Tips for Storing Fall Vegetables

Types of Vegetables to Store Pumpkins and Winter Squash

Onions

Garlic

Potatoes

Carrots (and other root crops such

as beets, horseradish, parsnips, rutabaga, turnips, winder radishes.)

Tomatoes

Apples/Pears

Leafy greens

Cabbage

Places to store vegetablesYou always want to keep in mind, (temperature, humidity, ventilation, accessibility) Just Remember: The human race probably wouldn’t be around today if preserving food were technically complicated (Dont stress!)

TemperatureCool/Dark (Without Freezeing!)

IDEAL storing temps between (32-40 degrees) A general rule for vegetables is that cool-season crops should be stored at cooler temperatures (32 to 35°F), and warm-season crops should be stored at warmer temperatures (45 to 55°F). There are exceptions to this rule, though.

Examples of warm-season crops: peppers, cucumbers, watermelon, jicima,okra, tomatoes, sweet potato) - (55 degrees with high humidity)Onions and winter squash are the exceptions of cold season crops (They like cool and dry) (not cold) How to do it: Utilize cool places in your homeGarage, basement, under a bed, a certain cabinet, or closet, many of us have a spot in our home which stays rather cool.

Humidity Moisture (High humidity (between 80 and 95 percent relative humidity) Keeps vegetables from drying out! (Hygrometer helps)

The exception to this rule is with cucurbits (squash family) and onions — vegetables that produce a thick wall. These vegetables prefer dry storage conditions and tend to mold when the moisture is high.)

The easiest way to keep the moisture high is to have a dirt floor, which helps the root cellar keep a constant moisture during the winter. If the floor is concrete or wood, it may be necessary to place several pans of water on the floor. Vegetables are 90 percent water. Other ideas(adding container of moistened salt to fridge, damp burlap bags over produce etc)

VentillationVentilation is used to help control the temperature and humidity. Excess moisture that encourages mold can be exhausted and the room can be aired out when not in use. Be sure the ventilation system is screened to keep rodents out.

Storage conditions

● Cool and dry

● (about 55 degrees with low humdity)

● Can store for 6-8 months

Tips

1. Store with stem still attached for

longevity

2. Laundry baskets, or crates with slats

work well for storage containers

3. Squash with the thickest skin will last

the very longest (think acorn vs

butternut)

4. Oil buffing can also help. Putting a

light, non greasy layer of oil prevents

mold on squash. (Make sure squash

are clean)

Onions

Storage conditions

● Cool and dry

● (about 40-50 degrees/60/70%

humidity )

● Storage life- 1-8 months

Tips

1. Plant long-day varieties of onions

2. Harvest onions when ½ leaves die

3. “Cure” onions for two weeks in a cool,

dry ventilated place (no sun!). (gives

them protective skin)

4. Cut tops off leaves 1-2”

5. Do not store near potatoes or apples!

Onions

Storage conditions

● Cool and dry

● (about 30-45 degrees/60/70%

humidity )

● Storage life- 6-7 months

Tips

1. Similar to onions in harvest/storage

conditions

2. Other methods of storing besides

pantiohose include -vegetable rack,

mesh bag, braiding

3. If they are starting to get mushy or

spouting/don't want it to deteriorate,

separate head of garlic into whole

cloves and freeze with skin on. When

thawed, skin will peel easily for

cooking.

● Cool and dry

● (about 40 degrees 90% humidity )

● Storage life- 5-10 months

Tips

1. When harvesting (storage potatoes),

brush dirt but do not wash potatoes

2. Cure for two weeks on layers of

newspaper in a cool dark place to develop

skin

3. Prevent rot and sprouting, layer in box

with straw/peat moss, paper shavings .

(make sure potatoes aren’t touching.)

Other ways to store, brown paper bag

away from light.-

4. Check for rot/sprouting frequently

5. Keep away from apples, bananas , onions,

garlic

6. Do not store in fridge! (Increases sugars

and chemical called acrylamide

Onions

Storage conditions

● Cold and humid

● (about 32 degrees/90-100%humidity )

● Storage life- 4-6 months

Tips

1. Cut tops off (the green part, because it

pulls moisture from the

vegetable=dry/cracked)

2. Make sure none are damaged (spoil

quickly)

3. Place unwashed root veggies with tops

cut into moist sand/peatmoss,pine

shavings, fresh potting soil, in

alternating rows.

4. Cover each layer with material of

choice.)

5. Place them in cool place, check for

spoilage.

Tomatoes

Storage conditions: 55 degrees,

75% humidity

Pick when green before first

killing frost (below 28 degrees)

Let ripen in box, using the red

ones first

Or, you can pick the whole plant

and hand upside down in a

shed/barn. Eat tomatoes as

they ripen.

Onions

Apples/Pears Storage Conditions

● Cold and humid

● (about 32-40

degrees/90-95%humidity )

● Storage life- 1-12 months

Tips

1. Pick a storage variety of apple

2. Harvest when apples are full of color but

there are not dozens fallen on the ground

(peak ripeness = peak storage cabability

3. Only store apples that have no blemishes,

worm holes, bruising.

4. Wrap in newspaper or store in a cool place

or store in a cool place without them

touching. (Wrapping with elderberry flowers

will give them a pineapple flavor)

5. Do not store near potatoes/other vegetables

Onions

Leafy Greens (Kale/Spinach)

● Cold and humid

● (about 32-40

degrees/90-95%humidity )

● Storage life- 1+ months

Tips

1. If you don’t to store kale outside with season

extenders, pull whole kale/spinach plant up

by root. Replant in pots and store in root

cellar. (Can also be stored with roots intact

on slatted shelf

2. Remove yellowing leaves and water as

necessary

Onions

Cabbage

● Cold and moist

● (about 32 degrees/90-95%humidity )

● Storage life- 5-6 months

Tips

1. Do not wash outer leaves before storing

them.Solid heads picked with outside wrapping leaves store the best.

2. Pull cabbage by root and replant in soil. Keep

in cool storage.

3. Can also hang upside down from root.

4. Like all storage fruits and vegetables, can be

stored in a garden pit/mound, trench,

5. Check cabbages often for

Sourcesfile:///home/chronos/u-12fc65c6959991de07fecf3a3864193eef694c72/MyFiles/Downloads/HGA-00331.pdf (Alaska Extension Office)

https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/harvesting-and-storing-home-garden-vegetables

https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/storing-garden-produce

https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/storage-of-home-grown-vegetables-7-601/

https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/faq/i-would-grow-onions-storage-over-winter-which-onion-varieties-are-best-storage#:~:text=Onion%20cultivars%20that%20are%20good,suitable%20for%20short%2Dterm%20storage.

https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/fact-sheets/onions-harvest-curing

https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4135e/#:~:text=A%20general%20rule%20for%20vegetables,exceptions%20to%20this%20rule%2C%20though.

https://www.southernexposure.com/blog/2017/08/how-to-store-crops-without-a-root-cellar/

https://extension.unh.edu/blog/storing-fall-vegetables

https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6226

https://news.extension.uconn.edu/2017/11/30/cold-storage-a-sustainable-way-to-preserve-the-harvest/

https://web.extension.illinois.edu/tog/storing.cfm#:~:text=Extra%20vegetables%20should%20be%20kept,danger%20of%20the%20soil%20freezing.

http://pubs.cahnrs.wsu.edu/publications/pubs/eb1326e/

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/freeze_damage_in_fall_vegetables_identifying_and_preventing

http://extension.msstate.edu/vegetable-gardening-mississippi/storing-vegetables-and-seeds