A few secrets on how to prepare carrots for winter storage

Organization carrot storage - it's a troublesome matter. To keep root vegetables fresh, you must adhere to a number of conditions.

These include preparing the storage area and containers, as well as processing the carrots themselves.

In this article we will tell you in detail how to prepare carrots for storage for the winter, including how best to choose a place and container for the root crop.

Preparing the root vegetable

The ability of vegetables to be stored for a long time is determined by several factors:

• growing region;
• variety;
• weather conditions;
• condition of root crops.

For regions with warm climates, late varieties are grown for storage. But this option is not suitable for places with unstable summer weather - the carrots do not have time to ripen to the end. It is optimal to harvest mid-season root crops.

Why is pruning needed?

After harvesting, the carrot tops are cut off. This is necessary so that the green shoots do not absorb moisture during the drying process.

Rules for pruning:

1. Cutting leaves above the head.
2. Cutting off the base - a section with a height of 0.5 to 3.0 cm is cut off if there is damage.
3. Allow the cuts to dry.

Trimming should be done with a sharp knife to ensure an even cut. The purpose of pruning is to prevent the germination of harvested root crops.

In this case, nutrients will not be wasted to maintain leaves that are no longer needed, which will allow for better organization of vegetable storage.

Why is drying necessary?

After cutting the tops, the carrots should be well ventilated. For this purpose, sheds are organized, under which the harvested crop is kept for 1-1.5 weeks. The optimal temperature is from +10? C to +14? C.

Such maintenance is necessary to ensure the following conditions:

• identify spoiled fruits;
• dry the cut area.

To wash or not to wash?

There is no clear answer to the question of whether it is necessary to wash carrots before storing them for the winter. Regardless of the choice of processing method (with or without washing), vegetables should be thoroughly dried.

There is no direct relationship between washing a vegetable and its shelf life.

Additional processing

Preliminary spraying with a solution of onions or pine needles will help extend the storage period of vegetables.

To prepare it you need:

• water (2 l.);
• 200 grams of pine needles or husks.

Preparing the solution is easy:

1. The dry component is filled with water.
2. They insist for 5 days.
3. Strain through cheesecloth.

The resulting solution can be used in two ways:

1. Spraying root crops.
2. Brief soaking for 10 minutes and then drying.

Choice of location and container

There are several ways to preserve root vegetables for the winter. Among them:

• falling asleep with wet sand (this is the most common method);
• use of clay;
• packaging in polyethylene;
• compaction in containers;
• sprinkling with husks, etc.

Requirements for a cellar or basement

Where carrots are stored, the air temperature should be maintained at a level from +1? C to +4? C. To prevent rotting, it is necessary to provide average ventilation with an air humidity of at least 90%.

This is necessary so that natural moisture does not evaporate from the surface of the root crops, and the carrots do not begin to wither.

All of the above conditions must be met by a basement or cellar intended for wintering crops. In such a room, constant temperature and humidity are maintained, and protection from sunlight and other external factors is provided. These include protection from groundwater flooding.

What should I store it in?

Most storage methods will require boxes. They must have a bottom through which sand will not spill and reliable sides. The number of boxes is determined by the volume of the harvest.

If you choose the method of storing root vegetables in plastic bags, then the preparations you will need are not too large, designed for 3-5 kg ​​of carrots each. When open, they allow you to maintain an optimal humidity level - about 97%.

Prohibitions

In the process of harvesting carrots Some prohibitions must be taken into account:

1. Damaged root crops are not stored for the winter. They should be processed or consumed first.
2. Ventilation should not be too great - otherwise the vegetables will begin to sprout.
3. The harvest should not be stored in a dry room - the vegetables will spoil due to moisture evaporation.
4. Apples and carrots cannot be stored in the same room, as these fruits emit ethylene, which leads to spoilage of vegetables.
5. In one box, carrots should be stored in only one chosen way. There is no need to combine everything at once.

7 recommendations

Preserving root vegetables can be simplified by putting the following tips into practice:

1. Harvesting is preferably carried out in dry weather.
2. If carrots are not harvested at the first light frost, this will not harm the vegetable.
3. It is advisable to carry out digging with a pitchfork, holding the tops with your hand. This method is less traumatic for root crops compared to working with a shovel.
4. Damage to the surface of carrots resulting from improper harvesting significantly reduces shelf life.
5. Before sending for storage, you should try to clean off large lumps of earth.
6. In addition to sorting by the quality of root crops, it is advisable to sort the harvest by the size of carrots so that their consumption begins with small ones.
7. Before placing carrots in the basement for storage, the remains of the previous harvest should be removed from it, and the room and shelves should be disinfected, for example, with slaked lime.

The shortest storage method is in cellophane in the refrigerator (from one to two months).

Video on the topic

Important points for preparing carrots for storage are presented in the video:

Conclusion

Having chosen a method for storing carrots, you should take responsibility for creating the necessary conditions and processing the vegetables themselves, since if the technological process is disrupted, the entire crop may be lost. Even one rotten carrot can ruin a large volume of quality product.