does not adversely affect the storage process.

How to keep carrots until spring right in the garden? To do this, the tops are cut off, sand is poured on top and covered with a film, on top of which sawdust, dry foliage and peat are laid. This whole cake is covered with roofing material and another layer of film. Thus, the carrots will not freeze and will perfectly keep their appearance and palatability throughout the winter.

And how to keep carrots until spring at home, in the absence of a cellar? It is best to freeze by coarsely rubbing and spreading out in plastic bags. If you have a balcony or loggia, you can do it there, in boxes, wrapping and warming them well. The option with warming is quite laborious (because then you have to get it out and wrap it up again), but there will be a supply of fresh vitamins for the whole winter.

On their small plots of land, rural residents and owners of dachas manage to grow a good one every year. But every spring you have to buy it, because by this time there is no one of your own - it rots. How to properly harvest and store carrots? What conditions are needed for this?

Conditions for long term storage

In order for carrots to be well stored in winter, preparation for harvesting should begin as early as August. This month they stop feeding her nitrogen fertilizers, introducing only phosphorus and potassium. And you can not feed anything else at all. Such "not overfed" carrots will be stored much better.

Obviously, varieties of carrots specially designed for this purpose are better preserved until spring. What are these varieties? Now in seed stores very big choice. For example, the following varieties are positioned for long-term storage: Dolyanka, Shantane-2461, Karolina, Incomparable, Malika, Moscow Winter A515, Nelya F1, Autumn King and many others.

Another important condition good preservation of root crops - harvesting at a later date (end of September - about the beginning of October). If there is a danger of early autumn frosts, you just need to slightly poke the ground with a chopper to the base of the root crops.

The optimal temperature for storing carrots is the same as for storing garlic and onions, and is 0 ... +2. Only the humidity of the air should be higher.

Storage methods

When harvesting, carrots should not be pulled out, but undermined so as not to damage the root crops and not to infect them. The tops should be immediately cut off to the very base or unscrewed with your fingers. After that, the carrots should be dried in the sun for two hours. Then the root crops must be placed in polypropylene bags (from sugar, etc.) and lowered into the basement. Inside these bags, a special gas exchange is created, thanks to which the carrots are well preserved until spring.

If you are harvesting carrots in wet weather, you can dust them with chalk before bagging them. This will help to destroy pathogens present on root crops.

There are other quite effective, but more time-consuming ways to store carrots. This is the pouring of carrots with sand: in the basement in boxes, each layer of carrots is poured with a layer of sand 3-4 cm thick. Under the bottom row of carrots, you also need to sprinkle sand.

You can also simply bury carrots in the ground for the winter in a hole or trench, while pouring layers of carrots with earth.

Some vegetable growers, before laying root crops for storage, slightly cut off their tips. This is advisable to do when the carrots have mechanical damage or frost has damaged them. In all other cases, it is recommended to simply trim the tops.

Good luck with your harvest.

How to store carrots: all storage methods - country tips

There are two options for processing carrots with clay before storing them.

Option 1. Filling with clay

Take half a bucket of clay and fill it with water. A day later, the clay swollen from water is thoroughly mixed and poured with water again. Within 3-4 days, the clay is in this state, under a layer of water 2-3 cm. Before use, the clay should acquire the consistency of sour cream.

Then the bottom of the boxes is lined with a film, a layer of carrots is placed (so that the fruits do not touch each other) and filled with liquid clay. When the layer of clay dries up, the carrots are laid out again and also filled with clay, and then dried again. And so on to the very top of the box.

Option 2. Dipping in clay

With this method, unwashed carrots are first dipped in garlic, and then in a clay mash and laid out to dry in a well-ventilated room (on the veranda, in the attic, under a canopy). Then the dried carrots in the "clay shell" are put into wooden boxes or cardboard boxes.

Garlic mash is prepared as follows: 1 cup of garlic must be scrolled through a meat grinder, then dilute the “minced meat” in 2 liters of water.

To get a clay "talker" it is necessary to dilute the clay with water to the consistency of thick sour cream so that it cannot then drain from the root crops.

Method number 5 Storing carrots in moss

You will need: wooden or plastic boxes, sphagnum moss.

Unwashed and sun-dried carrots are first kept in a cool room for a day, and then placed in boxes, alternating layers of carrots with layers of sphagnum moss.

Moss has a kind of preservative properties, keeps inside required amount carbon dioxide. In addition, unlike sand and clay, moss - lightweight material, which does not give additional weight to boxes of carrots.

Method number 6. Storing carrots in pots

Needed: large enamel pots.

After harvesting, carrots must be washed well, cut off the tops and “tail”, and dry the root crops in the sun.

Then the root crops are tightly stacked vertically in the pan, a napkin is placed on top of them and the pan is covered with a lid. All pots with carrots are recommended to be kept in a cool cellar - then the carrots will lie perfectly until the new harvest.

Method number 7. How to store carrots in onion skins

You will need: boxes, onion and garlic husks.

This method of storing carrots is based on the same principle as storage in coniferous sawdust – essential oils from onion and garlic scales also prevent rotting of root crops.

Therefore, carrots do not deteriorate for a long time, if you lay them in layers, after pouring them with dry husks onion and garlic left after harvesting these crops and accumulated over the winter.

Method number 8. Storage of carrots in the garden

Some gardeners leave part of the carrot harvest to winter directly in the garden, then to dig it up in the spring and eat it all summer until the next harvest.

The tops of carrots left for storage in the garden are completely cut off. Then the bed is covered with wet coarse sand and covered with a film.

Sawdust, fallen leaves, peat or humus are poured on top of the film, and then the bed is covered with roofing felt or another layer of film. Under such shelter, carrots tolerate the winter cold well and remain fresh and tasty.

A few more original ways to store carrots

Pre-washed and trimmed carrots are wrapped in food stretch film, trying to ensure that each carrot is completely wrapped in film and does not come into contact with the “neighbors”.

Root crops are stored well if they are pre-sprayed with an infusion of needles or onion peel. For 100 g of husk or needles, a liter of water is taken and infused for 5 days. Such an infusion can not only be sprayed, carrots can be immersed in it for 10 minutes, dried and stored.

Unusual folk way storage of carrots in paraffin: clean and dried root crops are dipped in hot paraffin with the addition of a small amount of beeswax for elasticity. This treatment allows you to store carrots for 4-5 months at a temperature of 0-2°C. It will stay tasty and fresh.

Carrots can be dusted with chalk at the rate of 150-200 grams of chalk per 10 kg. carrots, or immerse the roots in a 30% chalk slurry and then dry well. The chalk layer creates a weak alkaline environment, thereby preventing root crops from rotting.

You can also store carrots by wrapping each root separately in paper or newspaper.

From rodents, carrots stored in the cellar will help protect the dry leaves of Saracen mint (canufera). It is enough to overlay boxes with dry plant stems and rodents will not work.

If your carrot crop is small and you have freezer, it makes sense to grate most of the carrots with food processor and freeze in normal plastic bags.

Whatever way you choose to store carrots, it is worth remembering:

The optimum air humidity during storage of root crops is 90-95%.
- best temperature for storage of carrots 0-1 °С.

A good harvest depends not only on the weather, soil fertility and seed quality, but also on the knowledge of the gardener! Carrots every autumn will delight you with even and large root crops, if you understand:

Why carrots grow clumsy and how to avoid it;
- how to grow carrots without chemicals;
- how to deal with the main pests of carrots.

We wish you success and great harvests!

Beetroot collection, preparation and storage

Beets: collection, preparation and storage

For better preservation of the root crop, it is necessary to choose the right beet variety. In order for the shelf life of beets to be maximum, it is necessary to plant late varieties beets such as Red Ball, Akela, Red Cloud F1, Two Seed TSHA, etc. Beet harvest time is October when the weather will be dry and cool. You can not delay harvesting until the first frost, beets are a very delicate vegetable and you can lose most of the crop. After harvesting, it is necessary to dry and clean the beets from dirt, separate the damaged and diseased roots. Cut the tops with scissors, leaving 2-3 cm. Then the beets are placed in a well-ventilated dry room for two weeks.

How to store beets in winter

How to store beets

There are several ways to store red beets in a cellar or a special room:

Storing beets in plastic bags . With this method, the bags are covered with healthy root crops by 2/3 and left open to avoid the greenhouse effect. You can sprinkle the beets with straw or wood shavings to better retain moisture.

Storing beets in sand. With this method, beets retain moisture better, and sand also prevents the spread of pathogenic bacteria and mold.

IN wooden boxes . At the bottom of the boxes, you can lay polyethylene or sand and straw. Lay out the root crops and cover with shavings or straw on top.

Where and how to store beets if there is no cellar

If there is no specially equipped room on your site, then you can store beets in piles and trenches.

Burtova The method of storing beets is more suitable for areas with warmer climates and mild winters. There are several types of collars - buried, semi-buried and ground. The depth of the collar largely depends on groundwater and climate. ground the shoulder is created on the surface, preferably on a hill. Its size should be at least 70 cm at the base and 35-45 cm along the crest. They cover the laid beet roots with straw, sawdust, dry leaves and tops, dry peat is also suitable for this. It is also necessary to install a ventilation pipe on the crest of the collar. At the onset of frost, it is necessary to sprinkle the pile with earth. When the temperature drops Up to -4 C ventilation must be closed at night, when frost intensifies, pack it with straw and sawdust. When using semi-burts, they dig a hole 20-30 centimeters deep. For buried use a pit with a depth of 0.5 to 1 meter. Trenches way to store beets more time consuming, but it guarantees better protection crops from diseases. Trenches are dug to a depth of about one meter, the length of the trench can reach 10-15 meters. The beet harvest is planted to the edge of the trenches. Thermal insulation should be the same as in the collars.

Before laying a new crop in the cellar or cellar, be sure to disinfect the room with a solution of formalin or bleach; When laying beets in boxes or bags, small and medium root crops are placed at the bottom, and large ones at the top, because large beets have a shorter shelf life; Be sure to revise the beet crop every two to three weeks and remove unhealthy root crops.

The peel of the root crop is thin and tender - this explains their difficult storage. Harmful bacteria easily penetrate through a loose skin, carrots quickly germinate, freeze or rot. For be sure to select only dense and healthy fruits, on which there are no traces of mechanical damage, diseases.

Carrots are 80% water. Sudden fluctuations in temperature, excessive humidity or dryness in the room, dampness, bad housekeeping basement - a complex of factors leads to the fact that the water from the fruit begins to evaporate (carrots become soft and flabby). Suitable :

• - 1-2 degrees above zero (you can find out more about the storage temperature of the root crop);
• humidity indicators - 90-95%;
• moderate level of ventilation (no drafts).

Reliable long-term storage provide a room with artificial air ventilation, where a constant temperature and humidity is maintained. Before harvesting, be sure to dry and trim the tops of the carrots.

We select suitable varieties for harvesting

One of the conditions for quality preservation is the choice of hybrids. For laying for the winter, it is recommended to select mid-season or late-ripening species. Early varieties do not retain moisture well and are suitable for immediate use - eating or preserving.
When choosing planting material it is advisable to pay attention to the packaging - the average ripening time is always indicated here.

General requirements for fruits: correct form, high yields, intended for long storage. With the right technology, carrots will last up to 6-8 months.

What varieties to choose:

1. Forto.
2. Vita Long.
3. Shantane.
4. Autumn queen.
5. Karlen.

You can find out in more detail about which varieties of carrots are best suited for storage.

What is pruning: the purpose of the procedure

Before the trimming procedure, it is also dried. When digging, it is forbidden to hit the carrots against each other, shaking off the ground. This leads to microcracks, loss of integrity and reduced shelf life. If required, then after washing, dry the crop well (keep hanging in warm air for at least 1-3 days).

Pruning carrots is the removal of the top green part. This procedure will help preserve in the fruit useful components, stop the processes of decay and drying out. If the tops are left, they will actively grow, taking water and nutrients from fruits. It is necessary to carry out pruning, based on the goals and storage period.

• The term does not exceed 3 months. Pruning green mass 2-3 cm above the head of the vegetable.
• 2-4 months. Further use - to obtain seeds. Cropping is identical to the first option.
• Long-term storage (until the next season). It is necessary to trim the tops along with 2-3 mm of the root head itself. This will stop germination and keep the carrots juicy and flavorful.

Do I need to remove the tops for keeping in the cellar?

Cutting off the green part is mandatory for any carrot storage technology. If the carrots remain in the ground for the winter, the tops are cut off without affecting the root crop itself. For storage in the basement, you need to cut the greens and remove the growing point - cut 2-5 mm from the top edge of the fruit, if desired.

How to prepare carrots for wintering: detailed instructions

Preparing carrots for storage milestone, which needs to be given maximum attention (on how to prepare carrots for storage in winter period, read in).

It is forbidden to carry out the procedure with your hands, breaking off or twisting the tops. Be sure to use a sharp knife and do not leave even small cuttings. Due to the cutting off of the upper part of the carrot, the growth points are muffled, germination is stopped, and the original properties and taste are preserved.

How to carry out the procedure correctly?

1. Pruning of the main green mass. It is necessary to leave a small tubercle, cutting off the tops a little above the upper edge of the fruit.
2. Dry carrots in the sun for 24 hours.
3. Cut off 2-4 mm from the root head. If there are ring cracks or other lesions on the surface, cut off from 5 mm to 1-2 cm.
4. Removal of the root part - tails, since it is from them that decay begins. The root must be cut off at the point where the diameter of the tail is 5 mm or less.

Further actions - laying out carrots in one layer on polyethylene film on the ground, drying in the sun for 2-3 hours. During this period, the cuts will be covered with a protective crust, which will improve the quality of storage. After that, the fruits are placed for a day in a cool place and only then lowered.

You can also learn about preparing carrots for storage for the winter from.

Photo

Below is a photo of examples of how to cut a carrot:

Winter storage methods

The qualitative preservation of the root crop is ensured by being placed in sand or sawdust, plastic bags or in boxes with clay. The simplest is storage in the basement in wooden boxes with a lid. You need to place containers at a distance of 10-15 cm from the walls, as the walls can become damp, which will affect the carrots. You need to put containers on shelves or low stands. No more than 20 kg of fruits should be placed in 1 box.

What filler to put in the box?

• .

  The material contains phenol, which will prevent rot and other diseases. Carrots are put into a box and sprinkled with sawdust.

• .

  Root crops should be laid out on a thick sandy pillow (lay a shelf or the bottom of the box). Each new layer must be re-filled with sand. Use lightly dampened sand.

• Chalk mortar.

  Chalk must be diluted with water to a homogeneous consistency. Dip each carrot into the solution, put in boxes and send for storage.

• Slurry.

  It's dirty but effective method. Suitable for those cellars in which root crops often rot and deteriorate. From clay and water you need to make a talker - a stretching mass. Dip the carrots in the solution, dry. Clay should completely cover the fruit. After drying, put the carrots in boxes or baskets, lower them into the basement.

• .

  Dry root crops should be folded into tight bags and lowered into the cellar, placed on the floor on protective stands. Make a few holes at the bottom of the bags so that the condensate has an outlet. Do not close or tie the bag.

What if something went wrong?

Throughout the entire period, it is important to ensure that it does not rot, does not grow, does not lose its taste and commercial properties. Of the physical processes, the most high risk carries the evaporation of moisture. Carrots have a small skin thickness, contain many colloids - this affects the intense loss of moisture. Possible results include weight loss, wilting, loss of marketability.

To prevent such changes, it is important to ensure good air exchange and a constant temperature. If rotting was found, the affected fruits should be discarded, the place of decay and neighboring root crops should be sprinkled with slaked lime or chalk. With mass decay, all carrots need to be sorted out and sold (used) as soon as possible.

The primary processing of carrots before storage is cleaning, proper trimming of the tops and drying. At the time of harvest, it is imperative to cull damaged vegetables. After cutting the greens, you need to wait for the formation of a dry crust at the cut site and only after that lower the carrots into the cellar.
The final result depends on the chosen technology:

1. clay and sawdust will help preserve the fruits until the new crop is harvested;
2. moistened sand - 7-8 months;
3. ordinary wooden containers without filler - 4-7 months;
4. plastic bags - 3-6 months.

Regular inspection of the crop, removal of damaged fruits and pruning of regrown tops already in the basement will extend the term and improve the quality. It is important to consider that the condition of the tops plays a decisive role during storage. How larger size left hemp, the faster the root crop will begin to germinate.

ATTENTION! The only unwanted neighbor for root crops is an apple. The fruit releases ethylene, which affects the taste of carrots.

If the basement freezes, boxes with carrots must be additionally covered with felt or any other heat-insulating material. Small and thin fruits should be used first, as they dry faster. More large carrot with the right approach, it will lie until spring-summer. Be sure to isolate vegetables from direct sunlight and moisture.

Pruning carrots before laying for the winter is a mandatory procedure. The final term and quality of storage of the crop depends on the quality of its implementation. You need to cut the tops with a sharp knife or scissors, leaving no growth points and stumps. Root crops should be lowered into the basement only after the cut points have been covered with a protective film.

Attention: Carrots, due to their structure, and their skin is very thin, are sensitive to external influence. With errors in storage, it quickly becomes flabby, withers and rots, is affected by pests.

In carrots, the percentage of water is high - up to 80%. Therefore, any negative impact- very humid, damp or dry air in the place of its storage - unfavorable. The moisture from the root crops evaporates and the carrots wither.

The microclimate in storage areas should be constant: without temperature fluctuations and sudden changes in humidity. Carrots will be well stored and have a marketable appearance if the right conditions are created:

1. Comply optimum temperature storage, not exceeding 2°C.
2. Provide air ventilation. Do not make drafts.
3. Humidity should be high, not lower than 90%.

Carrots will be reliably preserved if artificial air ventilation is created in the storage, and the optimum temperature and humidity are constantly maintained.

Choosing the Right Variety

Choice the right kind, which are laid down for long-term storage - an important condition for guaranteeing success. They should be high density not affected by diseases, without mechanical damage.

It is advisable not to use early root varieties for laying for the winter. The moisture from them evaporates quickly, they are best used in fresh. But, if the summer is short and rainy, then later varieties do not ripen completely, do not accumulate sugar and fiber, which means that their keeping quality is low.

When buying seeds, you should pay attention to the following characteristics of the variety:

• the fruit must have the correct shape;
• have a high yield;
• well kept.

• Moscow winter. High-yielding, with medium ripeness, can be stored for up to a year.
• Shantane. belongs to the middle and high-yielding varieties. The vegetable is juicy, with a sweet taste and a pleasant smell. The shelf life is about 10 months.
• Nantes. Early variety, but subject to the conditions, the shelf life is from 8 to 10 months. Has excellent taste.

The following varieties are also characterized by high keeping quality:

1. Forto.
2. Vita Long.
3. Autumn queen.
4. Karlen.
5. Vitamin 6.
6. Samson Cascade.
7. Nigel.

What is pruning and why is it needed?

Pruning root crops - the procedure for removing tops from vegetables. It helps to retain useful substances in carrots, stops rotting, drying out and, as a result, damage to the entire crop.

The tops left on the root soon begin to grow actively, take water and useful trace elements from the vegetable. Therefore, this process is mandatory.

When cutting carrots, it is advisable to take into account the shelf life:

• up to 3-4 months- the tops are cut 2-3 cm above the head of the fetus;
• up to 10-12 months– the tops are cut along with the head of the vegetable by 2 or 3 centimeters, so the vegetables are prepared for long-term storage.

When pruning is deep, with the capture of part of the vegetable, the process of fruit germination stops. So, they remain juicy, their taste qualities are preserved. If the carrot is intended for seeds, then the green part of the plant is cut off, leaving 2 cm.

Do I need to prune if I store a vegetable in the cellar?

Whatever the storage technology, it is necessary to cut the tops from carrots. For storage in the cellar, this procedure is required! The knife must be very sharp so that no hemp or cuttings remain on the carrots. In the cellar, such carrots will not be able to germinate, which means they will retain their taste and beneficial features.

Detailed instructions on how to do it

Immediately after harvesting the carrots, on the same day, dry them and, in warm sunny weather, you need to start pruning. Properly trimming carrots is a very important process, which ultimately determines whether the entire crop is preserved. Sometimes it is recommended to remove the tops before harvesting. But in this case it will be inconvenient to pull vegetables out of the ground.

Leaves should not be removed by twisting, tearing or breaking. This can damage the root crop.

Let's describe the process in detail. correct pruning carrots:

1. You need to sharpen your knife or scissors well so that they are as sharp as possible.
2. Since carrots are fragile vegetables, they can break with any carelessness. Therefore, pruning is carried out in two stages: first you need to remove the leaves from the root crops.
3. Then cut off the tops. How to cut it? This should be done by capturing a few centimeters of the root crop. How far the cut is below the head of the vegetable depends on the purpose of storage.
4. Chalk is sometimes applied to a fresh cut for a reliable result.
5. Carefully make sure that there are no growing points or stumps at the cut site.
6. Store root vegetables in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place. Wait until the cut surface on each vegetable is covered with a dry crust.
7. After that, look again harvested crop and weed out blackened or spoiled root crops.
8. Store carrots.

Ways to save

There are several proven and guaranteed success ways to store trimmed carrots well.

Wooden or plastic boxes in the basement

The boxes must be installed no closer than 15-20 cm from the storage wall, due to possible dampness. It is better to install a box with root crops on a stand or shelf.

Advice: The volume of containers should be taken at the rate of 15-20 kg of root crops per container.

Types of fillers in boxes:

Watch a video on how to store carrots:

Polyethylene bags

When storing carrots in bags, you can choose containers of any volume, but up to 25-30 kg. It is better to use small packages, designed for 1.5-2 kg, so that it is easier to transport and detect spoilage among root crops.

Pre-prepared root crops are packaged in tight bags, lowered into the basement or placed in a cool and dry warehouse. It is necessary to install packages on shelves or a special stand.

Packages need not be closed, or many small holes should be made at the bottom. This is necessary for ventilation so that condensation does not accumulate inside the bag. If, however, the condensate rises, then you can scatter substances that absorb moisture.

The advantages of this method:

• high air humidity in bags;
• purity of root crops during storage;
• rodent protection;
• any place in the room or cellar is suitable for placing bags.

But with this method of storage, part of the taste of carrots is lost.

Watch a video about storing carrots in plastic bags:

In a pot or jar

One of the storage methods is that the prepared root crops are placed in enameled pans or aluminum cans. In this case, the root crops in the container are stacked vertically.. A lid is placed on top. This method is suitable for cool rooms.

Simple bulk method

deprecated method. Carrots are poured in a slide on the floor in the cellar or basement. With this method, the crop is in danger of being eaten by rodents. In such a pile, root crops can dry out faster.

Depending on which technology is chosen, the shelf life of carrots changes.:

• in a clay or chalk "shirt" it will last the longest - for a year;
• in containers filled with sand, sawdust, onion peel– no more than 8 months;
• poured on the floor or in boxes without fillers - up to six months;
• packed in polyethylene bags, plastic bags - no more than six months.

Possible problems

Carrots during storage can rot, lose taste, reduce weight, lose marketability. You need to make sure this doesn't happen. To do this, take the necessary measures:

• make sure that moisture does not evaporate;
• maintain a constant temperature;
• ensure good ventilation and air exchange in the room;
• regularly sort out and inspect root crops;
• remove damaged fruits, especially those affected by rot;
• in partially spoiled vegetables, remove the rotting site and process the remainder using a solution of slaked lime or chalk.

Here are some tips and warnings for storing carrots.:

1. It is very important already at the stage when the harvest is taking place, to discard all damaged root crops. High keeping quality is observed only in ripe and healthy specimens.
2. So that microcracks do not form on the carrots, which reduce the shelf life, it is not recommended, after digging, to strongly shake the ground from the vegetables, tap them.
3. After trimming the tops from carrots, you must definitely wait until the cut dries and tightens with a crust.
4. You need to dry not only carrots, but also storage. It must be dry and cool.
5. If there is a threat of freezing vegetables in the basement, then you can wrap containers with carrots with any of the heat-insulating materials.
6. Carrots should be isolated from direct sun rays. You need to monitor the humidity in the room so that it is optimal.
7. It is necessary to act according to the principle: the smaller the fruit, the sooner it can be processed. Large large root crops store better.
8. When carrots are infected with rot, do not sort out root crops. Very carefully remove infected fruits and spray this area with fluffy lime to eliminate the source of infection.

Important: The most unsuitable neighbors for carrots are apples. Ethylene released from fruits Negative influence on the taste of the root crop.

Having become familiar with the methods of storage and the process of pruning carrots, each gardener will be able not only to grow a good crop, but also to take advantage of the result of his work. A properly preserved vegetable is a source of vitamins and delicious food for the winter table.

How to store beets and carrots for the winter? After collection good harvest beets and carrots, it is also important to preserve root crops during the winter period. How to do it? Find out from the article.

First of all, keep in mind that only healthy root crops can be stored for storage, since even one diseased vegetable can cause damage to the entire crop.

When to harvest beets and carrots for storage

It is important to remember one rule: beets are dug up in the fall before the first frosts (since this culture, having frozen, will not be stored for a long time); and carrots are left in the garden longer, until the first snow (after all, chilled root crops are stored better than those that were harvested in warm weather).

The exception is rainy autumn. If the weather is quite warm, but it often rains heavily, it is better to harvest the entire crop earlier, since the roots that have absorbed a large number of moisture, are stored poorly and risk getting sick with rot.

Before you remove the beets from the garden, pay attention to its stems. In ripe root crops, they turn yellow and dry out.

At room temperature beets and carrots can be stored no more than 6-7 days

How to prepare beets for winter storage

Beets are harvested in dry weather, it is important that the soil is crumbly. Therefore, root crops stop watering 2-3 weeks before harvesting.

Plants are dug up with a shovel, the tops are cut off, leaving a petiole 1.5 cm long, and left to dry for several hours. Root crops cannot be washed, you need to clean them of dirt by hand, trying not to damage the peel. Before storage, the beets are sorted: all rotten and damaged root crops are discarded.

How to store beets in winter

Beets for the winter are placed in permanent or temporary storage, while taking into account that there is no dormant period for root crops. At a temperature of 7 ° C, they begin to grow. That's why optimal conditions for storage - 2-3 ° C and a fairly high humidity.

The most common ways to store beets

• Most often, beets are stored in the cellar on piles of potatoes. Root crops are laid in 2-3 layers on top of the tubers, which "share" with the beets an excess of their moisture.
• Another popular way to store beets is in sand. To do this, the root crops are placed in layers in a box without holes, and each layer is sprinkled with slightly damp sand. Store boxes in the basement or cellar.
• You can store beets in plastic bags with a capacity of 15-20 kg. First, they are tightly tied. And when condensation appears on the walls, the bags are untied, leaving a small hole to evaporate excess moisture.
• Beets can also be well stored in boxes in the basement or in the garden in small piles. To do this, they dig a hole about 40 cm deep, put root crops there in the form of a prism (the height of the prism, as a rule, is 1-1.3 m), cover them with a thick layer of straw so that the height of the collar is about 2 m, and cover them with earth, and in winter they are additionally covered with snow. Before storing, it is advisable to treat the beets with chalk powder (200 g per 10 kg of root crops).

Our Help! Beet varieties suitable for winter storage: Incomparable, Bravo, Bordeaux 237, Red ball, Podzimnyaya, Single-growth, Nosovskaya flat, Mulatto, Salad, Detroit and etc.

Beets of the Cylinder variety are valued for their high palatability and are grown quite often, but they are not suitable for storage due to poor keeping quality.

How to prepare carrots for winter storage

Carrots stop watering a month before harvesting. The soil is dug up with a shovel (or blunt pitchfork), the roots are carefully removed and placed to dry. Then the carrots are cleaned of the remnants of the earth and the tops are completely cut off (you can leave only a few millimeters).

How to store carrots for the winter

Compared to beets, carrots are more demanding on storage conditions: they are more susceptible to mechanical damage and retain moisture worse. Root crops quickly wither and germinate even with a slight increase in temperature in the cellar. Carrots are placed in storage with a temperature of 0-2 ° C and high humidity so that the root crops remain juicy for as long as possible.

The most popular ways to store carrots

• IN Lately storage of carrots in plastic bags is widespread. Up to 5 kg of root crops are poured into them and tied tightly.
• You can also leave carrots for the winter in bags with a capacity of up to 20 kg. In this case, it is advisable to pour an 8-10 cm layer of wet sawdust over the root crops.
• It is very popular to store carrots in the sand: sand is poured into the bottom of the box with a layer of 2 cm, root crops are placed in it and sprinkled with a layer of sand 1 cm thick. After which the manipulations are repeated. Please note that with such a layered arrangement, the roots should not touch.

The following varieties and hybrids of carrots are best stored in winter: Gribovchanin F1, Monanta, Canada F1, Mango F1, Nanteyska, Nandrin F1, Nantes 4, Incomparable, Nevis F1, Nerak F1, Rosal, Samson, Typhoon, Tsirano, Chance, Valeria, Moscow Winter and etc.