Squirrel away our HOME-GROWN GOODIES to enjoy in the winter months

With the strange times we live in, those of us with productive gardens (or generous neighbours) might be wise to store some produce for later in the year. Let’s Talk’s gardening expert Charlotte Philcox hands out some very useful advice.

- Charlotte Philcox

JAMS AND CHUTNEYS are obvious ways of preserving surplus fruit and veg, but not everyone enjoys the additional work involved. Here then, are a few tips for other ways of storing some of the more common gardens produce you might have grown this year.

Onions and garlic should be dried outdoors for about a week after harvesting, to allow their skins to toughen or ‘cure’. You can then place them on wire racks or netting in a sunny, airy spot (a cool greenhouse is ideal) for about two weeks until the skins are papery and the leaves and roots have shrivelled up.

Once they’re ready, brush away any loose skin and snip off the roots. Leave the long stems attached, to make old-fashioned ‘strings’ of onions and garlic ‘plaits’ – which is a craft activity in itself. For those a bit less dextrous, just cut away the dried stems to leave about five centimetres, and store your harvest in baskets, plain calico shopping bags or recycled netting sacks, hung up in an unheated room or garage.

I’ve found that the best way to keep tomatoes is to cook them into a thick sauce, with a dash of olive oil, onions, garlic and herbs. This can be liquidised and frozen in small portions, to be defrosted later in the year as the basis for pasta dishes, pizza toppings and soups.