Some tips for storing produce in a root cellar. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
One of the first and probably most important tips about storing produce in a root cellar is to keep fruits away from veggies. And this is because of ethylene gas. Not only that, the strong odors of vegetables like cabbage, onions, and turnips can be absorbed by nearby fruits. So you’ll want to keep them at opposite ends of the house. You may invest in a polymer shelving system and a 5 Gallon Plastic Bucket to store your produce at home.
You’ll also want to make sure nothing freezes, or you risk damaging the cell structure of the fruit.
It’s important to understand that storage times may vary. Know your shelf life on your produce. For example, how ripe was the fruit when you put it into storage? What variety was it? Early-maturing crops generally don’t store as long as late-maturing ones, for the most part. Not only that, but for some fruits and even vegetables, curing is necessary to extend the shelf life. Some kinds of fruits, when properly cured, will last much longer in storage than they would otherwise.
Finally, know that the condition of the fruit matters when it comes to extending its shelf life. Bruised or otherwise damaged fruits won’t last as long as unblemished, healthy ones that were harvested at the peak of freshness.
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