By Bethany Hayes
One of the primary function of vegetable gardening is to stock up on food that you do n’t need to corrupt from the store . However , you do n’t want to spend all daylight throughout the summertime canning , fermenting , and dehydrating . That ’s why you demand to grow some vegetable for long - condition reposition .
Years and years ago , our ancestors did n’t have accession to these advanced - Clarence Shepard Day Jr. preservation method acting , but they read that some vegetables , store in the right condition , lasted for months to fall . These vegetables tended to be the single harvested last , before the first freeze , and kept away in the family ’s root root cellar or cellar , anticipating the wintertime months .
Nowadays , we ’ve lost touch with these veggies . sure enough , we run through them on a regular basis , but we do n’t consider growing them for long - terminal figure store outdoors of the icebox , freezer , or our favorite preservation method . These veg ( and some fruits ) can be stored away for months , as long as kept in the right-hand conditions .
quick to find out more ? Here ’s our favourite vegetable to grow for retentive - term storage .
13 Vegetables to Grow for Long-Term Storage
Chances are your first thought was that potatoes would be on the lean . A bag of potatoes from the depot last a while in your larder , and your buttery does n’t have the right storehouse conditions . Also , you in all likelihood did n’t buy a variety meant for this storage .
If you require to store potatoes throughout the winter , you first need to select the correct variety ; “ Kennebec ” is one of the skillful . Homegrown potatoes can last throughout the winter and even into the spring .
Sure , you may buy Irish potato from the store ; they ’re one of the cheapest veggie to corrupt . However , they have some of the highest horizontal surface of pesticides , so if you ’re apprehensive about the effects that these chemicals have on your family ’s wellness , growing your own is ideal .
potato necessitate to be salt away in a coolheaded , dry , non-white location . Make certain you only keep unmutilated ones . When decently put in , potatoes last between 4 - 6 months .
If potato are good keepers , then sweet potatoes would be as well ! If you consider store - bought sweet potatoes are good , homegrown one try even better . They ’ll keep throughout the wintertime without much fuss or attention . As long as you harvest lightly and salt away properly , you do n’t need to stress about their storage capabilities .
How you store sweet white potato is the same as how you store potatoes . They need a nerveless , dry , dark emplacement . Many people love to salt away them at the bottom of their pantry , keeping up to 4 - 6 months , depending on the temperature and humidness .
We do n’t focus on wintertime squeeze as often as our ancestors did . Sure , we have pumpkin Proto-Indo European at Thanksgiving , and as specific diet gained popularity , our squashes slowly hit grip , but they are n’t all the same .
How well they stack away depend on the type of wintertime mash that you ’re growing . For instance , spaghetti squelch does n’t hold as well as other types , and neither does acorn squash . It ’s unfortunate because these two are the most democratic .
When it comes to the farseeing - term winter squash vine store , the universal convention is that the thicker the skin , the longer it will store . Some squash taste better after being in memory .
The only downside to grow winter squash for long - term storage is that they take up a lot of space in your garden . you could endeavor to mature the vine up fences or arches to help maximize your place .
Make certain you heal your wintertime squash and pumpkins in a dry area . It ’s best if they ’re retain at temperatures between 50 - 55 ℉ . There are many manner to store wintertime squash , but most nester keep them on basement shelving . Some varieties , such as Blue Hubbard and Butternut , can last for up to 6 month .
If you ’re seem for a yield that is expert for recollective - term storage , apples are ideal . While it does depend heavy on the motley you grow , heirloom orchard apple tree run to last longer than the novel type . Tart apples also stash away for longer .
Some of the best apples to grow for computer memory purposes include :
When you harvest your apple , make indisputable you only store mature , unblemished apple . Each should be wrapped in a newspaper individually and hold on in a cardboard box seat or a wooden apple crate .
If you store them decently , apples will last between 2 - 7 months , depending on the variety pick out .
Cabbages
For centuries , homesteaders have grown large , storage - type kale head for the winter month . Not all sugar are imply for storage , so be sure to do your research and find the eccentric that will work best for your kin . Some are mention based on their winter depot ability .
When it comes to their computer storage ability , you want firm , solid cabbage heads . carmine sugar store better than green miscellany , and you want to find belated type that take around 100 + daylight to reach maturity date . Early maturing sort wo n’t keep as well .
A few dinero change to consider admit :
After your area ’s first Robert Lee Frost particular date , pull the plant out of the ground and trim off excess leaves around the psyche . Make certain you attend for any critters that might hang out in the cabbage leaves . It ’s good to salt away them in an out-of-door storage pit or some sort of container that is separate because the odor from storing moolah will fill up your storage arena . The scent can change the flavor of celery , orchard apple tree , and pears if lay in in the same place .
Another option is to enfold each cabbage on an individual basis and keep them on shelves . Do n’t allow them refer ; there should be a few in between each boodle headland . When stored aright , cabbage head can last between 3 - 4 month or even longer !
Most people also know that onions are good keepers . You in all probability have the same bag in your pantry for the last three calendar month . Homegrown onion plant are luscious with a flavour unparalleled by store - bought ones .
Some gardeners consider onions useless to grow because they take up garden space without being the maven of a repast , but you could produce onions in small areas , making it worth the effort .
If you want to stash away homegrown onion , make trusted you let them heal for several week or until the tops are entirely dry . Once you cured them , crop the top to one - inch and store generally in basketful or mesh bag . Then , lay in them in a nerveless , sullen , ironical emplacement . Most onions last up to 6 - 8 months in storage .
There are two type of garlic you may develop ; you need to peck a variety that works well in your surface area .
This variety is know for lay in well , but they require to be grown in mild climates .
If you have severe , cold winters , you need to arise hardneck garlic electric light .
Gardeners plant garlic in the fall , and they ’re harvest in the following summertime . Then , you bring around them before storage . cure is an essential measure because it permit all of the layers to dry out , forming a protective cover over the garlic light bulb .
Once bring around , store the garlic bulb broadly in basket or mesh grip . They should be go on in a cool , dark , dry positioning . Go through the garlic bulbs occasionally and remove any that feel soft . They typically last between 6 - 8 calendar month in storage .
Unfortunately , swede are n’t as popular as they used to be class ago , but they ’re a great long - season crop that takes up to 90 days to maturate . However , they ’ll stack away for calendar month in a root cellar and tot many nutrients to your diet throughout the winter .
Rutabagas can handle lightsome frosts , but they ’ll need to be harvested before a hard freeze . Be sure to harvest gently and trim the top and taproot down to one - inch . Then , brush off any loose grime , but make certain you do n’t wash them !
Rutabagas can be stack away in bucket or tote bag full of damp guts or sawdust . In an ideal billet , the temperature should be between 32 - 35 ℉ and 90 % humidity . You ’ll need to check the gumption frequently and re - moisten it .
If you keep the rutabagas in the proper repositing , rutabagas can last up to 2 - 4 months .
Not all carrot varieties are ideal for long - term storage . Some types that do well are Danvers , Chantenay , and Imperator .
If you ’re looking to develop Daucus carota sativa for winter storage , you ’ll require to start the source later in the time of year and allow the carrot to mature by icing . you’re able to result the carrots in the ground throughout lightsome frost , but be trusted to dig them up before the ground all freezes , make harvesting hard or almost unacceptable .
Once harvested , trim back down the foliage and brush off extra dirt , then sort by their size . Larger carrots last longer in store . Once harvest , layer the carrots in either sand or sawdust inside of a box or a tote . Put the big carrot on the bottom , which makes sure you could use the smaller ones first .
It ’s good to stash away carrot in temperatures between 32 - 35 ℉ . If you do , carrots can last between 4 - 6 months in storage .
Another yield that can be kept for long - term storehouse is pear tree . They are more tender to temperature ; you have to store them between 29 - 31 ℉ , but if you need fresh yield in the eye of the wintertime without buy them from the storage , Pyrus communis are a solid pick .
You should hive away only unmarred , unbruised fruits . Each pear needs to be wrap in newsprint and stored in either a cardboard or wood box delineate with plastic . Be conservative with the temperature ; if it gets too warm , they ’ll sprain brownish on the inside .
When properly lay in , most pear varieties last up to 3 months .
Like rutabaga , parsnips are n’t nigh as popular as they once were , but nester loved them for their storage ability . parsnip are sow in early spring ; you have to keep the source moist until they sprout , consider up to 3 weeks .
Similar to cultivated carrot , parsnip should be left in the ground until hoar start to sweeten the feel . You do need to prod them up before the ground begin to suspend . When you harvest , snip down the foliage , remove the superfluous grunge , and layer them in the holdall or box based on the size of it . They need to be stored in gumption or sawdust .
Parsnips can be stored up to 5 months if you have them in temperatures between 32 - 35 ℉ .
Too many the great unwashed go forth dry out beans out of their list for vegetables that originate for tenacious - condition memory , but I ca n’t call up of a vegetable that lasts longer .
find fault a bonce assortment that is ideal for dry out , and plant them in the other spring after the risk of frost pass . Some bean varieties can take up to 100 Clarence Day to mature . Let them dry out on the vine and crop before the rime arrives in your area .
Once you remove the dry bean from the vine , let them dry out on a single layer mesh topology silver screen before shelling . You want them to be totally dry . stash away the dried dome in shock in a cool , dark area . dry beans can last up to a year in storage .
Either you love them or detest them – that ’s how it seems to work with beets . They ’re a source craw with a distinct penchant , but they can store for months . Typically , you implant them in the late spring to harvest home before the first icing in your region .
beet should be harvest in ironical weather ; pick a fourth dimension frame when it has n’t rained for several days . The roots should be about 2 inches in diameter when reap .
turn over up the roots , and abridge off the green leaf , leaving only 1 - 2 inches from the top of the root . The root gratuity necessitate to remain inviolate . clash off the loose soil , and layer them in damp guts , sawdust , or peat moss ; test layering based on size .
A pliant container works well with a palpebra because it aid to keep the moxie moist , or a wooden box will work as well . Most importantly , adjudicate to ensure the common beet do n’t touch while in storage ; it increases the spoil charge per unit .
In proper storage , beets last for 3 - 5 months !
Final Thoughts
When you produce these different vegetable , you’re able to keep them in recollective - term storage and enjoy them for months to amount . You do n’t need to put any elbow grease into food saving method acting like canning or dehydrating . All you have to do is reap them and put them in the correct storage . Everyone should grow a few of these vegetables for long - term storage .
Learn More About Vegetable Storage
https://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/articles/vegstore.html
https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/2017/10/home-vegetable-storage-requirements
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/extension_circ/9/
