Storing Vegetables: Some Like it Hot, Some Like it Cold
By Sherril Steele-Carlin
If you plant a garden each summer, chances are you have a whole hoard of veggies to store in the fall. Did you know that different vegetables prefer different storage techniques and temperatures? If you want the fruits of your gardening labor to last as long as possible, then store them correctly, and you'll be nibbling on your veggies all winter long!
Every vegetable in your garden grows a little differently, and so it just makes sense that every vegetable likes to be stored a little differently, too. For long-term storage, you need to make sure the conditions are right to keep the vegetables fresh as long as possible. Temperature is important, but so is moisture, or the lack of it.
Cold and Very Moist
The temperature range here is between 32 and 40 degrees F., and between 90 and 95 percent relative humidity.
These crops do best in these conditions:
- Beets
- Broccoli (not a long-term storage candidate, but will do well in these conditions for shorter terms)
- Brussels sprouts (same as broccoli)
- Carrots
- Celery
- Chinese cabbage
- Horseradish
- Kohlrabi
- Leeks
- Parsnips
- Rutabagas
- Turnips
As you can see, many of these are root vegetables, and they enjoy cold, moist conditions.
Cold and Moist
The temperature range here is between 32 and 40 degrees F., and between 80 and 90 percent relative humidity.
These crops do best in these conditions:
- Apples
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower (not a long-term storage candidate, but will do well in these conditions for shorter terms)
- Endive
- Escarole
The humidity here is a little less, and these veggies enjoy it that way.
Cool and Moist
The temperature range here is between 40 and 50 degrees F., and between 85 and 90 percent relative humidity.
These crops do best in these conditions:
- Cucumbers
- Potatoes
- Tomatoes (tomatoes will keep 2-4 weeks in the refrigerator although they tend to lose flavor over long periods)
- Sweet peppers, which should be kept at between 45 and 55 degrees F.
For these veggies, the humidity should be damp, but you should not store them in a damp or wet area.
Cool and Dry
The temperature range here is between 35 and 40 degrees F., and between 60 and 70 percent relative humidity.
These crops do best in these conditions:
- Garlic
- Green soybeans in the pod (not a long-term storage candidate, but will do well in these conditions for shorter terms)
- Onions
- Shallots
If you store your onions and garlic in the house at a higher temperature, now you know why they aren't lasting as long as they could!
Moderately Warm and Dry
The temperature range here is between 50 and 60 degrees F., and between 60 and 70 percent relative humidity.
These crops do best in these conditions:
- Dried hot peppers
- Pumpkins
- Winter squash
You can store other summer squashes in these conditions too, but they will not last as long.
Invest in a good humidity gauge and create some storage areas in your garage or cellar to make sure that your summer crops last as long as they possibly can, and you have the freshest quality vegetables you can, all the year 'round!