Hispoptart
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Jal-carrots

Jal, I thought since we live in almost the same climate you would be a good person to ask this.

Where and how do you store your carrots? I really don't want to can them, and I am concerned that they will turn to mush if frozen. So how do I keep them fresh? I can only fit so many in my fridge. Thanks

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jal_ut
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I dig a pit and put some in the pit. Potatoes and beets keep well this way too. Here is s picture of the pit when I opened it this spring. The root veggies keep well like this until spring, but it is a pain to get some out of the pit mid winter. Yes, you can go move snow and dig some up on a nice day.

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/pit_open.jpg[/img]

Hispoptart
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Thanks for the reply,
The pit would be great for over wintering, But what a pain to get to if you want to use them over winter. Doesn't the ground freeze to hard to dig into it? I know here when we put out our x-mas decor, by the time it's time to put it away the stakes have to stay in the ground till the ground thaws in spring because they are frozen solid into the ground. We store our potatoes in the basement in burlap bags and they seem to stay good for a long time. Hmm maybe I can get DH to build a box out of thick foam and fill it with straw, them store them in the garage? I don't know though because there is no heat out there and not sure if that would keep them from freezing.

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gixxerific
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You could build a box and sink that. That is an idea, I recently heard about sinking a clay flu liner in the ground with the lip just above the soil surface. You would than put a wood (etc.) lid on that with a weight to hold it down. Than when the real cold temps come in you can put a hay bale or two on top for added insulation.

I have never done this but that is a suggestion I read somewhere that could work.

Thinking about your problems with digging during the winter that might be a handy alternative to get to veggies when it is froze solid out. With the rim of the unit above ground just a bit you and a lid instead of soil it would be more readily accessible.

I still see problems with this when snow is around and hay bales are used. The bales would be froze to the ground. But I am thinking that maybe a tarp or some plastic could be laid down before the bales that would make them not freeze to the ground and more easily removed for access.

Just an idea you may want to try, let us know if you do and it works.

Just had a better idea than plastic alone, how about a piece of plywood the size of the bales. It would possibly become somewhat frozen down but I would think that a simple pry with a shovel or something would loosen it easy enough.

Just thinking here.

Good luck.

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gixxerific
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Me again if anyone is thinking of using the above method. I forgot to mention the flu liner/box should be open at the bottom with a layer of gravel for drainage. Than a layer of hay/straw to protect veggies. Than another layer of hay/straw at the top to add insulation.

This place has some ideas as well

https://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/ho-125.pdf

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jal_ut
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The pit would be great for over wintering, But what a pain to get to if you want to use them over winter. Doesn't the ground freeze to hard to dig into it?
I dig the pit deep enough to have about 10 inches of soil over the vaggies, then mulch with straw or leaves for insulation. It usually snows before we get sub zero weather and that adds insulation too. I have never had carrots freeze when in a pit like this. They come out very crisp and sweet too because they are in contact with damp soil so they do not dehydrate.

If your garage doesn't freeze you could get a tub and some sand. Put the carrots in the tub and cover them with sand. You must use sand to cover the carrots, or they will dehydrate. You can't just leave them in a tub or bucket.

I have heard of people burying an old chest freezer with the lid at ground level and using that to store veggies in. It may need a little more insulation on top too. If you do this, please put a hasp on it and a padlock as a safety measure to keep kids out. That is an ambitious project to dig a hole deep enough to bury a freezer. :shock:

lily51
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I remember my grandmother had a "root cellar" as a part of her cellar. It was a an opening going back into a wall, dark and cool. It was a spooky place :shock: with other nooks and crannies small rooms behind wooden doors.
I really didn't appreciate it at the time, just tried to avoid having to go down there. Maybe today's modern basements that are heated and used as living spaces wouldn't work.

Hispoptart
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I would love to have a root cellar. Our basement is heated, but DH likes it cool for sleeping so all the vents are closed and it keeps it about 62 degrees down there. It's good for our potatoes, onions, and butternuts and now I am wondering if jal's idea to pack the carrots in sand down there might work to.

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digitS'
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I store my carrots just as Jal does.

They are upright, cheek to jowl, in a pit not too far from my kitchen door. Winter becomes a problem but, I suspect, less of a problem than in Jal's neighborhood.

I use short, wide boards to line the top of the hole - fill in about 8" of soil and pile on leaves. Actually, pine needles seem the easiest to work with. Big pile . . .

The soil over the carrots doesn't freeze but moving the snow without mixing in all the pine needles is a little difficult . . . sometimes, just getting to the carrot pit, is difficult. Nevertheless, the carrots (& parsnips & celeriac) will be just fine, when I can get to them - right up to warm weather :) .

Steve

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farmerlon
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jal_ut wrote:
...If your garage doesn't freeze you could get a tub and some sand. Put the carrots in the tub and cover them with sand. You must use sand to cover the carrots, or they will dehydrate. You can't just leave them in a tub or bucket.
As usual, great advice from "jal"...
I think it's also a good idea to moisten the sand a little bit.



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