Effective ways to keep carrots in the ground until spring

Proper storage of carrot harvest is a difficult problem for gardeners. It is especially acute in the absence of basements and cellars.

One way to solve the problem is to keep the carrots in the ground until spring. With proper organization, root crops can easily survive even severe frosts.

Let's take a closer look, how to properly preserve carrots in the ground until spring.

Storing root vegetables: myth or reality?

Preserving vegetables throughout the winter is quite possible if appropriate conditions are created so that the vegetables do not spoil or lose their taste.

Storage conditions carrots:

• humidity – about 95%;
• temperature - about 0? C.

• late-ripening variety;
• achieving full maturity;
• absence of physical damage and illness.

The vegetable itself has a thin peel that is susceptible to external influences. If the storage organization technology is violated, root crops begin to lose natural moisture and deteriorate.

Choice of variety and preparation features

Not all varieties are suitable for storage in the ground, but only late ripening ones, including hybrid ones. They must be adapted to climatic conditions and have good cold resistance.

The most popular among them include:

• Shantanay;
• "Incomparable";
• Royal Chantanay;
• Perfection;
• Sirkana F1 and others.

The choice of carrot seeds, which are intended for storage in the ground, should take into account the characteristics of the growing area.

Even at the stage of choosing a place for a garden bed and seeds, it should be taken into account that the crop will remain in the ground throughout the winter. Requirements for the site:

1. The territory should not be in a zone of flooding with water (groundwater or as a result of heavy rainfall).
2. Protection from rodents is required.
3. The shelter must be secure enough to prevent the soil from freezing.
4. The soil should not be infested with pests.
5. The area for carrots should not interfere with spring sowing.

There are 2 ways to save carrots in the ground without using a special room:

1. Directly on the garden bed.
2. In a hole in the ground.

Each of the presented options has its own pros and cons.

How to properly store crops in the garden?

Since carrots are resistant to low temperatures, they can be left directly in the garden bed where they grew. In winter, severe frosts are possible, so it is better to organize additional shelter.

This method is acceptable under the following conditions:

• there is no time to harvest;
• there are no conditions for storage - there is no cellar or other suitable room.

Disadvantages of storing vegetables in the ground unharvested:

• possible damage to root crops by rodents;
• there is a possibility of damage to the crop by pests remaining in the soil;
• there is no confidence that all the vegetables left in the beds are of good quality, since it is impossible to inspect them before storage;
• In very snowy winters it can be difficult to get to the carrots.

To create a shelter right in the garden you will need:

• black polyethylene;
• roofing felt;
• boards or sand.

Procedure:

1. Eliminate weeds in the carrot bed.
2. If the tops remain green until late autumn, they need to be cut off. The tail that remains should be no more than 20-30 mm.
3. Place a row of boards on top or pour wet sand in a layer of 20-30 mm.
4. If the option with sand is chosen, then a layer of black polyethylene is placed on top of it before the onset of frost.
5. Add a layer of mulch.
6. Cover with a layer of film and roofing felt to protect against low temperatures.

Leave it in a hole for the winter

The method of storing carrots in an earthen pit involves preliminary digging up the crop. This option for preserving root crops can be adopted in the absence of storage space.

• pitchfork;
• sharp knife.

Using a shovel is not advisable, as this increases the likelihood of damaging the tubers.

The procedure for carrying out harvesting work:

1. Using a pitchfork, dig up the carrots as carefully as possible.
2. Dry the carrots.
3. After drying, sort the carrots. Only large and even ones will go into storage.
4. Use a knife to cut off the tops, leaving no more than 30 mm.
5. Putting into bags. This item is not required if bulk storage is intended.

In the process of digging up crops, rough mechanical impact on root crops should be excluded, since even minor damage can negatively affect the quality of crop preservation.

After the carrots are prepared, you need to take care of creating an earthen pit. To carry out the work you will need:

• shovel;
• sand (coarse) or straw;
• boards;
• slate;
• rodent mesh.

Work order:

1. A hole is dug. Its depth is determined by climatic conditions. For severe frosty winters - 100 cm, for not severe ones - 50 cm. The width should be about 50 cm. The length is determined by the volume of the harvest.
2. Cover the bottom of the hole with wet sand. If it is not available, you can use hay. The main requirement when creating such a “pillow” is to avoid contact between the carrot and the soil.
3. Laying a mesh with small cells to protect against rodents.
4. Cover the walls of the trench with boards.
5. Plant carrots. Sprinkle the layers with straw or sand. In this case, there should be a gap of about 20 cm from the soil surface.
6. Place a layer of soil on top of the last layer of sand or straw.
7. Add mulch or pine needles to create insulation.
8. Apply slate.
9. Dig a shallow trench around the storage facility to drain water.

Duration

The shelf life of vegetables depends on compliance with all conditions. If all the rules are followed, root vegetables are well preserved until warm spring days.

The following factors can affect the reduction in duration:

• access to rodent products;
• flooding;
• poorly organized shelter, as a result of which vegetables freeze;
• soil contamination by pests.

Vegetables dug from an earthen hole or from beds are not stored in the open air for a long time. In this regard, it makes sense to take out no more carrots than necessary. In the second year, these vegetables begin to lose their taste.

Recommendations

Simple tips will help you avoid common mistakes and save your harvest:

1. When leaving carrots in the garden bed during the winter, the tops should not only be cut off, but also removed from the garden bed. If left, the roots may begin to rot.
2. The following can be used as mulch for insulation: straw, sawdust, hay, etc.
3. The smell of pine needles can repel annoying rodents, so it is advisable to place pine paws along the perimeter around the storage area.
4. The presence of sand in the soil helps to better preserve the crop. Sand also prevents the development of dangerous diseases that lead to rotting.
5. The carbon dioxide released by carrots during storage contributes to better storage of vegetables.

Useful video

A method for storing carrots in the ground until spring is presented in the video:

Conclusion

Storing carrots in the ground is a fairly effective way to preserve the crop. They are quite simple, but at the same time effective. With proper arrangement, you will be able to see fresh, crisp carrots on your table even in spring.