Good afternoon, my reader. To ensure long-term storage of carrots, it is important to remove them from the garden in time and prepare them correctly. The optimal conditions for good keeping quality will be a temperature from 0 to 1 ℃ and a humidity of 95%. Indicators close to the standard can be achieved by storing root crops in the sand underground. Also, for a long time, carrots can remain fresh and juicy at home: in the refrigerator and on the balcony.
Please put your likes and subscribe to the channel "About Fasenda". This will allow us to publish more interesting garden articles.
When to dig carrots for storage
Don't rush to dig up carrots early. It belongs to cold-loving plants. In the middle lane in September, as well as at the beginning of October, the root crop still continues to grow, gaining weight up to 3-4 grams per day and pouring out.
However, you should periodically check whether the carrots are starting to release additional roots, "frowning". This triggers growth processes, and then the vegetable must be urgently dug up. Otherwise, it will be poorly stored.
The tops and tails of the dug carrots should be trimmed and washed if necessary. Experienced gardeners carry out disinfection with a solution of onion peel.
Next, you need to dry the crop for 10 days, sheltering it from the sun. During this time, root crops spoiled by a carrot fly and diseased roots will show themselves. Then vegetables are sorted, strong and healthy are selected.
Storage requirements
The future storage facility is disinfected and dried a month before the vegetables are laid. Optimum temperature values for carrots are from 0 to 1 ℃ and humidity is 95%. Under these conditions, it can be stored for 7-8 months. If the temperature rises above 5 ℃, then the roots begin to sprout, releasing roots and tops.
The shelf life largely depends on the variety. Cultivars with a tapered spout are best suited for this. For example, Vitamin, Moscow winter, Shantane, Incomparable. Nantes 4, Samson, Typhoon have proven themselves well. Early varieties, as a rule, are not intended for storage.
How and where to store
There are several proven storage options in a country house, garage, city apartment.
In a cellar or underground
- The most suitable storage option is in boxes with clean sand mixed with slaked lime. A sand mixture is poured at the bottom and the carrots are placed so that the roots do not come into contact with each other. Add sand on top with a layer of at least 5 cm. The number of rows depends on the height of the box. You can stick the carrots vertically into the sand.
- Thick 50 liter plastic bags are a great alternative to boxes. Instead of sand, vegetables are sprinkled with fresh sawdust of deciduous trees (conifers will give a smell). They are pre-moistened with water so that they remain crumbly. To improve preservation, it is recommended to pour onion peels on top. Packages are installed vertically, do not tie.
- The carrots are preserved for the longest time in a clay mash. To do this, each carrot is dipped in a clay mixture of the consistency of thick sour cream, and then dried in the sun. After that, they are carefully placed in baskets or plastic bags. You cannot tie packages.
Do not store carrots underground in bulk, outside of packages or boxes, without sprinkling with sand. So the roots quickly lose their juiciness and dry out.
In a city apartment
- On an insulated loggia or balcony, the vegetable is best preserved in a container with wet sand. It is important to monitor the temperature and prevent freezing.
- Housewives traditionally store washed and cut carrots in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Since high humidity is possible in these conditions, the carrots should be checked periodically and, if necessary, washed and trimmed. To reduce moisture condensation inside the bag, each carrot is wrapped in thick paper or plastic wrap. If the paper is damp, replace it.
- The grated carrots can be stored in the freezer. Ideally, you can batch it into small sachets and place them all in a container or large zip-lock bag. Some housewives freeze carrots already fried with onions.
Do you know how best to store carrots all winter?
Original articleand many other materials, you can find on ourwebsite.
You can also read about pickled eggplants in the following article:How to plant a rose to a rosehip: an algorithm of actions