Carrots are a healthy vegetable that is grown not only for fresh consumption, but also for storage. I will share my experience in this matter.
Harvesting rules
Carrots will last longer if you follow certain rules during harvesting. The longer the root crop remains in the garden, the more nutrients it contains, since it accumulates the maximum amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
The following method helps me to understand whether it is time to harvest the vegetable. I'm digging up some vegetables. If they have small roots, it's time to harvest. The approximate date is early or mid September.
I choose a dry and sunny day for the event. Carrots are extremely sensitive to mechanical damage, so they must be dug up and transported very carefully. At the slightest wounds, fungal diseases penetrate into the tissue, causing decay processes. Such a crop cannot be stored.
Therefore, I recommend carefully removing the vegetable from the ground with a pitchfork, and not digging it out with a shovel. I pre-cut the tops with sharp scissors, and do not twist them.
Then I spread the crop out on a spread tarpaulin and let it dry for a while. Then I put it in a well-ventilated place and dry it for 3 days.
Crop storage rules
All root vegetables are sorted by size before harvesting. I clean the small ones separately. Be sure to check each root crop for mechanical damage and insect pests, traces of rot and mold. Such copies are not subject to storage.
If the root vegetable is sluggish, I grate it and freeze it.
I harvest the crops in the cellar, where I observe the following conditions:
- Air temperature - no more than 5 ° C.
- Humidity - no more than 65%.
- Medium ventilation.
With too much air, the carrots begin to sprout.
I put the vegetables in wooden boxes with ventilation holes. I fill them with sand.
Once every 30 days, I check the crop and remove rotten specimens.
Storage methods
Carrots can be stored not only in boxes:
- Onion peel. You will need a small cloth bag filled with this material. Carrots are laid out in it. The husk perfectly absorbs moisture, protects vegetables from rotting, damage by various microorganisms.
- Coniferous sawdust. Root crops are laid in layers, sprinkling each with sawdust. The needles have phenolic substances that reliably protect the crop from rot and other diseases.
- Chalk solution. For this, the chalk is thoroughly diluted with water until smooth. Each vegetable is moistened with this solution, dried and stored. I powder the crop using 200 g of the substance for every 10 kg of carrots.
- Clay talker. Another secure storage method. Before cleaning, I dilute the clay to the consistency of sour cream. I dip the root vegetable into the chatterbox and dry it. Then I put it in wooden boxes or baskets, covering with burlap on top. So the fruits can be stored until the next season without losing their taste.
If you follow these simple recommendations, carrots can be stored for quite a long time. At the same time, vegetables do not lose either their taste or useful properties.
Read also: We eat fresh pumpkin until spring. Revealing the secrets of proper storage
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