How to… store your produce

Plenty of crops, if stored correctly, will keep for months with no need for freezing, bottling or preserving. These include all kinds of roots, the onion and squash families, hard fruits and even brassicas

 
Seek perfection

The golden rule is to store only fruit and vegetables that are in perfect condition. The old saying that one bad apple spoils the barrel is very true and applies to other produce, too. Allowing air circulation and maintaining a constant temperature also helps, so outbuildings may be better than lofts or pantries.

 

Nature's store cupboard

Don't rush to stow everything away - root veg keeps well in the ground and many benefit from remaining there through at least one frost, except if your patch becomes waterlogged or you have particularly voracious predators, such as slugs.

 

Root vegetables

Twist off the green leaves of carrots and arrange in a sturdy box, layering them with damp sand, sawdust from untreated wood, or even compost, making sure they don't touch each other. Swede and beetroot
can also be stored this way.

 

Potatoes

Potatoes need to be kept in the dark, or they will go green and grow sprouts. Rub off damp mud, allow the skins to dry and keep them in paper sacks or hessian bags (buy these at www.organiccatalog.com). Storing any produce long-term in plastic leads to ‘sweating' and rotting. If you've room outside, you can make a ‘potato clamp': heap the potatoes onto a thick layer of straw, cover with more straw, and pile a layer of earth on top; take the earth from around the clamp to create a drainage trench. Pack the earth firmly, but leave an air hole at the top.

 

Onions, shallots and garlic

These must be kept in the light or they'll start to sprout. Allow the outer skins to dry naturally, plait the stems, then hang the crop in a cool, airy place. Alternatives include slatted shelves, onion nets, or even
an old pair of tights.

 

Squash

Pumpkins and marrows will last longer in a net that allows air to circulate, and squash simply need to be put in a cool, dry place. Butternut and spaghetti varieties store well.

 

Brassicas

Cabbage heads can be kept in nets, on a slatted shelf, or laid on straw. They mustn't touch each other. The outer leaves will wither and need to be trimmed before eating - the same goes for sprouts which should be left in the ground if possible but, if necessary, cut the whole stem and hang it up.

 

Hard fruits

Late-season apples store well. Wrap each one in newspaper or tissue and keep where air can circulate around it, in wooden trays or racks or on slatted shelves. Pears should be picked for storage when firm; they can be unwrapped but must be kept in a single layer. Bring them into a warm place to ripen before eating. 

 

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 If you liked that, try these...

The complete guide: setting up a smallholding  

 

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Kitchen storage: solutions for small spaces 

 

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