Beetroot is the vegetable that always, one way or another, includes our menu. How to keep beets for winter at home? This question becomes especially relevant if you own your own garden or country plot.
.- Beet storage - basic rules
- How to store beets correctly
- Storage in the sand
- Storage on potatoes
- Storage in polyethylene bags
- Storage in salt
- Beets for winter - storage in sawdust or ash
- Storage in clay
- How to store beets in an apartment?
- How to store beets in the refrigerator?
- Freezing beets
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This vegetable is really an indispensable product, we use it when preparing the first dishes, salads, side dishes, conservation. Almost every house can always find a couple of root crops. And if you grow it for sale or harvested as pet food, the issue of the preservation of the crop becomes especially relevant. Let's look more closely at how to store beets at home and how to do it correctly.
The peculiarities of preserving the nutritional fitness of beets, by and large, do not differ much from the general norms for storing vegetables. However, there are some nuances, ancient folk tricks, allowing to save the palatability and useful qualities of this root crop before the new harvest.
.Vintage, photo:
↑ back to content ↑Beet storage - basic rules
Harvest time is no less important than preparing root crops for storage. It should also be taken into account that for each variety there are individual maturation periods. Thus, early maturity varieties will be ready for harvesting in 50-80 days, from the moment when the first shoots will see the light. Approximately mid-summer / early August, the early beets can be removed from the ground.
Medium-ripened varieties are ready to be harvested about 80-100 days after the emergence of sprouts, and by the middle or end of August it will be possible to harvest. Sometimes the collection time can be delayed until the first days of autumn, this occurs when the crop was planted in late spring or early in the summer.
Late grades ripen the longest, about 100-130 days, the end of September - the optimal time for harvesting.
Planning storage of beets for the winter is important to adhere to these terms. By the end of summer there is no longer any active heat, the drought is reduced to "no root crops begin to gain weight and nutritional elements.
If you do not extract the roots from the ground in time, it can freeze, then you can forget about the quality storage. Frozen root crops are not very easy, and the fragments affected by frost begin to decay. You should know that only healthy, time-harvested vegetables of medium size are best tolerated by winter storage, while preserving their taste and useful properties.
Beetroot how to store? Immediately after the vegetables have been excavated, they should be well dried. If the day is sunny, then it can be done right on the ground, near the beds. In warm sunny weather, 2-3 hours will be enough. In the event of rain, the roots should be transferred to a dry room with good ventilation, spread out in a single layer and stand for 3-7 days.
Also it is worth considering that different varieties of root crops are stored in different ways. There are those that immediately need to be used for their intended purpose, and some can lie for months without losing their qualities. For example, such varieties as "Bordeaux 237 "Salad "Detroit "Mulatta "Late-Winter" are best suited for long-term storage. These vegetables have a rather dense skin and a stable immunity to bacteria that provoke the appearance of rot. Or, on the contrary, the variety "Cylinder which is loved by many for its flavor properties, is not suitable for winter stocks.
.The process of extracting root crops from the ground is done with the help of an old kind shovel or fork. You should do everything carefully, do not damage the integrity of the vegetables, because the "injured" specimens will be unsuitable for storage.
Another important nuance is to clean the roots from the ground delicately, you can not hit vegetables against each other, especially - do not use sharp objects to remove the dried lumps. If the root crop was damaged, even slightly scratched, it should be used as intended as soon as possible.
How to cut the tops of beets for storage? Proper pruning of the tops is also important, tearing or manually unscrewing the stems is impossible, they need to be carefully trimmed with a sharp knife, leaving about 1 cm. When you unscrew the tops, the vegetable is always damaged, even if the damage is minimal - this is unacceptable for storage. The main root can be slightly shortened, if it exceeds 6-8 cm, short roots can be left as is. Lateral root shoots should also be cut off.
And, finally, one of the most important issues -Is it necessary to wash beets before storing for the winter?? Beets, whatever sort it was, is never washed before being sent for safekeeping! Not only to wash, but even to drench root crops is extremely undesirable, because a thin plaque on the vegetable works as a kind of shield that promotes long-term storage. It is enough to put on garden gloves and manually remove large earth lumps.
Cropped tops, photo:
Summarizing the basic requirements and preparation for storage, we conclude that patients who are injured, too large, with traces of rot, root crops for wintering will not do. But the whole, intact, healthy root crops of medium size are just suitable for these purposes.
.How to store beets correctly
Let's look at the most convenient and most commonly used options for storing root vegetables. Any chosen method depends entirely on your preferences and capabilities. If you have a vegetable store or a cellar - it's excellent, but if not, then even an ordinary apartment can become a place for storage - it is quite feasible.
Storing beets for the winter in the cellar is the best option of all available. The main requirements for preserving the shelf-life of root crops are:
• Humidity level - about 90%;
• Lack of light;
• Good ventilation;
• Air temperature from 0 to +2 ° C - not higher and not lower than this parameter. It is necessary to avoid the danger of frost, and also increase the temperature to + 4 ° C (in the root crops, the tops begin to germinate);
• The presence of at least a minimum (10-15 cm) elevation above the floor.
Where to store beetroot? As for tare for vegetables or the way they are laid - everything is at the discretion of the owner. Root crops can be folded in wooden or plastic containers, bags, laid out on shelves or covered with sawdust, sand. To optimize the rasypnogo method of storing vegetables, make a wooden lattice and lay it on the floor. This technique will promote better circulation of air masses, which will have the best effect on your harvest. Divide your vegetable stocks into small and large nodules and store them separately. So it will be much more convenient - you will know where the vegetables of the necessary size are stored.
↑ back to content ↑Storage in the sand
A fairly common method, with river sand should be clean, calcined. Use an oven or scorching sunshine to do this. Here, the most important is disinfection, by the time the beet is buried, the sand should completely cool down. Tubers should be buried in such a way that they do not come in contact with the barrels; on top, you also need to pour a layer of sand (at least 2-3 cm).
Pouring vegetables with sand, photo:
.Storage on potatoes
This method is convenient because these two vegetables are from the ground, and therefore - will comfortably perceive the company each other. How to store beetroot? This neighborhood is often practiced by truck farmers, beets are spread over potato tubers. Thus, an acceptable level of humidity is created, because potatoes actively give it away during storage. For best effect, you can safely lay on top of the root vegetables of garlic or onions. These vegetables are known to secrete disinfectants, which purify the atmosphere of the storehouse, neutralize harmful bacteria.
↑ back to content ↑Storage in polyethylene bags
It's also a great way to save beets, the main thing is not to tie up packets, nor to restrict air access to vegetables. You can stock up volumetric polyethylene bags, fill them with tubers of 30 or 40 kg, according to their size.
↑ back to content ↑Storage in salt
As in the winter store beetroot in the cellar so as to provide her with additional protection? Try a reliable ancient method of storing root crops - salt, which, as is known, has antimicrobial qualities, prevents decay. If you spill it with vegetables, they are guaranteed to comfortably carry the winter and dolezhat before the arrival of heat. At its low cost, salt, nevertheless, creates a powerful protection for root crops. You can not only pour them with dry salt, but also work with a thick saline solution. After drying, these "seasoned" vegetables adequately tolerate long-term storage.
↑ back to content ↑Beets for winter - storage in sawdust or ash
Instead of salt to spill root crops, you can successfully use ordinary ash, previously sifted through a fine sieve. Ash also prevents rotting, as does salt. Good results are provided by the precipitation of vegetables with chalk powder (prevents wilting), peat, tyrosa or sawdust. These dry products of natural origin do not emit harmful substances, do not contain chemicals and therefore will not harm your crop. There are also cases of shifting vegetables with fern, horseradish, wormwood, or walnut leaves. You can safely use those "gifts" of nature that grow in you, plus everything, they have protective properties.
Roasting of root crops with sawdust, photo:
↑ back to content ↑Storage in clay
This is also an old way of storing vegetable stocks, harmless and very effective. Clay is being recruited (try to choose an ecologically clean place for this), it is sifted through a large sieve (you can use a building sieve), diluted with water until a consistency similar to sour cream. In this vein, the roots are dropped in turn, and after complete drying, covered with such a protective crust, they are sent for further storage. Clay layer prevents rotting, the development of diseases.
Covering vegetables with clay, photo:
↑ back to content ↑How to store beets in an apartment?
All of the above methods of storing vegetables are good if you have a basement or vegetable store, but what if you live in an apartment? There is a way out - use a loggia or a balcony, it is best closed or glazed. It is important that in winter the mercury column of the thermometer on the balcony does not drop below zero. For this purpose, an empty container filled with sand, wooden or plastic, is optimal.
How correctly to store beets in apartment conditions? The sand should be clean, sifted and calcined, for this purpose, as already mentioned above, you can use the oven. A layer of river sand is poured into the box, the root crops are laid (so that they do not contact each other), sand is poured from the top again, and then beets are laid again. Above, the vegetables are covered with a final layer of sand - this method will help to preserve them for several months - the condition of the vegetables is excellent.
Falling of root crops with sand, photo:
If the balcony is not glazed, then it is possible to equip the so-called "mini-cellar" - a voluminous, tightly knocked down wooden box, insulated inside with polystyrene or styrofoam. Inside such a "cellar" you can install a small lamp, it will not only add comfort to the use, but also will carry out mini-heating of the container. The main thing is to arrange everything so that the vegetables do not freeze with the onset of frost, otherwise they will become unsuitable for eating, lose their useful qualities.
How to store beets at home, even if there is no balcony?
We use with profit all dark places: it can be a pantry, space under beds, cabinets or under tables. The main condition - these places should be remote from radiators or heating appliances. Here you will again need boxes, the size of which should fit comfortably under all available free space. Root crops, again, should be sprinkled with sawdust, sand or chalk, and clay mortar can also be used.
Make sure that there is no bright light.
In such conditions, the vegetables will overwinter perfectly, they will not lose their kind and food values for at least 4 months. The main thing, do not forget from time to time to sort out stocks, to remove spoiled or suspicious roots.
↑ back to content ↑How to store beets in the refrigerator?
If the volumes of harvested crop are small, then the lower compartment of the refrigerator is suitable for storage. Tubers can be wrapped with paper or foil. Thus, they can be stored for about a month, if they stay longer, they will begin to lose moisture and useful properties. In addition to paper or foil wrapping, polyethylene bags with holes can be used. Special plastic (food) containers are also suitable for these purposes.
Remember that the beets should not be washed before storage!
↑ back to content ↑Freezing beets
Separately, it is worth mentioning about freezing, but it is rather an alternative, extreme method of storing this vegetable, since under such an approach it loses a significant part of its useful qualities. Root crops are washed, chopped by hand or with the help of a food processor, laid out on plastic trays or plastic bags, laid in a freezer.
Summarizing, it is worth emphasizing that the pledge of long-term comfortable storage of beet is the initially competently organized harvesting. It is important to choose the right kind, which is good for keeping quality.
Now you know how to cut beetroot for storage for the winter, and also what composition is better to choose for the spillage of vegetables. If there is no cellar - it does not matter, you can equip the vegetable store at home, how to equip the tuber box - now you also know. With properly organized basement storage, this truly indispensable vegetable can be stored for about 7-8 months. At home with the observance of all the rules, beets comfortably "live" up to 4 months.
.Recommendations and tips on how to keep beets for winter at home will also become relevant for other vegetables, for example - carrots, turnips, rutabaga. Now you can be sure that delicious red borsch, vegetable patties, all sorts of salads and side dishes will come to fame, because the useful beets are always at your fingertips.
