Carrots are one of the most popular vegetables in the world, rich in microelements and vitamins. Root crop is used for cooking first courses, side dishes and even desserts.
Most often it is possible to meet sowing carrots with a rough ligneous orange or whitish root.
This is the oldest root vegetable that people began to eat. According to legend, for the first time a man saw carrots eating a horse. He became interested, and he took away the plant from the animal. In order to enjoy this vegetable not only in summer, but in winter, it is necessary to collect it correctly and choose the best way of storage.
Peculiarities of vegetable structure
For storage use late varieties of carrots. A week before harvesting the vegetable should be generously watered with water, it will make it juicy and sweet. Harvesting is better in warm, dry weather, trying not to scratch a vegetable, as this will shorten its storage life. After harvesting, the carrot must be washed, because about 3% of microorganisms remain on its surface.
After 6-7 months, the root crop has higher protective properties than unwashed and has the appearance of freshly harvested.
Top grade for storage
Flacoro
This type of carrot gives a high yield and large root vegetables. The fruits of carrots are sweet, and in length reach up to 28 cm.
Sweet winter
The variety has a high yield and is universal. Fruits reach 20 cm and have a rich taste.
Vita Long
This is one of the popular varieties for storage. Fruits have high resistance to the appearance of rot. It can be used fresh and for preservation, tolerates transportation and is well kept.
Vitamin 6
When stored, it preserves its external qualities and taste.. The length of the fruit is 15 cm and has a conical shape.
Queen of autumn
Fruits reach a length of 25-30 cm, and have a sweet taste. When storing do not crack. You can store for at least a year.
Flakke
Imported carrot variety, which allows to get high yields in Russia. The peculiarity of this variety is resistance to cracking and pathogens. The fruits have excellent taste and are suitable for long-term storage.
F1 cascade
Fruits are short, and the flesh is juicy and bright orange. Carrots of this variety are resistant to diseases, can be used in its pure form and for cooking baby food. Suitable for long term storage.
The emperor
It tolerates transportation and long-term storage. Resistant to diseases. The length of the fruit is 25-30 cm.
Chance
It is resistant to diseases and cold. The variety gives a great harvest, juicy and pleasant to the taste.
How to save the crop at home?
How to save carrots for the winter at home, depending on whether the washed roots or not? Consider two storage methods.
Washed root crops
To preserve the taste of washed carrots, follow the instructions.:
- Wash dirty carrots and then dry. Moisture is bad for the safety of the crop.
- Prepare in the basement storage box and fill them with sawdust or sand. Put carrots in them. The height above the floor must be at least 1m. In addition to boxes, root vegetables can be stored in plastic bags by placing them on wooden decking.
Important! No need to tie packages, otherwise moisture will form inside.
- Air circulation should be negligible.
Is it possible to store washed carrots in this way in the cellar until spring? Possible but in the absence of the cellar, you can use the pit, which should be pre-dug and insulated.
Root vegetables unwashed
- 2 days before preparation for storage, the crop is cooled to 0 degrees. Dry the harvested carrots.
- The storage room should be dry and the air temperature should be 10-12 degrees. Humidity is not lower than 90%.
If the room is too warm, the roots will begin to fade.
- To process the room and boxes with the help of copper sulfate.
- Cracked carrots are not suitable for storage.
There are several ways to store:
- In sand. According to gardeners, this is one of the best ways to store. It is better to do this in wet, but not wet sand. Moistening is done at the rate of 1 liter of water per bucket of sand. Layers alternately lay sand and fruit.
Recommendation. It is better to add a small amount of chalk to the sand. He will save carrots from rotting.
- In the clay.
- In sawdust. Convenient and easy way. Dried root vegetables are placed in one layer at the bottom of the box, sawdust is poured from above. This is done in layers until the box is full.
- In onion peel.
- With the help of moss.
- Plastic bag. Dried carrots are placed in bags and holes are made for air circulation.
As a result, everyone chooses the storage method himself. But no matter how the carrots are stored, they need to be periodically checked in order to notice and pick spoiled vegetables from healthy root vegetables in time.
Possible problems
If the temperature in the basement drops below 2 degrees, the crop must be covered with felt to prevent freezing. Carrots can germinate due to excessive air circulation in a warm basement..
Tips & Warnings
- Wash carrots preferably under running water. If this is not possible, then you can use two containers with water. One for washing the fruit, the second for rinsing.
- After harvesting, the “ass” of the fruit is removed with a sharp knife at a distance of 1 to 3 cm. Sections should be thoroughly dried.
- To save the best late varieties cone-shaped. Early varieties are not intended for long-term maturation.
Besides, harvest not in time is difficult to keep in the underground until spring. It loses a part of its taste characteristics, and also in such root crops the keeping quality is significantly reduced. On the package with seeds is always indicated a table of the timing of planting and harvesting of root crops.
However, if the packaging has not been preserved, the experience of experienced gardeners will come to the rescue. When the lower leaves of the tops have turned yellow, the carrots are fully ready for harvest. Bright green tops indicate a lack of ripeness of the crop. Such carrots have not had time to gain sweetness. Fully yellowed tops indicate overripe.
Conclusion
If the necessary conditions are met, it is quite realistic and not difficult to keep a small harvest of washed carrots grown on our own land, until next summer. Remove washed carrots from home storage and then use it much more pleasantly.than dirty, so the choice of how to store - washed or not - is yours.
If you are not yet sure how best, and the experience of others is contradictory, try splitting the harvest into two batches and try both methods for your storage conditions.
