Prepare Root Vegetable Crops for Storage

Root crops must be kept moist so that they do not shrivel up and dry. Traditionally they are nestled into buckets and mulched with damp sawdust, leaves or sand. A simple, cleaner alternative is to wrap them in moistened burlap. The reusable burlap will reduce transpiration and aid in keeping crops firmer, but will still allow adequate circulation to prevent rotting.

While preparing your crops for storage, discard any diseased, damaged or immature roots, as there is no point in storing problems. Remove the tops of all root crops, simply done by cracking them off.

Shake off any excess soil, give the roots a soft wipe and wrap them in slightly damp burlap.

Place them in the root cellar, either hanging or on wooden racks. Ideally root cellars are dark and cool, with a temperature of 4 °C (39 °F).

Periodically mist the burlap to keep the vegetables moist. Properly stored root crops keep up to four months.

When purchasing burlap to store root crops, look for untreated, undyed burlap with a medium weave, available at most garden centres.

You can reuse the burlap from year to year. Simply wash, fold and store it between harvests.

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