STORAGE Guide

Store these fruits and vegetables well past fall into late winter; then your early spring garden can take over.

- MICHAEL FELDMANN

Once your root cellar is ready, think about which methods will work well for you: What suits your available space and the crops you plan to store? To find out if your crops will store well with the technique you have in mind, check the cropby-crop guide on the following pages.

A list of produce that I’ve had the best experience with for keeping in cold storage follows. If you don’t see a fruit or vegetable listed, it probably isn’t a good keeper in these conditions. Generally, you shouldn’t waste valuable produce or energy on items that will mostly have unsatisfactory outcomes. Therefore, start small the first year and keep notes on successes and failures for the next year.

STORING FRUITS

Many fruits don’t store well in cold storage for long periods of time. Apples and pears are among the few fruits that can be stored in cold storage for up to six months, depending on the cultivar. So, choose long-keeping cultivars if you’re planning to store many of them.

Partition off a section of your root cellar for fruits or at least make sure they’re in separate containers, away from vegetables. Never store fruits with potatoes, turnips or cabbage. Apples and pears release a gas that causes potatoes to sprout, while turnips and cabbage can give out odors that might be absorbed by other produce.

APPLES. Depending on the cultivar, apples will keep for two to six months if stored at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Apples are among the best-keeping fruits, especially cultivars such as Granny Smith that can last up to six months. Stayman Winesap and Rome Beauty are the next best.

Normal storage ranges from four to six months with these cultivars. You can keep Jonathan, McIntosh and Delicious (red or yellow) for shorter periods.