storing fresh veg over the winter

[worried mother]

to store carrots leeks and other root veg for 4 to 6 months also potatoes

There are 2 methods for this.


Fist is wooden boxes filled with sand, put the veg in layers and pack the sand around.
store in an outhouse or shed if possible.


Dig a hole in the garden about 2 feet deep, line with fleece from the garden centre, put potaoes in and cover well with a lid, you will need to fill this also with sand, the potatoes should last a good 6 months

[diamond lil]

I like that idea - bit easier than trying a full-blown clamp, which is far too much hard work unless you have a lot of help.

[Red Doe]

I`ll be storing my root veg in sandboxes this winter, to see how they last.
I`m more used to freezing, but am wary on relying on that as we get lots of power cuts in winter, besides, any storage method that doesn`t cost me money can only be a good thing! Will also be trying a small tattie clamp, but the old fashioned kind with earth and straw.

[worried mother]

I`ll be storing my root veg in sandboxes this winter, to see how they last.
I`m more used to freezing, but am wary on relying on that as we get lots of power cuts in winter, besides, any storage method that doesn`t cost me money can only be a good thing! Will also be trying a small tattie clamp, but the old fashioned kind with earth and straw.

You can also do it in straw, straw is a good way for things like rhubarb crowns especially stuff that you have to did up for next year and store

[Selfsufficientwoman]

ooooooooooooooh will be trying this at winter - is it just regular red sand that's being used here???

I knew you could do that for carrots but didn't know it worked for potatoes etc. will certainly try doing that with carrots I am growing this season.

[worried mother]

ooooooooooooooh will be trying this at winter - is it just regular red sand that's being used here???

I knew you could do that for carrots but didn't know it worked for potatoes etc. will certainly try doing that with carrots I am growing this season.

Just red sand, some people use straw/
put a layer in, then sand over then another layer etc

[Selfsufficientwoman]

Fantastic - thanks for that - will try it this winter and see how I get on.

[Red Doe]

Straw is awful hard for me to get here, after the weather last year, you couldn`t buy it for love nor money here.
But we have loads of fine white sand thanks to dunes and the beaches nearby, so will use that for storing. Plus I have a barn I can use as a root cellar type of thing, if I can keep the field rats out. Doesn`t sound very savoury but I must use poison, don`t bother with humane traps...did this once, then released a mother rat and four babies miles away from the outbuildings only to have the very same bunch get caught in the humane trap next day! So now they get poisoned or shot. If it`s between the rats or my crops, no competition.
My onions will be dried off and strung, so will the garlic, then stored in the pantry which is dry and dim lit. Been reading up on how to store squash, so will harden them off and store in string sacks.

[worried mother]

Straw is awful hard for me to get here, after the weather last year, you couldn`t buy it for love nor money here.
But we have loads of fine white sand thanks to dunes and the beaches nearby, so will use that for storing. Plus I have a barn I can use as a root cellar type of thing, if I can keep the field rats out. Doesn`t sound very savoury but I must use poison, don`t bother with humane traps...did this once, then released a mother rat and four babies miles away from the outbuildings only to have the very same bunch get caught in the humane trap next day! So now they get poisoned or shot. If it`s between the rats or my crops, no competition.
My onions will be dried off and strung, so will the garlic, then stored in the pantry which is dry and dim lit. Been reading up on how to store squash, so will harden them off and store in string sacks.

you can grow squash and sweetcorn over the winter indoors too.