Storing and freezing root vegetables

• Storing root vegetables correctly in the fridge and freezing them
• Storing root vegetables in the cellar
• Storing root vegetables in a root cellar
• Preparing root vegetables for storage

To store root vegetables in the fridge, wrap them in a damp cotton cloth or place them in an airtight container without preparing them beforehand.

For maximum shelf life, store root vegetables in the vegetable compartment. Depending on the variety, they will keep there for one to four weeks. The BioFresh safe from Liebherr extends the shelf life of vegetables thanks to high humidity and a constant temperature of just above 0 °C.

The freezer compartment offers an alternative to the fridge. Root vegetables can be frozen raw, but they will become soft when defrosted and lose flavour and nutrients. It is better to cut root vegetables into pieces, blanch them and rinse them with cold water before freezing.

If you have harvested a particularly large amount of root vegetables, you may not have enough space in your fridge. In this case, you can consider storing them in the cellar or in what is known as a root cellar.

You can easily store root vegetables in your cellar if it has a temperature between 0 and 7 °C, a humidity of at least 90% and is dark.

If your cellar is too warm, too dry or too light, you can create a sandbox. Take a wooden box and fill it with a layer of damp sand. Then add alternating layers of root vegetables and damp sand. Finish with another layer of damp sand. It is important that the vegetables do not touch each other. Check the moisture content of the sand from time to time and moisten it if necessary. However, it should not be wet.

If you don’t have a cellar, you can create a root cellar in your garden. To do this, dig a hole 50 to 70 cm deep in the ground. No water should accumulate in this area – a covered spot, such as under a planter, is particularly suitable.

The hole is lined with fine mesh wire to protect against moles and other animals. A water-permeable wooden box is placed on top.

First, fill the box with a layer of damp sand about 10 cm thick. Then add root vegetables and moist sand alternately, making sure that the vegetables do not touch each other. Finish with another layer of damp sand. Cover the sand with a wooden board. You can also cover it with a plastic sheet to provide additional protection from rain and wind.

Always harvest your vegetables when they are fully ripe and dry. Moist vegetables should be dried before storage.

Only store vegetables that are undamaged. Vegetables with blemishes spoil more quickly and can potentially infect nearby vegetables.

Do not clean the vegetables before storing them. Any soil still clinging to them will help to prolong their shelf life.

Remove the green leaves from the root. Soil draws moisture and nutrients from root vegetables, causing them to spoil more quickly.