Most recently was the harvest turnips, now it is very important to keep this useful vegetable as long as possible. After all, it is used in folk medicine, cooking, as food for animals and even anti-inflammatory agent. However, all this is possible only if the turnip has retained all its useful properties. And this, in many ways, it depends on the storage.
In this article I'll show you how to store turnips at home, so that it remains fresh until spring. Of course, many fruits will spoil, but most of the crop will still save. I have to say, the apartment - not the best place to store vegetables, but many growers have no choice. Therefore, will have to create a favorable environment for storage in a normal apartment with balcony.
1. Properly harvest
Also, as with all other fruits and vegetables, preparing for long-term storage of turnips begins with properly harvest. Pulling turnips only need to dry (Preferably solar) weather. Make sure that the roots do not become wet from the soil water. If you see a turnip "worth" in the water, immediately make drainage and drain off any moisture.
Never pull the turnip tops for. Use a shovel or a pitchfork. Carefully, without touching the root, turnips and podkovyrivaete hands take out of the ground. This is done in order not to cause damage. With cuts and dents the fruit will not be stored.
After collection, the tops cut off the tail leaving about 2.5 cm long, and send out to dry.
At harvest time never throw turnips, not stockpiled large piles and do not use a basket with coarse weave. All this damages the protective surface of the vegetable.
2. Choosing to store turnips
After the vegetables dry out, they need to be cleaned of earth and dust. I do it with a sponge and dry hands.
Now you need to select applicants for storage. It must be the roots, which do not have:
- Cuts and scrapes;
- Dark spots;
- cracks;
- Traces of attack by pests.
In addition, turnip size should be medium. Overage is better to use right away, they are not suitable for storage. Pay attention also to the tops, it needs to be healthy.
3. We are creating the conditions for storage of turnips in the apartment
The ideal place to store turnips is a cellar. The air temperature is constant and it is in the range of from 0.5 to 3 degrees above zero. Humidity maintained at 90%. However, the cellar is not at all. In addition, the ride in the winter to the country can not be many. Therefore, our task is to create suitable conditions for storage of turnips within an ordinary apartment.
The best place to store turnips in the apartment, is moderately warmed loggia. That is, the temperature does not rise to ambient, but not lower than - 5 degrees. However, even these differences can be harmful to the roots. Therefore, we need insulated storage box. Make it possible with their own hands their usual boards, building insulation and thermal foils. He will save the turnip from severe temperature changes.
4. We send turnips for storage
Now we proceed to the laying of the turnip long-term storage. For this, the bottom of the box to pour sand layer thickness of about 2.5-3.5 cm. Next, laid the first batch of the most severe root crops so that they do not touch each other on all sides. Sprinkle a layer of sand all.
You must use dry sand medium grain without stones, twigs and other debris.
Next, a second layer laid turnip and also sprinkle it with sand. Repeat this step until completing with the box. But no more than 5-6 layers. Close the lid.
During storage, the fruit should be checked, selecting spoiled. If minus the balcony, open the door to the room to the temperature rose to + 1 / + 2 degrees and start the test.
This storage method allows to permanently preserve turnip fresh and useful.
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