• Nigerian Dwarf Senior Does
  • Nigerian Dwarf Does
  • Nigerian Dwarf Bucks
  • Nigerian Dwarf Kids By Year
    • 2019 Goat Kids
    • 2018 Goat Kids
    • 2017 Goat Kids
    • 2016 Goat Kids

Better Hens & Gardens

of Bramblestone Farm

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
    • Publication Credits
  • Contact
  • Shop
    • My Account
    • Cart

Skills for Self-Reliance, Real Foods & Sustainable Living

  • Chickens
    • Basic Care
    • Breeds
    • All About Eggs
    • Feeding
    • Health Issues
    • Housing
  • Farm
    • Farm news
    • Help
    • Structures
    • Wild Things
  • Garden
    • Ornamentals
    • Seeds & Saving Them
    • How To Grow “X”
    • Starting Plants
    • Preparation & Tools
    • Pest Control
    • Varieties To Try
  • Goats
    • Basic Care
    • Conformation
    • Doe & Kidding Care
    • Feeding
    • Herd Basics & Behavior
    • Milk & Milking
    • Supplies & Equipment
  • Honey Bees
    • Feeding
    • Getting Started
    • Hive Management
    • Honey & Wax
  • Homemade
    • Beauty Products
    • Cleaning Supplies
    • Decorations
    • Miscellaneous
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Main Dish
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Vegetables
  • Pantry
    • Quality Choices
    • Canning
    • Condiments & Flavorings
    • Dairy
    • Drying
    • Freezing
    • Root Cellaring

Better Hens and Gardens may earn a commission for purchases made after clicking on links on this page. Learn More

Leave a Comment

How To Store Vegetables For Winter (Long Term Winter Vegetable Storage)

It’s that time of year when the excess vegetables from the garden need to be stored before frost destroys them. The good news is, many How To Store Vegetables For Winter of these vegetables can successfully be stored for months if they’re given the right storage conditions.

Even without a garden, buying quantities of these vegetables while they’re fresh and “in season” and storing them for later winter use can make sense.

Both of these approaches provide fresh vegetables more economically than buying from the supermarket in the middle of winter when it’s most expensive. In addition, vegetables stored at their peak maturity usually have better flavor and higher nutritional value.

Choose Appropriate Vegetables & Storage Conditions

Vegetables that are good candidates for winter storage can be classified into four groups depending on the temperature and humidity conditions that are ideal for their storage.

Vegetables not included in the table below can usually only be kept in short-term storage (a few weeks) and are better processed by canning, freezing, or drying for winter use. The four groups and the long-term storage conditions are:

What Storage Materials To Use

Vegetables are usually packed in some type of material for winter storage to provide insulation or moisture retention while reducing disease transmission.

Sawdust, clean straw, dry leaves, hay, corn stalks or peat moss are often used as insulating materials for vegetables that need dry storage. Because they can become contaminated with mold and bacteria; these storage materials should be used for only one season and then they can be recycled into compost or mulch for the garden.

Vegetables that need moist storage shouldn’t be directly exposed to air and moistened sand, sawdust, or peat moss are commonly used as storage materials. Plastic bags or liners can also be used to help retain moisture but should be perforated at regular intervals to maintain air circulation and prevent condensation.

Alternating layers of produce with packing materials and wrapping items individually helps reduce disease transmission. Old newspapers have commonly been used for this purpose.

How To Ensure Storage Success

When harvesting or buying vegetables for winter storage, there are several guidelines to follow to ensure successful extended storage times:

1)  Choose late-maturing varieties that are suited for long-term storage

2)  Harvest or buy vegetables that are at peak maturity

3)  Store only vegetables that are completely free of any visible blemishes or damage

4)  Handle vegetables carefully to prevent bruising or damage

5)  Leave an inch of stem on the vegetable (if possible) to minimize water loss and prevent infection

In addition to using the right temperature, humidity, and guidelines above; vegetables should be stored in dark, aerated, pest free conditions. Standing water, freezing, and storage with fruits (which give off ethylene that hastens ripening) should all be avoided.

Vegetables shouldn’t be stored until the temperature in the storage area has dropped to the appropriate level. Often, getting the vegetables into an adequately cold storage location at peak maturity is the biggest storage challenge; however, it’s essential to achieving long-term storage success.

Winter squash stored in wooden crates in the root cellar

We’ve had great success with potatoes, winter squash (see Winter Squash: Harvesting, Curing, & Storing), and many of the root vegetables; even though our storage conditions still aren’t quite ideal for long-term storage. We’re using a basement root cellar that generally isn’t as cold or moist as it should be, yet we’re still able to store a great deal to last through the winter months (the link HERE provides plans for building a proper basement storage room). There’s something so satisfying about gathering the ingredients for winter meals from what you’ve grown and stored rather than running to the supermarket!

Related posts:

Homemade Hot Pepper Jelly
Homemade Sun Dried Tomatoes (oven dried really)
15.1K shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Filed Under: Pantry, Root Cellaring

About Lesa

Lesa Wilke is a homesteader and freelance writer who loves to inspire others on their journey to more sustainable lifestyles. She accomplishes this by sharing the skills she’s learned (plus support, advice & tips) while farming goats, chickens, honeybees, and produce.

« Make Tomato Juice from Fresh Tomatoes Easily (w/Kitchenaid Mixer)
Choosing Goat Herdsires »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Oh, hi there! I’m Lesa,

and this blog is all about learning new skills around chickens, goats, gardens, honey bees, and DIY. Read more…

Read My Dairy Goat Books

  • Nigerian Dwarf Goats 201 - Getting Started Nigerian Dwarf Goats 201: Getting Started
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $6.99
  • Nigerian Dwarf Goats 101 Nigerian Dwarf Goats 101: Background & Basics
    Rated 4.95 out of 5
    $4.99

Visit Our Social Sites

Website Categories

The contents of this site are the property of Better Hens and Gardens. All content contained herein is copyrighted. We love it when you share, but if you do, please link back to the original post. Material included here is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, the giving of medical advice. This blogs content is for informational purposes only and Better Hens and Gardens or others associated with this site shall not be held liable for any damages incurred through the use of information provided in this blog. Better Hens and Gardens accepts products for review and other forms of paid advertising; however, although compensation received may influence the content or topics covered in this blog, it will never influence our opinion of any product. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are purely those of Better Hens and Gardens. Any product claim or other representation about a product or service should be verified by the manufacturer. Better Hens and Gardens is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright © 2023 · Design by Erica Mueller Designs

Copyright © 2023 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Pinterest
15.1K shares