Once your root cellar is ready, think about which methods will work well for you: What suits your available space and the crops you plan to store? To find out if your crops will store well with the technique you have in mind, check the cropby-crop guide on the following pages.
A list of produce that I’ve had the best experience with for keeping in cold storage follows. If you don’t see a fruit or vegetable listed, it probably isn’t a good keeper in these conditions. Generally, you shouldn’t waste valuable produce or energy on items that will mostly have unsatisfactory outcomes. Therefore, start small the first year and keep notes on successes and failures for the next year.
STORING FRUITS
Many fruits don’t store well in cold storage for long periods of time. Apples and pears are among the few fruits that can be stored in cold storage for up to six months, depending on the cultivar. So, choose long-keeping cultivars if you’re planning to store many of them.
Partition off a section of your root cellar for fruits or at least make sure they’re in separate containers, away from vegetables. Never store fruits with potatoes, turnips or cabbage. Apples and pears release a gas that causes potatoes to sprout, while turnips and cabbage can give out odors that might be absorbed by other produce.
APPLES. Depending on the cultivar, apples will keep for two to six months if stored at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Apples are among the best-keeping fruits, especially cultivars such as Granny Smith that can last up to six months. Stayman Winesap and Rome Beauty are the next best.
Normal storage ranges from four to six months with these cultivars. You can keep Jonathan, McIntosh and Delicious (red or yellow) for shorter periods.
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Denne historien er fra September - October 2023-utgaven av Hobby Farms.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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If you're considering growing flowers for sale, brush up on these five key things to know before diving in.
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Keep your land, animals and yourself in good shape this winter with this helpful advice.
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Avoid common insurance mistakes for rural and hobby farm businesses.
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Preconditioning CALVES
Follow our step-by-step guide to get more money for your calves.
Soil Conservation
Often, outside of having a specific problem that needs to be addressed, soil conservation isn't something every farmer readily thinks about. Yet conserving the soil should be at or near the top of every farmer owner or manager's list of concerns because absent the prevention of soil erosion, we have the opportunity for another dust bowl.
Year-Round Lettuce & Salad Mixes
It's easy to think of salad greens as just a spring- or fall-garden crop, but it's possible to enjoy freshly harvested lettuces, mustards and more from your own garden year-round.
Barn Improvements
Days are never long enough for a farmer. From dawn to well into the night, tasks arise that often require immediate action. Having to search for tools or equipment is an enormous time waster and incredibly frustrating when you can't find what you need, especially when you know you have it.
