How to store carrots at home - rules and storage temperature in sand or plastic bags. How to store carrots for the winter

At present, gardening and growing vegetables from the field of everyday necessity has moved, rather, into the category of occupations for the soul and for the sake of pleasure. How nice it is to harvest at the end of the summer season and enjoy its fruits all winter! However, it is important not only to collect vegetables and root crops grown with your own hands, but also to properly preserve them during the long frosty winter, when the lack of vitamins and the summer sun is especially acute. One of the most capricious root crops in terms of storage is carrots. How to store carrots in the cellar so that they do not deteriorate and do not rot is a question that amateur gardeners regularly face. Today I will list some of the most popular and effective ways.

To keep carrots for the whole winter, you need, first of all, to properly collect them from the garden, in other words, the success of storage is laid even at the harvesting stage. In addition, the degree of preservation of carrots in the cellar or basement directly depends on its variety.

There are many other subtleties on which the safety of your crop depends. winter period Let's take a closer look at them.

Proper cleaning and drying of carrots

Traditionally for long-term storage late-ripening varieties are grown, in which growing season(development time) is more than 120 days, you can also use mid-ripening - the most popular in private farms, but we'll talk about the choice of variety in the final part of the material.

It is best to harvest carrots in dry, warm weather, since root crops taken out of dry or slightly damp soil will only need to be dried slightly. You need to dry the carrots until they are laid in the cellar for storage. Harvest in middle lane you can start in mid-September. The season ends, as a rule, in mid-late October, which largely depends on the number of sunny days, because carrots can be described as a long-day plant, the photoperiodism of which requires more than 12 hours of light for successful ripening. The first light frosts of carrots are not terrible, so you don’t have to worry about it.

It is better to dig carrots with a pitchfork, holding each root crop by the tops, but you can also use a garden shovel. It is better not to use a large shovel shovel, or just dig a little into the ground with it and carefully pull out the root crops. If the ground is loose and dry, this will be easy enough.

When harvesting, try not to damage or scratch the carrots, as if the skin is damaged, the vegetable will not be stored well and will quickly rot.

Dig up carrots carefully so as not to damage the peel.

In good weather, it is enough to spread out harvested crop outside and dry for a few hours. If you are unlucky with the weather - it is damp and raining in the yard - carrots need to be collected and evenly spread out to dry in the house or in the garage. We recommend spreading carrots in one layer on a dry bedding. It is desirable that individual vegetables do not touch each other. Raw root crops need to be dried for several days - this is the so-called quarantine period.

After the carrot has dried, it is necessary to perform the following manipulations with it:

We clean from excess land. After the moisture has dried, you need to carefully clean the roots of dirt. If the soil in your area is clayey, and the clods of earth have dried up, let them remain.
We select root crops damaged during harvesting. Only healthy, whole and strong vegetables should be stored in the cellar. If the peel of carrots is damaged, pathogenic microbes will instantly penetrate there and the process of decay will begin. It is well known that one spoiled root crop can infect everyone around. Therefore, the stage of sorting carrots should be given Special attention. Take the rejected vegetables home and put them in the refrigerator for quick use, and if cracked root crops come across, but these cracks are dry and do not cause suspicion, they can be stored, however, they still need to be used first.
We sort the carrots by size - we separate the small ones from the large ones. First, small vegetables will be eaten, then medium ones, then the largest ones.
We remove the tops. With a sharp knife, you need to cut the tops at a distance of 1-2 mm from the root itself.

Sometimes carrot tops they are pruned before harvesting (1–2 weeks), but whether this method is justified is a big question, and it is much more convenient to pull root crops out of the ground, holding on to the tops.

Now our carrots are ready to be stored and we move on to the next step. Ideal place for winter storage root crops is the basement or cellar.

Cellar preparation

Carrots are one of the most difficult and capricious root crops. In order not to rot, dry out and germinate, it needs special conditions, namely, a temperature of -2 - +2 degrees and an air humidity of 90 - 95%. The ventilation in the cellar should be of medium intensity, if there is too much air, germination will inevitably begin.

Do not store carrots and other root crops in the same room as apples. This is due to the fact that apples (especially ripe ones) actively release ethylene, which leads to rapid spoilage of vegetables.

In order to ensure the required microclimate in the cellar or basement, take care of its timely insulation, waterproofing and protection from groundwater, as well as an effective ventilation system.

Before laying vegetables, be sure to dry the cellar and disinfect the shelves and drawers.

Before lowering the vegetables for storage in the cellar or basement, you need to thoroughly clean the room, sweep out the garbage and get rid of the remnants of the last crop. One rotten last year's carrot, lying in the corner, can significantly spoil the joy of the new harvest. The room and shelves need to be disinfected (for this, you can purchase a sulfur checker in advance or use slaked lime).

Tip: it is advisable to keep the vegetables themselves “in quarantine” for 1 to 2 weeks before laying. They can be scattered in a garage or other room with a temperature of +13 - 15 degrees. During this time, all spoiled vegetables will make themselves felt, and they can be easily removed.

Best storage options

The cellar and cellar are the most the best place for winter storage, because it is there that it is easiest to maintain the set temperature and humidity. The cellar should not freeze through during the winter. AT good conditions carrots can be safely stored for a whole year, up to next harvest, and you will have the opportunity to regularly receive fresh vitamins from your own garden to your table.

To understand how to store carrots in the cellar correctly, check out the following popular ways:

Wooden boxes with a lid are one of the most simple ways. Carrots are simply neatly folded into boxes made of wood or thick cardboard. The boxes are closed with a lid and placed in the cellar at a distance of 10 - 15 centimeters from the walls. Sometimes the walls can become damp, and moisture should not get into our boxes. It is better not to put them on the floor, but to use a small stand. Holes in the boxes do not need to be made, they must be tight enough. This storage method is quite compact and will allow you to place a significant amount of root crops even in a small cellar. Try to put no more than 20 kg of carrots in one box.
Onion peel. Do not throw away the husk, which remains in large quantities from the onion. Put it in large bags and place the carrots in the same place. The husk on the one hand will take away excess moisture, and on the other - to protect root crops from decay and reproduction of microorganisms. Try to roll each carrot in the husk, but you can just sprinkle individual layers with it. Tie the bags and lower them into the cellar or underground.

Storage in coniferous sawdust.

Coniferous sawdust. In order to use this method, you need to sprinkle the roots with sawdust from wood. conifers. The phenolic substances contained in the needles will protect root crops from rot and disease. At the same time, you can put carrots in boxes from method 1 or any other container. You can simply pour sawdust on the shelves in the cellar, spread the root crops on them and sprinkle another layer of sawdust on top. Sawdust should not be poured onto the floor or close to the walls of the cellar.

Pyramids filled with sand. With this method of storage on the floor or poured thick layer sand. Carrots are laid out in a row and covered with the next layer of sand. The second row of carrots is placed on top of the first in a checkerboard pattern. A layer of sand wakes up again and so on. Pyramids should not exceed 1 meter in height. The sand for this method should be slightly damp, closer to dry. If the sand is completely dry, it must be periodically sprayed with water from a spray bottle to avoid drying out the carrots. Root crops should not touch each other. It is desirable to sift and ignite the sand before use for disinfection.
Wet sand and chalk. It is necessary to mix clean, slightly damp sand with chalk powder. Pour this mixture into a dense wooden box. Place the carrots in the sand with a thick end up, sprinkle on top. Chalk will prevent bacteria from multiplying and will allow long time keep carrots fresh and delicious.

Laying root crops in a box with sand.

Chalk solution. Chalk must be diluted with water until smooth. liquid state. Each root crop is wetted in this solution, dried and put away for storage. You can simply “powder” carrots with dry chalk powder. For 10 kg of carrots, you will need about 200 g of chalk. The alkaline properties of chalk do not allow microorganisms to multiply.

Shell made of liquid clay. A rather messy storage method, but one of the most effective. Therefore, if the carrots in your cellar rot and deteriorate all the time, use it, you will not regret it. Before laying the root crops in the cellar, dilute the clay with water in a bucket until a uniform fluid mass is formed. Dip each carrot into it and pat dry. Clay should completely cover the root crop. After drying, lower the carrots into the cellar and arrange them in boxes or baskets. The lid may not be covered.
Plastic bags. Not the most The best way, but if there is no other storage option, pack dry root crops in tight plastic bags and lower them into the cellar. Bags should be placed on a shelf or on a small stand. Several holes are made in the bottom of the bag through which the resulting condensate will drain. The bag does not tie.

Varieties of carrots that store well

In fact, whatever variety of carrots you choose - it's winter. Especially if you have a brick cellar or concrete, and not just a barrel buried in the ground. However, there are some varieties that, due to their special properties, are stored much better and deteriorate less than others.

Examples of such varieties:

Moscow winter. An ideal variety for winter storage in the cellar or underground. Good taste and high yields of root crops will delight you even at the harvesting stage. The speed of ripening is medium.
"Nantes". This is a variety with excellent taste and good keeping quality. At proper cultivation gives a rich harvest and is stored for a long time. Sings fast.
"Shantane". A variety of medium ripeness, high-yielding, sweet, with a great aroma.

Also popular varieties: "Vitamin 6", "Samson", "Cascade", "Nigel".

Sort "Moscow winter".

If you do not know what variety your carrots are, then focus on the shape of the root crops. Rounded short-fruited varieties ("Paris Carotel") are not stored very well, it is better to choose medium-sized conical root crops.

How long can carrots be stored

The shelf life of carrots in winter depends on the method you prefer. On average, the following figures can be given:

1 year - in a "shirt" made of liquid clay, chalk, in coniferous sawdust, onion peel, as well as in boxes with sand.
5-8 months - in closed boxes and in pyramids sprinkled with sand.
2-4 months - in a plastic bag.
1-2 months - in the apartment in the refrigerator.

You can significantly extend the shelf life by periodically sorting through the crop, removing spoiled root crops and cutting off overgrown tops. Sometimes the condition of the tops for storage is even more important than the condition of the root itself. The larger the stump left, the higher the chance that the carrot will sprout. If you cut the tops along with part of the peel, the root crop will quickly begin to rot and deteriorate.

In the first place, it is worth eating small and thin specimens (as they dry out quickly), and large and dense ones will lie quietly for a long time. Try also to keep the vegetables out of moisture and light.

If your cellar still freezes in very coldy in winter, it is worth storing carrots, covering them with felt.

Using these simple advice, you will be able to save your crop for a long time and receive fresh vegetables to the table even in the long cold winter!

Carrots are not the most popular ingredient in all kinds of preparations for the winter. These vegetables are good fresh, especially after a long winter. They contain a supply of vitamins A, C, bioflavonoids and essential amino acids inside. And therefore, most summer residents are wondering how to store carrots so that they stay fresh until summer.

Meanwhile, keeping carrots for the winter is not an easy task: a thin peel is easily injured, exposing the roots to rotting or disease. Start throwing out the spoiled crop already under New Year is commonplace for many. Harvesting and storing carrots requires following a few rules that will help you avoid trouble.

Due to shortcomings in preparatory stage vegetables can wilt, rot or sprout right in the box. To prevent this from happening, it is important to find out all the nuances even before harvesting carrots: when you need to dig it for storage, how to cut it correctly, how to choose appropriate place to keep carrots until spring.

Preparing carrots for storage begins with right choice time. As a rule, it falls on the end of September - the beginning of October, early and mid-season varieties are dug up before the onset of autumn.

The ripening time is usually indicated on the packages of seeds, but if the package has already been lost, the lower carrot leaves can become a kind of indicator. If they turn yellow, then it's time to dig. It is important not to rush so that the vegetables have time to ripen, and not to be late so that the first frost does not spoil them. On the eve of harvesting, the bed is advised not to water.

So, when harvesting carrots, it is advisable to adhere to the following sequence of actions:

Carefully, trying not to damage the root crops, dig them out with a shovel or get them by hand.
Remove dirt from carrots. Washing carrots is optional, but if available heavy pollution can. This must be done without the use of abrasive sponges. It is important to dry the washed carrots well.
Remove the tops so that it does not draw all the moisture out of the root crop. Regarding how best to cut carrots for storage, experts agree that this should be done in two stages. First, the leaves are cut just above the base, then they are completely removed, capturing 5-10 mm of the fruit itself.
Dry vegetables for fresh air, laying them out in one layer under a canopy.
Sort the crop, remove damaged specimens.
Choose a place to store your crop.

How to store carrots: basic principles

The question of at what temperature and humidity carrots should be stored is perhaps the most important. In heat, it will begin to germinate, in too much cold, it will lose its properties, and with low humidity, it will wither.

Optimum temperature storage of carrots ranges from 0°C to 2°C. Humidity should be around 90%, but not higher than 97%.

When choosing where to store carrots, these indicators should be taken into account first of all. In addition, before laying root crops, it is important to disinfect, dry and ventilate the room. But after placing the crop for wintering, the flow of air into the room should be limited: ventilation should be moderate. Compliance with the basic recommendations on how best to store carrots will significantly increase its shelf life. Carrots can stay fresh for up to 12 (!) months.

Storage spaces: from a hole in the ground to a city apartment

The main ways to store carrots:

In the cellar or basement. This is the most popular storage option - it is protected from precipitation and temperature changes. In the dungeon, you can stack carrots in piles (piles), simply pouring sand, place in enamel pots or boxes (preferably plastic). With any of the options, it is desirable to place carrots or containers with them without contact with walls or floors, for example, on a small stand. This will help prevent mold and rot.
In a trench dug in the ground. Carrots, as in the underground, are covered in rows, the gaps are filled with sand. A “roof” will have to be built over the storage, for example, from boards and roofing material, in order to protect the pit from excess moisture.
In a barrel. On the Internet you can find a lot of advice on how to store carrots in a container dug into the ground. We'll have to spend time preparing the place - dig a hole where ground water are far from the surface, glue metal barrel roofing material, make holes and build around it drainage ditches to remove moisture, protect from precipitation with a canopy. If you believe the reviews, the result will please even in late spring.
At the vegetable warehouse. In the premises for storing crops at vegetable growing enterprises, optimal conditions, because spoiled vegetables are associated with serious losses here. If it is possible to agree on the placement of carrots in the warehouse, this will be a good option. However, this is true only for large batches of the crop.
In a house or apartment. This is not the most convenient and reliable way to store carrots for the winter. However, if there is no pit, basement or warehouse, a balcony or a cool pantry can be adapted for this purpose. In this case, it is especially important to monitor the temperature and humidity conditions. It is worth storing on the balcony if it is insulated, or non-freezing containers are used. It would be reasonable to provide for the protection of food from light, dirt and dust, you can cover the carrots with burlap.

The sand of time

Storing carrots in sand is most popular with gardeners, regardless of where the crop is located - in the cellar, on the balcony or in the trench. Before storing carrots in the sand, you need to make sure that it is sufficiently moistened. If the lump compressed in the hands does not crumble, there is enough moisture in the sand. If it is dry, a liter of water is used per standard 12-liter bucket.

Sand prevents carrots from drying out and the appearance of putrefactive diseases, maintains a constant temperature. It is not recommended to store carrots in sand brought from the river bank; it is better to use loamy for this. Usually it is poured into a box to a height of 3-5 cm and the vegetables are placed separately from each other, pouring sand over each layer. In reviews on how to store carrots in such a filler, most gardeners share positive impressions.

Storage of carrots in sawdust

Some summer residents doubt whether it is possible to store carrots in sawdust, whether they will start to rot, ruining the entire crop. In order not to worry about this, you need to store carrots in sawdust of coniferous trees - they contain phytoncides that have bactericidal, antifungal properties and prevent the germination of root crops.

Instructions on how to store carrots in sawdust completely repeat the recommendations associated with sand. In this case, it is also necessary to put the vegetables in the boxes in layers, filling the filler in between.

Storing carrots in bags

The method of storing carrots in bags is questionable by many. Any housewife was faced with the fact that fruits or vegetables wrapped in polyethylene left for a couple of days become moldy. Meanwhile, this method can be quite successful, and it can be used wherever the microclimate necessary for vegetables is observed.

It is important to leave carrots stored for the winter in bags without closing them. This method of storage will help maintain optimal humidity in plastic bags, but at the same time will not allow to accumulate a large number carbon dioxide. It is because of its overabundance that vacuum-packed vegetables can deteriorate. You can also replace polyethylene with cellophane, the bags should also be left open.

How to store carrots in the refrigerator

The ability to build a carrot mini-warehouse in the refrigerator or in freezer Suitable for those who need to save a small batch. In the refrigerator itself, the lower compartment is used for this. But such carrots should be eaten first of all: it does not lie until spring.

It is much safer to use a freezer for this. Moreover, unlike other methods, carrots can be stored in the freezer in any form - chopped in a food processor, chopped with a vegetable cutter, or simply grated. Vitaminized semi-finished products can last in the freezer until next summer and will be protected from diseases and pests.

Storage of carrots in clay

Clay forms on a carrot protective layer which allows it to stay fresh longer. For storage in this way, half a bucket of clay is poured with water. The resulting mixture can be filled with containers with carrots and left for the winter. But then the root crops will have to be extracted from the frozen rock with efforts.

Most often, another storage option is used using clay. Each carrot is simply dipped in the resulting mixture and left to dry. This procedure will be especially useful for those who have to store crops at home.

Storing carrots in moss

For these purposes, sphagnum moss is used. It maintains the required level of humidity and carbon dioxide in containers with carrots. Unlike clay and sand, it is also light, so lowering containers with such a filler to the bottom of the cellar will not be a problem.

Moss for storage should be sufficiently moist. It can be collected independently in swampy areas or in forests with ponds, or can be purchased at garden stores. Sphagnum is often used to fertilize plants.

What causes carrots to go bad

Carrots, more often than other vegetables, have to be taken out of storage not for eating, but in order to be thrown away. Why do carrots rot, become soft, or generally covered with a slimy coating? There could be a number of reasons for this:

Unsuitable for long-term storage variety of carrots. Early varieties usually not long enough. Among those that are better stored, experts call types of carrots with fruits of the correct, conical shape.
Violation of preparation technology: injury to root crops during digging and cleaning, poor-quality sorting, too long drying or, conversely, its absence.
Poor-quality preparation of the premises, improper microclimate: for the quality of carrots, any output of humidity or temperature indicators beyond the norm is detrimental.
Diseases of carrots during storage ( different kinds rot, scab). As a rule, the disease in these cases is caused by fungi. Their spores can be in the soil, get inside the fruit when it is damaged, transmitted by pests such as carrot flies, or wait for the harvest in a poorly cultivated cellar. Often this appears after a few weeks of storage. To avoid such surprises, it is advisable to disinfect not only the walls and shelves of the storage, but also the vegetables themselves. Usually vegetables are disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate, infusion of needles or onion peel, powdered with chalk. You can put horseradish rhizomes in boxes with carrots, which have bactericidal and antifungal properties.
Rodents in the basement or cellar. There are usually no problems with diagnosing this problem; to prevent damage to the crop, it is worth getting rid of unwanted inhabitants in advance or placing Saracen mint next to the containers. It will scare away mice and rats.

It turns out that the danger of partially or completely losing the carrot crop lies in wait for summer residents literally from everywhere. Some preventive measures are effective in controlling one type of pest and are useless in others. But there is still a powerful weapon - this is the observance of the technology for preparing and storing carrots at all stages, starting with choosing a date suitable for harvesting on the calendar.

It is considered the most capricious in terms of storage. Therefore, it is important to know how to properly collect and prepare carrots for storage for a long winter.

Rules for harvesting and preparing vegetables for storage

The question of how to store carrots in winter, preceded by proper harvesting. They begin to choose it from the garden, as a rule, in mid-September-October. The exact time depends on the number of sunny days in the season. The advantage of the vegetable is that it is not afraid of the first frost. It is important to take it out in warm and dry weather from dry or slightly damp and then just dry it slightly.

In order for the crop to be preserved for a long time, it is necessary to get it out of the ground without damaging it. To do this, the carrots are hooked with a pitchfork, holding the tops. When digging, it is important not to damage the carrot skin, otherwise it will quickly rot during storage.

It is necessary to dry the root crop before laying it in the cellar. If the weather is good, just lay it out right on the bed and leave it for a couple of hours. If the weather is damp, dry it in a closed but ventilated area. To do this, the crop is laid out in one layer on the litter so that the root crops do not touch each other. If they were collected in humid weather, drying is delayed for a couple of days.

But these are not the only nuances. difficult question how to store carrots at home. After drying, it must be cleaned of dirt, but if the lumps of earth are strongly stuck, they should not be torn off. At the same time, we sort out the crop, putting aside the damaged specimens. Through the broken peel, pathogenic bacteria penetrate inside the vegetable, activating the process of decay. One damaged specimen is enough to quickly destroy the entire crop.

cracked, but dry root crops can be set aside and stored separately. Damaged ones can be taken home and stored in the refrigerator, gradually used up.

At the same time, during sorting, it is necessary to remove the tops from the fruits and sort the root crops by size. The tops are removed with a sharp knife so that 1-2 mm of the green part remains above the root. Sometimes the green part is removed when the carrots are still sitting in the garden, but in this case it is more difficult to dig out. As for sorting, it is necessary for correct use harvest. At the beginning, the smallest specimens are consumed, and at the very end, the largest ones.

Conditions for saving

How to store carrots in a cellar or basement so that they do not germinate, dry out and rot? To do this, the temperature in the room must be maintained in the range -/+2°C and at a relative humidity of 90-95%. The air in the room should not be strongly ventilated, otherwise the vegetable will begin to germinate. But he should not stagnate either.

The basement or cellar must be waterproofed, insulated and well ventilated. Before lowering the crop into it, it must be cleaned of debris, the remnants of last year's crop. It is desirable to disinfect shelves, walls, ceiling with slaked lime. If, before lowering into the cellar, the harvest is kept indoors for a week or two at a temperature of 13-15 ° C, it is possible to identify spoiled vegetables that were skipped during sorting.

Did you know?Carrots spread around the world from Afghanistan. There, the vegetable in the wild has a bright purple color, sometimes yellow or white. The orange carrots familiar to us were bred by the breeders of the Netherlands in honor of the flowers of the royal family of the Orange dynasty.

How to store carrots: popular ways to preserve the root crop

There are many ways to store carrots in a cellar or basement.

in clay

Before being sent for storage, the roots are dipped in clay, forming a protective layer on the vegetable. There are two ways to do this: pour completely or dip each fruit. In the first case, you will need to dilute half a bucket of clay with water and wait about a day. When it swells, it is again topped up with water, stirred well and left for three to four days. Then the boxes where it is planned to store the crop are taken, covered with a film, carrots are laid out on them so that the fruits do not touch each other. Now it can be filled with a layer of clay, which should have the consistency of sour cream. When the layer dries, spread the next one. The process is repeated until the box is full.

If you want to use the dipping method, you need to prepare two types of mash. For the first, a glass is passed through a meat grinder and poured with two liters of water. For the second, the clay is diluted with water to the consistency of thick sour cream so that it does not drain from the surface of the vegetable. Then each root crop is dipped first in garlic, then in clay mash and lay out to dry in a well-ventilated area. When it dries, put it in boxes and lower it into the cellar or basement.

In sand

For storage use moist loamy, and not river sand, because it retains moisture better, maintains a constant temperature and prevents the development of rot on the fruit. To moisten it, water it with water at the rate of a liter per bucket of sand. The prepared one is poured onto the bottom of the box about 5 cm thick, the carrots are laid out so that the fruits do not touch each other, after which they are again covered with sand. The process is repeated until the box is completely filled. Some gardeners have successfully used dry sand for storage. Also, instead of boxes, regular buckets are great.

Did you know?In Europe, carrots are recognized as a fruit, not a vegetable. The fact is that since the appearance of this vegetable in their gardens, the Portuguese have learned to make it amazing. And according to local legislation, it can be made exclusively from fruits.

Moss and carrots

The vegetable keeps well It contains preservatives, retains carbon dioxide. In addition, it is much lighter than the same sand or clay. Carrots are first dried, but not washed, and then kept in a cool place for a day. After that, the crop is laid out in layers in a box, shifting it with layers of moss.

In onion skins

Onion and garlic husks have essential oils that prevent decay. To preserve the harvest by this method, the bottom of the box is lined with husks, then a layer of carrots is laid out and again a layer of husks. So the box is filled to the top.

In coniferous sawdust

The advantage of this method is that coniferous sawdust is rich in phytoncides, which not only prevent pathogenic bacteria and fungi from penetrating vegetables, but also prevent crop germination. For storage, carrots and sawdust are laid out in layers according to the principle described above.

in chalk solution

To prepare a chalk solution, the chalk is diluted with water until a homogeneous liquid is obtained. Then each carrot is dipped in it, dried and put into a storage box. For 10 kg of carrots, you need to spend about 200 g of chalk. With the same amount, you can simply powder it without diluting it with water. Chalk contains alkaline substances, which inhibit the growth of pathogens. Chalk can be mixed with sand, poured into a box, and then stick a carrot in there so that the thick end is on top. It also needs to be sprinkled with chalk.

Did you know?It is believed that the consumption of carrots in large quantities promotes education cancer cells, if we are talking about smokers and people working with asbestos mixtures. For everyone else, on the contrary, it is an excellent preventive agent against malignant tumors.

In packages

Harvest can be poured into plastic bags with a capacity of 5 to 30 kg and stored in cool open spaces. In this case, inside the package is supported required humidity at the level of 96-98%, which prevents the carrots from withering. They also accumulate carbon dioxide released by the fruits, which prevents the development of bacteria. But you can’t tie the bags, otherwise its concentration will increase, because of which the crop will deteriorate. AT last resort The bags must have holes for ventilation.

Important! Sometimes when high humidity Condensation will form inside the bags. To prevent this from happening, fluffy lime is scattered next to them, which absorbs excess moisture.

in the garden

Sometimes the harvest is left in the garden for the winter in order to have fresh vegetables for the table in the spring. So that the carrots do not disappear during such storage, the tops are completely cut off, the garden bed is covered with coarse sand. Then the shelter is poured in the following sequence: film, dry leaves, or roofing material, film. In this case, the vegetable retains its properties until spring. taste qualities while staying fresh.

Carrots are a very useful and widespread vegetable. Orange crispy root vegetable is a real pantry of vitamins and microelements necessary for health and beauty. In summer and autumn, we can enjoy fresh fruits of carrots directly from the garden, the benefits from them are maximum at this time. But with the onset of cold weather, a problem arises: how to store carrots at home in winter in order to preserve the beneficial substances contained in it?

Ways to store carrots

To store carrots, you need a certain temperature regime and humidity, and preferably a stable temperature, without drops and fluctuations. In winter, an ideal microclimate for storing root crops can only be created in the cellar, it is + 1- + 3 degrees with an air humidity of 90-95%.

You can store carrots:

in wooden boxes in the sand;
in coniferous sawdust;
in a clay mash;
in plastic bags.

Sometimes gardeners use and alternative methods storage, for example, make heaps. First, the carrots are prepared for storage, the tops are cut off, the roots are dried. They are laid in a small depression in the ground, covered with sawdust or straw. From above, the collar is covered with earth. Be sure to put a pipe or vent, which prevents the appearance of condensate in the storage. With this method of storage, carrots are juicy, as if only from the garden.

The best varieties of carrots for winter storage are Shantane, Losinoostrovskaya, Vitaminnaya and others. All of them are late-ripening varieties, have an oblong conical shape and firm flesh. Varieties early ripening it is better to use for salads and salting cabbage.

Interesting! Carrots were originally grown for their spicy green leaves and seeds. In Europe, the root crop appeared around the 13th century. In terms of prevalence in the world, carrots occupy one of the first places among a huge number of vegetables. She is equally loved in Africa, and in Australia, and in Europe.

How to store carrots in an apartment

If a basement or there is no pantry, the harvest of vitamin root crops can be saved in the apartment. We have already found out at what temperature to store carrots, from this it is clear that you can store the root crop on the balcony in cool, but not frosty weather. It is recommended to hang a thermometer near the carrot box to see the actual air temperature. And if the temperature drops below -1 degrees - it's time to pick up vegetables in more warm place or tightly cover the box.

Storage of carrots in the sand on the balcony

To store carrots on the balcony, you need a wooden box. It is easy to choose such a box in a hardware store, but you can also make it yourself from improvised materials or adapt an old kitchen cabinet under it.

For home storage of carrots, it will be more convenient vegetable box with vertical loading, that is, the door must be on top. It is better to choose a box or make it deep enough to lay out the carrots in rows and sprinkle it with sand. To build a box with your own hands, you need to choose a place on the balcony for storing vegetables, calculate the size of the future container. Put together a frame from boards, plywood or slabs, fix the door on top.

How to Prepare Carrots for Sand Storage

For storage, you need to choose dense, even root crops without damage, wormholes and greenery. leaves and upper part carefully cut the vegetables with a knife. Peel the root crops from the ground, but do not wash, dry in a cool room. Prepare clean sand at the rate of 2-3 buckets of carrots 1 bucket of sand.

How to properly store carrots in the sand:

Pour a small layer of sand on the bottom of the box.
Lay out a row of carrots. It is more practical to spread the root crops in a checkerboard pattern, the tail is the spout. Vegetables should not touch each other.
Fill a row of carrots with sand, filling the gaps between the root crops.
Alternate rows of carrots and sand, the last row is sand.

Storage of carrots in a cardboard box

With the help of newsprint and a regular cardboard box, you can save root crops in the apartment for several weeks. Gently fold dry carrots into cardboard box, shifting each root crop with newsprint. Put the closed box in a cool utility room. A pantry or balcony is quite suitable. The disadvantages of this method are that carrots are stored for a limited time, then wither and dry out.

Storing carrots in bags for the winter

If it is not possible to store carrots on the balcony, you will have to save them in the refrigerator in bags. Here is the answer to the question: whether to wash carrots before storage, unambiguously in the affirmative. Clean, dried root crops in plastic bags are stored better than unwashed ones. Earth in a humid environment promotes mold and bad smell. And clean dry carrots packed in bags can be stored in the vegetable compartment for 1-2 months. The disadvantages of this storage method are the small volume of vegetables, as well as the need to constantly review products for rot. Rotted specimens infect neighboring root crops, and the rot spreads very quickly in the bag.

Important! When packing carrots in plastic bags, make sure the vegetables are cool and dry. Warm root crops in plastic bags form condensate, which can provoke the development of pathogenic flora and rotting.

Storing carrots by freezing

Freezing carrots - very convenient original way. Preparatory activities require time, but then the hostess always has a carrot ready for use at hand. So, peel the carrots, wash and dry. Then grate or cut into slices - as you like. Pack in small bags for ease of use or containers for storage food products. Carrots frozen in this way are used to make vegetable side dishes and soups.

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