How to store carrots at home

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

The human diet should be varied and balanced. Eating enough vegetables has a big impact on he alth. One of the leaders in the content of nutrients is carrots. This indispensable vegetable can be used to prepare thousands of different dishes, from appetizers to delicious desserts. In order to get the maximum taste and benefits, it is important to know how to properly store carrots.

Short description

This vegetable is a herbaceous plant with a large root crop. Mentions of its use in food were found in various historical sources dating back to times before our era.

Today, carrots are one of the most common vegetables in the world. Many species of this root crop have been cultivated, differing in color and taste. Thanks to modern technology, carrots have a very high yield.

The benefits of eating a vegetable are enormous. First of all, carrots are famous for their high content of vitamin A, which is responsible for the condition of the skin andhuman vision. The use of this root crop is indicated for various diseases and their prevention, beriberi, anemia. It has anti-inflammatory, healing and antiseptic properties.

Harvest rules

Before getting acquainted with information on how to store carrots and send them for the winter, it is important to know about the collection procedure.

If you harvest too early, carrots will not be able to accumulate all the necessary nutrients. Harvesting late can lead to root cracking, poor taste and lethargy.

The ripening time of the root crop depends on its variety, as well as weather conditions and timely care. Early types of vegetables are ready to eat in the middle of the season, medium varieties should ripen within 80-100 days. Late varieties of carrots are the most suitable for wintering. Such a root crop ripens for more than 110 days.

Hot weather conditions when harvesting carrots will not be conducive to long-term storage, and the first frosts can completely destroy the crop. Therefore, it is important to choose warm, dry weather for the collection time.

One of the signs of a ripe crop is the tops, which begin to turn yellow. However, it should not completely wither, as this will be a sign of root disease.

When digging out of the garden, carefully lift the carrots together with the ground with a shovel or pitchfork, supporting it by the tops. In this case, it is important not to damage the root crop with a garden tool, since it is impossible to store carrots in this case.

Preparing for winter season

After the carrots are on the surface of the bed, you need to clear it of excess land. Next, the vegetable must be dried, but not more than three hours, to prevent wilting and loss of vitamins.

When the root crop is slightly dried, you need to remove the tops, as it is unacceptable to store carrots with greens. In this case, the vegetable will lose its juiciness and nutrients. Therefore, the tops must be cut or unscrewed. For long-term storage of carrots, it is useful to make a cut along with the base of the root crop, about 1 centimeter. This will prevent the vegetable from withering in winter and from sprouting.

It is strictly forbidden to wash carrots in case of storage with whole fruits. In this case, within a short period of time, the crop will lose its elasticity and become unsuitable for long-term harvesting.

Storage conditions

In order to keep carrots as long as possible, it is necessary to separate all damaged, wilted root crops from whole and ripe ones. One affected or rotten vegetable can infect the rest and ruin the entire crop.

During storage of carrots, it is also important to sort them out periodically, separating spoiled specimens.

Store different varieties of carrots separately. It will also be useful to separate the roots of different sizes.

Air temperature for long-term storage of the root crop is extremely important. It should not fall below zero, as this will lead to freezing of the vegetable and subsequent rotting. An increase in temperature of more than 3 degrees can also bring the crop intoworthlessness. In warm conditions, carrots will begin to sprout, losing their benefits and taste.

It is also important to provide optimal humidity and ventilation in the storage room. The absence of these conditions, an increase in humidity can lead to the appearance of mold on root crops.

Storing carrots in a private home

How to store carrots at home? The best place to overwinter a root crop is a basement or cellar.

There are many different ways to extend the shelf life. The main and most common are:

1. Storage in sand. This requires clean and slightly damp loamy sand and a container for vegetables. Boxes, small barrels and buckets are suitable for this, on the bottom of which a little sand is first poured. Then the carrots are laid in rows at a short distance from each other and again covered with sand. There may be several such layers. Sand maintains a constant temperature, protects root crops from moisture loss and pests.



2. Storage in clay. This method is also quite common. This will require clay diluted with water and boxes lined with polyethylene to prevent leakage. Carrots are also placed in a container in rows and poured with a solution. Before making the next row of carrots, you must wait for the previous one to dry. Also, carrots can be dipped into the clay solution one at a time, dried and put into boxes. Storing in clay ensures the preservation of the vegetable for up to 9 months.
3. Storagein bags. In this case, it is better to use polyethylene bags. They maintain optimal humidity, which ensures good preservation of the product. Bags should be kept open or holes made for ventilation, as without ventilation, the humidity will be very high. This will cause the product to rot.
4. Storage in baskets and boxes can also be used for carrots. Moreover, if it is not possible to use the above methods, it will be useful to wrap the roots in paper to maintain temperature and humidity.
5. Storage in sawdust. You will need boxes and dry sawdust of coniferous trees. As in the first case, the carrots are stacked in rows and poured. The needles prevent the development of bacteria and the decay of vegetables.

Storage in the apartment

The main rule when storing a root crop in an apartment is to observe the temperature regime. As already mentioned, under hypothermia, carrots will quickly deteriorate, as well as at elevated air temperatures.

When storing carrots in an apartment, as in a private house, you can use several methods:

1. Storage on the balcony. In this case, it is necessary to monitor the air temperature, and also avoid direct sunlight. Root crops can be stored on the balcony and loggia in any accessible form. It can be clay, sand or boxes. When the air temperature drops, it is necessary to cover the carrots with warm material or transfer them to storage in another suitable place.
2. To store carrots, you can usedrying process. In this case, the root crop should be washed, cleaned and chopped. Then pour a thin layer on a tray and dry in a warm place. For this method, you can use special dryers.



3. You can also store carrots in a dark pantry away from heaters.

Other types of storage

You can store carrots in the refrigerator. In this case, the carrots should be folded into a plastic bag without closing it, and placed in a box. Leaving the carrots unwashed will greatly prolong the freshness of the root.

Another way to preserve this he althy vegetable is freezing. To do this, carrots need to be washed, peeled, chopped in any way (grated with different nozzles, chopped, coarsely chopped), put in a special container or bag for freezing and placed in a chamber. This method will keep the product for a long time. In addition, it is very practical for further use in food.

Storing carrots in the refrigerator, as well as in the freezer, is the most affordable and convenient way, regardless of where you live.

You can squeeze juice from carrots. Such a canned drink is another way to preserve the root crop. The residue after the spin is not worth throwing away. It can also be frozen and used in further cooking.

Shelf life

To answer the question of how long carrots can be stored in the refrigerator, as well as when using other methods of wintering the root crop, it is important to considerseveral factors: compliance with temperature, humidity, room conditions and crop quality.

The shelf life of carrots also depends on the variety. Early ripe carrots are not subject to long storage. Varieties of medium ripeness can withstand two to three months. Late varieties are stored the longest, from 6 months to a year.

The described methods keep fresh root crops for a long time. Freezing provides the longest storage of carrots, which allows you to prepare a vegetable for a whole year. Fresh carrots keep in the refrigerator for two to three months.

Conclusion

Today it is difficult to imagine a human diet without carrots. After all, it is not only a very tasty vegetable, but also contains a lot of nutrients needed by the body.

There are a lot of ways to store carrots, both in a private house and in an apartment. Most of them are available for any living conditions. You just need to choose the appropriate option that will allow you to save the vegetable for a long time.