Storing carrots in the winter is an urgent issue, as this vegetable tolerates the autumn-winter period very poorly. But this is not a reason for frustration, since there are a sufficient number of effective ways.
All of them are simple, affordable and do not require much time. On the best methods of preserving this useful vegetable, read the article.
Peculiarities of vegetable structure for preservation
During the storage of the harvest, the process of respiration. Its essence is the slow oxidation of complex organic substances that break down into simpler ones. This process occurs with the release of energy. During breathing, oxygen is absorbed and carbon dioxide is released.
With an excessive accumulation of CO2 during long-term storage, product quality deteriorates and sometimes leads to its deterioration. Storing root crops is accompanied by evaporation of moisture, fading and misting. The change in the mass of the fruit is due to evaporation of moisture. Sweating occurs when the vegetable is poured high under the ceiling, leaving no space. The heat insulation of the ceiling also affects the fogging.
What varieties can be stored?
Early and mid-season varieties of small length poorly retain moisture, so they are not suitable for long-term preservation. Use them before the onset of cold weather or canned.
For long-term preservation, select late-ripening carrots, the length of the fruit in which not less than 20 cm. It is:
- Forto.
- Valeria.
- Vita Long
- Moscow winter.
- Berlicum
- Nuance.
- Queen of autumn.
- Karlen.
- Flaccore.
- Samson.
- Shantane.
About what varieties of carrots are suitable for long-term storage for the winter, read this article.
Interesting methods at home
How to save in food film?
This method is one of the most common and effective. Procedure:
- Harvest the harvested crops thoroughly, trim the tops, assess the condition. If the carrot has any damage, then it is thrown to the side.
- For longer storage of roots can be pre-sprayed with infusion of onion peel. To do this, take 100 grams of raw materials and 1 liter of water. Insist 5 days.
- In this infusion, you can immerse the roots for 10 minutes, then lay out on a dry cloth so that they dry thoroughly.
- Each root vegetable wrap in food film 4-5 times.
- Ensure that all parts of the carrot are wrapped and not touching with the adjacent vegetable.
In the ashes
Storing carrots in the ashes is great for storing vegetables in the basement. Procedure:
- Combine ash and chalk powder in a ratio of 3: 1.
- Place the mixture in a wooden container.
- Crop wash, remove the tops, dry, put in the ash with thick ends of the chalk up and lightly sprinkle with the composition.
IMPORTANT: Thanks to chalk, it is possible to stop the multiplication of bacteria and preserve the freshness and taste of carrots for a long time.
Using vacuum packaging
For this method you need to prepare film bags with a capacity of 5-30 kg. Plastic bags with root vegetables stored in cool rooms. Humidity in bags is 96-98%, so that carrots will not wilt. And during the storage of vegetables, they should be open.
If they are tied, carbon dioxide will accumulate, the concentration of which is several times higher than the oxygen content. Because of this, the carrot will spoil. You can store in closed bags, but then you have to take care of ventilation. Just make a few holes. The procedure is as follows:
- Wash and dry the carrots (about whether to wash the carrots before storing them for storage, it is written in detail here).
- Put it in prepared bags (in one bag about 5-6 carrots).
- To close the bags, you can use the old proven method - iron. Put the two edges of the bag together, on top of the newspaper and walk on it with a hot iron. Under the influence of high temperature, the edges of the bag are glued together.
- Also, the air from the bag with a vegetable can be removed with a vacuum cleaner.
- Pack bags in any box (plastic or wooden) and place it in the basement or pantry.
During storage, condensation may form on the inner surface of the bags. He talks about the high humidity in the room. You can prevent this by sprinkling fluff lime near sacks of carrots. She can absorb the excess moisture.
Storage of carrots in vacuum packaging:
In caisson
Caisson is waterproof design. In other words, it is a box that is externally equipped so that no external air enters it. This is a great way to store carrots, for which you must comply with a number of measures:
- Wash the carrots thoroughly and remove the tops (how to cut carrots for storage is described here).
- Dry the roots in the shade, and after thoroughly drying them, put them in plastic bags (5-6 pieces).
- Ready to store vegetables to put in the caisson on the same day.
- The box itself can be left in the pantry or lowered into the cellar.
In the vegetable store
Vegetable store used for storing large quantities of root vegetables. But this method has one minus - carrots, which is on top, spoils due to excess moisture. But completely deprive it of moisture can not, because of this, it will begin to wilt. To extend the storage of carrots in the vegetable store, you must follow these simple guidelines:
- Regularly (every 1-2 days), the vegetable store should be aired.
- Cover the top of the carrot burlap.
- To increase the humidity of the air can be placed in a container with water.
In newspapers
This method is the easiest and least reliable. All that is needed, so that already cleaned carrots wrap in a newspaper. Make sure the whole root vegetable is completely in paper. Ready vegetables to put in the box and set it in a cool room (about what the temperature should be in the room for long-term storage of carrots, according to our material).
In an aluminum tank
There is a very interesting way to store carrots in an aluminum tank.. If this storage option is selected, the procedure is as follows:
- Wash carrots thoroughly, trim the tops and lay on a dry cloth to dry.
- Place the root vegetable in the tank in an upright position, and cover the top with a paper towel.
- Close the tank lid and place the container in a cool place, where the air humidity is high.
TIP: With this method of storage carrots will retain their original appearance until the new crop is harvested.
Preservation technology in the cellar
You can use the following methods:
- In a wooden box. Root vegetables folded in a wooden box, equipped with a lid. Cover it and install it in the cellar at a distance of 10-15 cm from the wall. The fact that the walls can be damp, and then the moisture in the boxes will not fall. It is not recommended to place boxes on the floor, it is best to use a low stand. In one box to put no more than 20 kg of carrots.
- In chalk solution. Dilute chalk with water until a homogeneous liquid solution is obtained, each root vegetable should be dipped into the solution and dried. Put ready-made copies in the box and install it in a cool room. Chalk can be used differently. Powder powders dry powder. On 10 kg of root crops 200 g of chalk will leave. Due to the alkaline properties of chalk, the reproduction of microorganisms stops.
How to store carrots in the cellar, learn here.
How to fall asleep?
To preserve the harvest of carrots to use materials for filling.
We list the most common:
- Onion Husk. If you use this material, then you need to prepare it in large quantities. Husk takes away excess moisture, protects root crops from the formation of foci of rotting and spread of pathogenic microflora. Roll in the husk to each fruit and sprinkle it on top, and then set the box of carrots in the basement.
- Softwood sawdust. Phenol, which is contained in the needles, protects the roots from the development of disease and rot. Put the carrots in a box, cover them with sawdust, put the vegetables and sprinkle them on top. Install a drawer in the basement, but not on the floor, but on the stand.
- Sand. On the floor in the cellar to perform a thick pillow of sand. Put the carrots in a row and sprinkle with sand. The next row of roots to lay on the previous one in a checkerboard pattern. Powder the sand again and continue by analogy until the height of the pyramid is 1 m. Before applying the sand, sift it, and it is better to ignite it for disinfection purposes.
- How to prepare carrots for storage?
- When should the carrots be removed from the garden for winter storage?
- How to keep carrots for the winter in the apartment?
Conclusion
It turns out that storing carrots is completely easy. The main thing is to find the best way to do this. Here it is necessary to be guided by such criteria as the variety, the level of humidity in the basement, and also for how long it is necessary to keep the crop fresh and tasty (for the carrots storage period read here) Also choose the material than pouring root vegetable, if you decide to store it in the cellar.