The best ways to store beets: choosing the right one and protecting the crop from spoilage

Growing root vegetables and harvesting them correctly is only half the battle. You need to know how to keep the harvest for a long time. Such knowledge will be useful both for summer residents trying to preserve root crops from their garden, and for breeders of pets. Let's try to do without annoying mistakes and offensive losses.

What varieties are most suitable for storage

In order not to get rotten fruits and disappointed hopes as a result, you need to know the necessary requirements on how to store beets. It is also important to understand in her grades... Sometimes even the most beautiful and healthy roots are not designed for long storage.

Remember that all early varieties can survive under the best conditions for no more than 4 months. Medium and late varieties last up to 8 months.

Beet varieties suitable for long-term storage:

• Mulatto;
• Salad;
• Libero;
• Wintering;
• Bordeaux 237;
• Bravo;
• Incomparable.

Important! The Cylindra variety, popular among summer residents, is not suitable for winter storage, although it has excellent taste.

When to remove beets from the garden for storage in the fall

It is important to know when it is best to harvest in order to preserve it longer. By the end of summer, the fruits begin to gain weight and nutrients. You need to collect vegetables on time without overexposing them. It must be remembered that beets are dug before the onset of frost. Frozen root vegetables will not be stored for a long time.

You should also take into account the weather conditions during collection. During the period of heavy rains, root crops are excessively saturated with moisture, and there is a risk of decay during further storage. Therefore, it is necessary to dig up beets in dry weather.

Harvest preparation for long-term storage

The storage duration directly depends on the correct preparation of the root crops. First of all, it is necessary to follow the error-free collection technology. One wrong step can lead to the loss of a good half of the crop.

You cannot pull beets out of the ground. This method leads to damage to the skin of the root crop with dry earth particles or sharp pebbles. Such a fruit will not survive until winter. Correct collection of vegetables: dig up the root crop with a shovel or pitchfork, lifting it along with the ground. Then gently pull out the tops or pick with your hands. In dry weather, the beets are left to dry right in the beds for 2-4 hours. If the harvest took place in the rain, drying must be done indoors. You need to scatter the roots on the floor in one layer and let them dry for 2-3 days. The room must be well ventilated.

Dried vegetables must be slightly peeled from the ground. In this case, you can not beat the roots against each other, shaking off the dirt, so as not to damage the skin. For the same reason, it is unacceptable to clean the ground with a knife or other objects that can cause microcracks on the skin of the fruit. Even tiny cracks are an open doorway for infections. An accidentally damaged root crop is best used immediately without leaving it for winter storage.

Then the tops should be trimmed, leaving a tail about 1 cm long. A common mistake is to twist the stems by hand. This method is not recommended. It is also necessary to cut the main root if it is longer than 7 cm.The shorter root is better left. The side roots are also subject to trimming.

Attention! It is unacceptable to wash beets before storing them for winter storage.

The final preparation stage involves careful sorting of the root crops. All rotten, diseased and damaged fruits must be discarded. Set aside vegetables that are too large or small. Only medium-sized fruits are suitable for long-term storage - 10-12 cm in diameter.

Storage options

Root crops are cleaned, dried, sorted and ready for winter storage. We will describe the most convenient and most common storage methods and options, and you will choose which one suits you best. The choice depends on your preferences and capabilities. If there is a cellar, that's great, but even an ordinary apartment will serve as a storage space.

In the apartment

You should not expect that beets will last for a long time at home, but you can count on 3-4 months. Apartment storage involves the arrangement of boxes with roots in a dark place - in the closet, under the bed or closet. The main condition is away from heating appliances. Boxes should be chosen low. Beets should be lined with sand, sawdust or chalk.

The storage method in boxes with sand involves simple steps. River sand must be clean, sieved and calcined. You can ignite it in the oven, this disinfection method is the most convenient. The laying of root crops in boxes is carried out in layers: a layer of sand, a layer of beets, and so on. This technique guarantees the excellent condition of the vegetables for several months.

If the apartment has a frost-protected balcony, and the temperature on it does not drop below 0 ° C, the beets will be perfectly preserved there until spring. The box with sand and root vegetables should be placed on the balcony, covered with a blanket in case of frost.

An open unglazed balcony can also be equipped with a bookmark. A tightly knit wooden box is fine. It is necessary to install it on the balcony, insulate it with foam or expanded polystyrene. You can bring light into the box by installing a small lamp. It is convenient for pulling out vegetables and will serve as heating, preventing the tubers from freezing.

In the basement or cellar

The best option with the best conditions is a cellar or basement.... You can save the harvest of root crops even by simply scattering the beets on the floor. But it is more convenient to make bins, the shelf life will only increase from this.

Beets are well stored in plastic bags of 20-30 kg. In this case, the bags are not tied for free air flow. If, nevertheless, condensation appears on the walls of the bag, the tubers should be poured and dried.

In the cellar, it is also convenient to store tubers in boxes, sprinkling them with sand or salt. We have already considered the method of sanding with sand. And table salt will provide root crops with additional protection, because it has antimicrobial properties.

The sprinkling of previously sifted ashes also prevents the fruit from rotting. Good results are obtained by storing beets in sawdust. Dry products of natural origin do not emit harmful substances, therefore they will not harm the crop.

The ancient storage method is in clay. The method is harmless and very effective. Clay creates a protective shell of the tuber, which prevents rotting and the development of diseases. You need to collect clay, sift through a coarse sieve and dilute with water until the consistency of sour cream. In the resulting slurry, lower the fruits in turn and put them aside until they dry completely. Dried root crops are stored until spring and longer.

Beetroot keeps well with potatoes. They get along well. Potatoes give excess moisture to beets, and they just need it. To do this, beets are placed in 2-3 layers on top of the potatoes.

Shelter in piles

Summer residents often arrange a shelter for vegetables in piles right in their garden. Small piles for beets begin to be made by digging a hole about 40 cm deep.Root crops are laid in the pit, covered with straw and covered with earth from above. As a result, the height of the storage will be about 2 m. In winter, it is necessary to additionally cover it with snow.

Can beets be kept in the fridge or freezer?

Within 1 month, beets are successfully stored in the refrigerator. Some root vegetables may last longer, but should not be kept longer. Over time, they lose moisture and vitamins.

Preparing vegetables for storage includes simple steps:

1. Pre-selected medium-sized fruits must be carefully cleaned of dirt, but not washed.
2. Wrap each fruit separately in parchment paper or cling foil.
3. Fold into the vegetable compartment.

For about the same time, beets are stored in the refrigerator in plastic bags. You need to wash the roots and put them in bags with holes. Plastic containers can be used for this purpose.

An alternative storage method is freezing vegetables... To do this, chopped or chopped vegetables are packed in plastic bags or in food containers and placed in the freezer. This method is best used when other storage methods are not available. With this approach, root crops lose most of the nutrients.

Storing boiled beets

Consider how much boiled beets are stored in the refrigerator. It should be stored at temperatures between 0 ° C and + 6 ° C. The storage duration depends not only on temperature conditions, but also on the state in which it is stored. If the vegetable is peeled, the maximum period for which the beets can be refrigerated is only a day.

Attention! It is better to clean the boiled root vegetable immediately before use.

Planning ahead harvesting vegetables, leave the vegetable unpeeled. This prudence will extend the shelf life of boiled beets up to 5 days. Do not leave the vegetable for storage in the water in which it was cooked, as the appearance and beneficial properties of the fruit will be lost.

You can make supplies of boiled beets by freezing the vegetable. The shelf life of such a product is long. You can store frozen boiled beets without re-freezing for up to 80 days. Place the vegetable in an airtight bag in the freezer. All the beneficial properties of beets are retained even with prolonged freezing.

How to save tops

In addition to using the root crops themselves, it is possible to diversify the winter diet with preserved tops. The tops are stored in the freezer until spring, while its useful substances are not lost.

Step by step instructions on how to do this:

1. Rinse the leaves and stems well, dry and cut.
2. Pack the leaves separately, the stems separately. So it is more convenient to use them later, since they have different cooking times.
3. Remove excess air, seal the package tightly and put it in the freezer.

Important! The tops should be frozen in small portions, since re-freezing greatly affects the taste and safety of nutrients for the worse.

You can save the tops for the winter drying method... To do this, the washed beet stems and leaves must be cut into small pieces. Then dry them in an oven or electric dryer at a temperature of + 60 ° C. Drying is also possible outdoors under a shed without direct sunlight. Further storage of dry pieces is best done in linen bags or glass jars with lids in a dark place.

All valuable vitamins and trace elements of the foliage will help preserve leaven... To do this, rinse the tops, cut into large pieces, put them in a jar, tub or barrel in layers, shifting the greens with cloves of garlic, dill umbrellas and currant leaves. Remember to salt the layers and add some black peppercorns. Maintain the workpiece under oppression in a warm place for 3 days. Then the container is removed to the cellar or refrigerator.

Another way to store tops is conservation. The method differs little from the usual harvesting of cucumbers or tomatoes for the winter. An important condition will only be the need to marinate the leaves and stems separately, since their structure and hardness are different.

Factors affecting storage duration

The best conditions for storing root crops are provided by a basement or cellar. Such a place meets all the rules for long-term storage:

• the room is dark;
• a constant temperature is maintained from 0 ° C to + 2 ° C;
• the required humidity level is within 90-92%;
• there is natural air circulation;
• the possibility of freezing is excluded.

The first 1-2 months of storage, these rules must be strictly observed. This period is characterized by the germination of tops if the temperature rises to + 4 ° C.

Important! The storage time will increase if the beet containers are raised 15 cm from the floor for better air circulation.

The best "neighbors" for beets during storage

It so happens that there is a cellar, but its size is small. With a very compact cellar, it is impossible to fit vegetables at a considerable distance from each other. How, in this case, to place the crop so that everything will be preserved until spring without harm?

The safest neighborhood for beets is potatoes. This method of storing beets is very common: potatoes are poured at the bottom of the box, and beets are poured on top. Potatoes protect the beets from rot.

Good neighbors of beets are carrots and turnips.

Important! When storing root crops together, it should be borne in mind that their keeping quality decreases.

Some useful tips from gardeners

High-quality preservation of the crop is the task of any thrifty gardener. Sometimes it can be helpful to heed the advice of people from your own experience. We offer several recommendations:

Valentine: «Often during storage of beets and during cooking, I noticed a black core with an unpleasant odor on the cut. This disease is phomosis. Against the disease, I spill beets with a solution of boric acid 5 g per 10 liters of water. Prevention should be carried out 2 times per season. AND before boarding it is better to add lime to the garden. "

Nikolay: “Beets are a good storage vegetable. Don't be upset if there is no basement or cellar. It is perfectly stored in any cool room up to + 4 ° C. I air dry the vegetables, cut off the tops, leaving a 2 cm tail. I throw out the diseased and damaged fruits. I do not fold too large or small fruits. Vegetables with a diameter of 5-10 cm are best stored. I put vegetables in low boxes with air holes. I put the boxes on supports 15-20 cm from the floor, without moving them to the wall. If there is no storage space, dry or freeze the beets. It preserves vitamins wonderfully. "

Valery: “I store beets in the cellar in a special way. I took the advice of a friend and did not regret it. Before that I tried all known methods, but part of the harvest was still lost. A friend advised to store beets in a metal container with a straight neck. I put the dried vegetables in an aluminum jar and closed the neck with a piece of glass. A smooth opening at the storage container is needed for tightness. I put the flask in the cellar until spring. Each time, taking out the beets, I wiped the glass from the condensation. Miraculously, all the fruits survived until the end of May. At the same time, they did not deteriorate, did not fade. Every last root crop was well preserved and useful. I share my experience, try it! "

Conclusion

By applying your knowledge of storage, you can enjoy your harvest for a long time. Having properly prepared the fruits and equipping the vegetable store, you can use the blanks for up to 7-8 months in basement storage. Home storage will provide you with beets for 4 months.