![]() This can be done at little expense with the addition of shelves, bins, and other storage containers preferably placed in the dampest spot and against exterior walls that are in contact with soil (for the optimal temperature and humidity conditions). The simplest strategy may be to turn your basement, or a corner of it, into a cold storage cellar. Short of drawing up complex plans and embarking on a major construction project, there are many ways to retro-fit a natural cold food storage space into many different home and garden situations. ![]() Traditional root cellars are built into the side of a hill, affording entry while also getting the natural benefits of underground storage. Above: Root cellars also provide storage for nuts and seeds. Other unsuspecting edibles like leeks, brussels sprouts, peppers, and citrus fruits can last in a cold room for periods of two to eight weeks, depending on the type of vegetable and the conditions. That includes members of the squash family, apples, beets, potatoes and onions. Particularly good are biennial vegetables, from plants that flower and set seed during the following season, meaning they’re programmed for long storage. Above: Photograph via Shenandoah Valley Flowers. While sturdy root vegetables are great candidates for cellaring, many other vegetables and fruits from the fall bounty can be stored. Are root cellars just for root vegetables? Thermometers and hygrometers can be used to monitor cellar conditions. The flavor and texture of vegetables change very little while they’re in storage, and they retain most of their nutritional value.Ībove: A root cellar isn’t entirely ineffective if it doesn’t meet the ideal conditions noted above, but it performs better when it can. The humidity level prevents loss of moisture through evaporation. Scientifically speaking, this system works by slowing the release of ethylene gas from the crops and stopping the growth of microorganisms that cause decomposition. Relative humidity should be 80 to 90 percent. The key is cool, with an ideal cellar temperature range somewhere between 32 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. How does a root cellar work?Ī root cellar preserves food because it is both cool and humid – the soil underground keeps the space above freezing temperature and the moisture in the air prevents vegetables from losing water and becoming rubbery. For more, see Cheat Sheet: How to Keep Vegetables Fresh Longer. Above: Vegetable haul. Photograph by Erin Boyle. ![]() ![]() Ideal for more than root vegetables, “cold cellar” might be a better name. Usually built underground or into the ground, this space is so-called because the primary use historically was storing root crops to extract the maximum usable life out of them. Root cellars predate refrigeration, taking advantage of the earth’s natural cooling, insulating, and humidifying properties to protect and extend the life of food stores. Above: Photograph via More Love XOXO.Ī modern root cellar and a pantry have much in common. And, the abundance of local farmers markets and even our own vegetable gardens has us thinking, will the root cellar become the new wine cellar? We think it should. Old basement? Wine cellar! That vacant space under the garage stairs? Wine cellar! But, how many of us really have a collection of 500 vintage wines? What we do have is food. No home was complete without one, so they appeared in virtually any available nook and cranny. It was the room de rigueur when it came to home renovations. Anyone hunting for a home in the last decade was sure to get an earful about the wine cellar.
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