Carrots are an irreplaceable and popular root vegetable in the world. Consists of vitamins and minerals essential for health, as well as fiber. This vegetable is indispensable for making soups and side dishes. There is an opinion that storing carrots all year round is pointless; 50% of the stored crop will rot. This is not true.
Experienced summer residents know that a properly prepared vegetable for storage never spoils in one year and carrots will not change their taste. It is important to choose from many methods one that is suitable for high-quality storage of the product. A balcony is suitable for good preservation of carrots. Most apartment residents do not have their own basement for storing vegetables. For city residents, the apartment balcony has long become a place to store food in the winter.
Features of the structure of root vegetables
Root crops are prone to scarring from shallow mechanical immersions. They retain this ability for some time after harvesting. Moreover, damage to the head heals better if the temperature is 20-25 degrees and the humidity is 90-95%.
The formation of suberin accelerates with increasing temperature. But then the root crops begin to sprout and the roots wither. If you store carrots at a temperature of 10-14 degrees and a humidity of 90-95%, then scarring ends within 8-12 days.
Attention! Small and ugly root vegetables are stored much worse than medium and large ones.
In unripe root crops, bud differentiation occurs quickly, nutrients are consumed early, and immunity to diseases is quickly lost.
Storing vegetables on the balcony
Is it possible to store root vegetables at home? When storing vegetables in an apartment, they most often use a balcony or glassed-in loggia. When choosing this method of preserving the crop, you need to maintain the correct temperature conditions, not to overheat or freeze the root crop.
Choose a place where the sun's rays do not reach, which negatively affect the quality of vegetables. Because of this, carrots change color, turn green and acquire a bitter taste.
If all preparatory measures and storage conditions have been followed, then the carrots will be able to lie on the balcony for about 9 months. But this is an average figure, since it also depends on the chosen storage method.
How to store in an apartment
If you do not have the opportunity to keep carrots in the basement, you will have to place them in an apartment for the winter, which entails some difficulties. Mainly, they are that the temperature and humidity at home are not suitable for long-term storage of vegetables.
In such a situation, you can place fresh carrots in the refrigerator.
The fruit compartment is perfect for this root vegetable too. You can put it in the refrigerator either in a plastic bag or without it, the main thing is that the carrots have access to air. Naturally, you need to keep cleaned, dry vegetables with their tops trimmed.
The problem with this storage method is that there is not enough space in the refrigerator for a large harvest. If you have a lot of carrots, then use the balcony: you can put small boxes on it and use the same recommendations for filling them as for the cellar.
You can also freeze carrots. To do this, you will have to wash it and cut it into small slices, and then put it in the freezer. Such preparations are perfect for preparing soups and hot dishes. When frozen, some of the taste of the fruit may be lost, so you should not use them for making juices or eat them without heat treatment.
What varieties are suitable?
When choosing balcony storage for the winter, you should pay attention to the following varieties:
Queen of Autumn. This is the easiest variety developed by Russian breeders. The weight of one fruit is 200 g, and the length reaches 25-30 cm. 120 days pass from the first shoots to maturity. The variety is excellent for fresh consumption and canning. The fruit is juicy and has a pleasant taste. Can be stored until June. At this time, their presentation and taste do not deteriorate.- Flaccoro. This is a variety of Dutch selection.
Market maturity occurs 110-1130 days after sowing. The color of carrots is bright orange. It is elongated, smooth with delicate flesh. The variety is characterized by high yield, the length of the root crop is 30 cm. Help. Its main advantage over other species is its excellent storability. Commercial quality is maintained until next summer. - Vita Longa. This is a relatively new variety that is characterized by high yield. The duration of the growing season is 140 days. Recommended for winter storage, as it has excellent shelf life. Can be consumed fresh. The root crop weighs 200-300 g, length 30 cm.
- Carlena. A high-yielding variety, the fruits of which ripen 130 days after planting the seeds. Since root vegetables contain a high concentration of sugar, they should not be used by people with diabetes. Carlena is easy to care for, and if the right microclimate is maintained, the harvest will last until spring.
- Samson. This variety is one of the most unpretentious. The duration of the growing season is 110-115 days. Has improved taste. The carrot is 20 cm long and weighs 160-200 g. There is no core, but the pulp contains a high concentration of carotene, vitamins and microelements. The variety can grow in areas with any degree of fertility. You can store it until the next harvest.
- Vitamin. This variety was specially obtained for long-term storage. Ripens 110 days after planting. The length of the fruit is 17 cm. With high-quality care and regular watering, carrots are characterized by increased juiciness and excellent taste.
We talked in more detail about which varieties of carrots are suitable for long-term storage for the winter here.
Preparatory activities
The harvest will be stored well only if it has been prepared in advance. Preparatory activities consist of several stages:
Harvesting. The time of carrot harvesting is directly related to its variety. For winter storage, it is better to choose medium and late varieties. Harvest occurs at the end of August or beginning of September. It is at this time that the active growth of root crop mass ends. Do not pull the carrots out of the ground, but carefully pull them out by the tops. If the soil is too dry, lightly dig up the vegetable with a shovel.- After removing the root crops from the ground, place them in the sun for 2-3 hours. During this time they will be able to ventilate and dry out.
- Cut off carrot tops.
A sharp knife or large scissors are suitable for these purposes. Attention! Cut off the tops completely, right up to the growing point. If this condition is not met, the root crop will germinate ahead of schedule and lose its taste. - Clean each carrot from any adhering dirt. Dry the crop in a shady and well-ventilated place. Do not pour the root vegetables directly onto the ground; to do this, lay a film or tarpaulin.
- After drying, sort the root vegetables: separate small ones from large ones.
- There is no need to wash vegetables before storing them on the balcony, just separate the dry soil (we talked about this in more detail here). You can wash it only if you plan to store the carrots in the refrigerator.
If a gardener is unable to determine the harvest date, then he should pay attention to the tops. If the lower leaves turn yellow and dry out, then it is time to harvest the carrots.
Read more about how to prepare carrots for winter storage here.
The necessary conditions
For storing carrots in the winter in an apartment, only a covered and unheated balcony is suitable. During severe frosts, the temperature there may be low, so the vegetables will have to be additionally insulated. There are several ways to store carrots, each of which has certain characteristics.
Box of wet sand
Thanks to sand, you can maintain the necessary humidity and temperature conditions. In addition, it isolates each root vegetable. The procedure is as follows:
- Fill a large box with sand.
- Place the root vegetables in rows, keeping an interval of 2-3 cm between them.
- The total height of the layers does not exceed 1 m.
On a note. Add 1-2% slaked lime or wood ash to the sand. Thanks to them, the formation of pathogenic microflora is prevented.
With peat
Peat is characterized by bactericidal properties and poor heat conductivity. Thanks to this quality, peat is an excellent material for storing vegetables.
By placing the carrot harvest in boxes with peat, it is possible to preserve it until late spring. It is recommended to use peat with a low degree of decomposition (less than 15%). In spring it can be used as fertilizer for indoor flowers.
With sawdust
Sawdust from coniferous trees is suitable for storing carrots. They contain essential oils and resins that have bactericidal properties. Procedure:
- Prepare a large box, lay a layer of sawdust (2 cm thick).
- Place the carrots in a row on top and again a layer of sawdust.
- Likewise, add all the root vegetables until the box is full.
- You can use onion peels along with sawdust. It will perfectly protect the crop from rot.
In this article, we talked in detail about where and how you can store carrots in an apartment in winter, and here you can find proven methods for storing carrots in the ground.
How to store carrots - the best ways
The classic way to store carrots, which involves pouring them into large bags and lowering them into the cellar, has long lost its popularity. Such careless placement of the root crop often quickly leads to its spoilage, and after 2-3 months you will have to throw it away.
In addition, in this case it will be more difficult for you to sort through the vegetables - you will not be able to immediately notice the rot, which will quickly spread to neighboring carrots and affect the entire contents of the bag. There are many other effective ways to place carrots, let's look at them in more detail.
| Method | |
| 1 | Sand |
| 2 | Sawdust |
| 3 | Plastic bags |
| 4 | Onion peel |
| 5 | Clay |
1
Sand
Sand is one of the most popular materials for storing vegetables for a long time, as it prevents the proliferation of pathogenic microflora on their surface, which helps to avoid premature spoilage.
It is recommended to use loamy homogeneous sand without stones and other debris. River sand will not work in this case.
The essence of the method:
- Prepare the sand by making it wetter. To do this, add 1 liter of water to a bucket of sand and mix thoroughly.
- Place sand 5-6 cm high at the bottom of a box, box or any other container.
- Place carrots in a damp sand bed, placing them at a distance of 3-5 cm from each other.
- Fill the previous layer with sand another 5-6 cm.
- Re-spread the root crop and tamp it down.
- Repeat laying out layers of sand and carrots until the top of the container.
2
Sawdust
Sawdust from coniferous trees is also excellent for long-term storage of vegetables. As in the previous case, the place where they are placed should be moist and cool.
The sawdust method algorithm is similar to the previous one:
- Lightly moisten the sawdust by adding a little water.
- Place a thick layer of sawdust (4-6 cm) on the bottom of the box and compact it.
- Place the carrots so that they are not touching each other.
- Cover the root crop again with sawdust to a depth of 4-5 cm.
- Repeat alternating layers until all vegetables are placed.
3
Plastic bags
The advantage of this method is that the optimal humidity level is formed in plastic bags: about 90%, thanks to which the carrots remain in the same condition longer and do not wither.
It is recommended to choose thick, opaque plastic bags in which you can store up to 20-25 kg of vegetables.
You cannot tie plastic bags for two reasons:
- Condensation will actively form in them, which will lead to rotting of the vegetables.
- The lack of carbon dioxide release and low oxygen content in the bags will also lead to premature spoilage of the root crop.
If you still want to store vegetables in tied plastic bags, make several holes in them for air circulation.
You can also place lime nearby to absorb excess moisture and condensation.
4
Onion peel
Onion peels contain many useful components and oils that prevent onions from deteriorating during long-term storage. In the case of carrots, it works exactly the same.
You can use not only onion peels, but also garlic peels for long-term storage. This combination will help prevent carrots from rotting and maintain their previous condition.
The essence of this method is the same as when using pine sawdust or sand. Carrots are placed in a box in layers, alternating with onion and garlic peels.
5
Clay
The most unusual but effective way to preserve carrots for a long time. It is based on enveloping it in clay, which creates a kind of protective layer on its surface, preventing it from rotting and withering.
The essence of the method:
- Dilute the clay to the consistency of sour cream. To do this, fill half a bucket of clay powder with warm water and leave for 10-12 hours. After this, mix the base, add water to it and leave it for another day. Repeat the steps until the desired base condition is achieved.
- Cover the box with film or a plastic bag so that it does not allow liquid clay to pass through.
- Place the carrots on the bottom of the box so that they do not touch each other, and then fill it with a dense layer of clay.
- Let the clay harden for several hours.
- Repeat the above steps, alternating layers of carrots and clay to the top of the box.
The method of storing carrots in clay is the most labor-intensive and time-consuming, but it is this method that allows you to effectively and for a long time store the root crop until the next season.
Possible problems and their solutions
When root crops wilt, they lose immunity to disease. The lower part of the root crop begins to wither quickly. To prevent this problem, it is necessary to protect the crop from wind and sun before or immediately after harvesting. If transportation is delayed, do not clean root crops from small earthen lumps.
Important! Carrots cannot withstand even slight freezing. After thawing, the affected tissues lose their juiciness, become covered with mucus and become the center of accumulation of microorganisms.
So, before frost, remove carrots and during storage do not allow the temperature to drop below 0 degrees. If you know that you will not be able to harvest carrots before the cold weather arrives, read this article, in which we talked about how you can preserve carrots in the garden until spring.
What to do if carrots are frozen - don’t panic and recycle
Not all root vegetables are afraid of frost and snow
The harvest has already been almost completely harvested, the preparations have been made, all that remains is to rejoice at the work done at the dacha. But not everyone's autumn goes so smoothly. For one reason or another, troubles happen when there has already been severe frost, and the vegetables were not put into the basement. Some were on vacation, some were sent on a business trip, others simply hesitated and forgot to cover the bag of carrots on the balcony. Indignation - will we really have to throw away our supplies and eat tasteless store-bought vegetables? Take your time, we will tell you what to do if the carrots are frozen, and you will completely save your harvest.
Additional Tips and Warnings
Regardless of the method of storing crops on the balcony, it is important to follow general recommendations:
- Each root crop should be placed isolated from each other. The less carrots are in contact with each other, the less likely it is for rot to spread.
- Boxes with harvest, regardless of the filler, must be tightly closed with lids. You can put an old warm blanket on top. This will create additional protection from severe frosts.
- To ensure high-quality preservation of carrots, first wash them in a chalk solution and dry them thoroughly on paper. After this, the vegetable is ready for further storage.
Carrots can be stored not only in the cellar, but also on the balcony. Moreover, this method is in no way inferior to the first, sit down to properly prepare the root vegetables and comply with all the conditions for its maintenance. When choosing the appropriate method, you need to take into account the variety of carrots and the climatic conditions of your region.
Preparing a cellar or basement for storing carrots
Before storing vegetables, you need to clear the cellar or basement of vegetable remains.
For carrots in the cellar or basement, you need to maintain an air humidity of 90-95%, as well as a temperature of -2...+2°C. There should also be ventilation in the basement, but of medium intensity, because with a large amount of air, root crops will begin to sprout.
Before harvesting, the basement must be insulated, groundwater protection and ventilation checked. Also, the containers and the basement itself need to be cleaned, disinfected and old vegetables, which can become a source of additional problems, removed. Disinfection can be carried out with the smoke of a sulfur bomb or using slaked lime.
