Where should beets be stored? Secrets of winter storage of beet harvest. Storing beets - basic rules

When the time comes to harvest, and it would seem that the difficult season of care and harvest is over, the most important thing ahead is to complete the job, to preserve the harvest for the winter as long as possible without loss. After all, it was not in vain that you worked in the beds, fertilized root crops, removed weeds, and hilled. It’s good if there is a cellar for storing crops, but don’t despair if there are no such conditions. In this article you will learn how to preserve beets at home, in an apartment. As well as tips on preparing for storage, how to protect the harvest in the cellar. The photo shows examples of storing beets.

Choosing a variety for long-term storage

To prevent beets from rotting in the first month of storage, you need to choose a fast-growing variety. The variety most often used in cellars is Cylinder. The fruits of this variety look very good, seem strong and have good taste. But the Cylinder is not designed for long-term storage, don't waste your time. Its skin is very thin and susceptible to damage.

The following varieties are suitable for long-term maturation: Libero, Salatnaya, Detroit, Late Winter, Odnorostkovaya, Bordeaux-237, Boltardi, etc.

Harvesting beets

Varieties with medium-sized root vegetables will be tasty in winter. The fibers are not so noticeable in them. But there is no need to choose beets that are too small. You can put them in the refrigerator and use them first.

Preparing beets for storage

You should not delay harvesting beets, as they are not frost-resistant and may spoil during the first frost. The fruits can be easily damaged when digging, so be careful.

Important! Any small damage or scratch can lead to infection, fungus and the appearance of rot in the near future. Be extremely careful when handling root vegetables.

Main stages of preparation:

Rules for storing beets in the cellar

If you properly process the beets after harvesting and dry them well, then there should be no problems with storage. There are several rules that need to be followed. The temperature in the cellar should not be higher than +3°C. If it is higher, the tops will begin to sprout, the beets will wither and deteriorate. You also need to monitor the humidity so that condensation does not appear on the fruits; ventilation is necessary. It is advisable to place containers with beets at a level no lower than 8-10 cm from the floor. You can save beets:

• in bulk in a separate compartment;
• open in wooden boxes;
• on racks;
• together with potatoes in boxes or bags;
• V closed box with sand.

A wooden box is suitable for storing beets in the cellar.

The storage option with sand is very common. Sometimes it is enough to simply sprinkle the root vegetables with dry sand. Sand removes excess moisture, prevents the proliferation of fungi.

Advice. Good air circulation – mandatory requirement for storing any vegetables. It helps cool the beets and prevents condensation.

Features of storing beets at home

In an apartment you can preserve the harvest for 3-4 months. For this in the best possible way beets will be stored in sand. You can use a plastic bag as a container, or a box without gaps. You need to keep the beets in a dark, cool place, preferably on the balcony, but do not allow them to freeze. If there is no balcony, you can even use it under the bed. Check the sand periodically to ensure it is dry.

Another storage method is in the refrigerator. To do this, you need to wrap each fruit with parchment or plain paper and put everything in a bag. Foil is also suitable for wrapping. You can freeze beets, but then the taste and vitamin properties will be lost.

If you simply put the beets in the refrigerator, without wrapping them, then they will keep in this form for a month, no more.

If you have established trusting relationships with your neighbors, you can safely store root vegetables on landing. There is excellent air circulation and sufficient for proper storage temperature.

By following these simple rules, you will preserve a whole complex of vitamins for the winter. Various beet dishes will decorate any holiday or everyday table. The main thing is primary processing and selection good fruits. Observe the temperature and humidity conditions, and periodically inspect the fruits in order to promptly remove spoiled ones. This way, your beet harvest will last until spring.

Beet harvesting and storage: video

Grow excellent harvest beets are half the battle. The main thing is to be able to preserve it so that for a long time enjoy the fruits of your labor. In fact, this is not so easy to do. It is necessary to take into account a number of factors that begin at the selection stage planting material. To avoid crop losses, it is necessary to arm yourself with knowledge on how to preserve beets correctly.

The beet harvest will be well preserved if you follow simple rules

Selection of varieties

Not every variety is suitable for subsequent storage. When choosing a material, consider its shelf life. The following planting materials have a high indicator in this regard:

• Mulatto.
• Bordeaux-237.
• Renova.
• Pablo F1.
• Late winter A-474.
• Detroit.
• Libero.
• Gribovskaya flat A-473.
• Cold-resistant-19.
• Salad.
• Boltardi.
• Incomparable A-463.
• Single sprout.

Late Winter beet A-474 demonstrates excellent keeping quality

Preliminary work to prepare fruits for storage

Sometimes gardeners unwittingly cause harm when harvesting. To start an irreversible infection process, it is enough to abruptly and carelessly pull the vegetables out of the ground or cut them with a knife while peeling. To prevent this from happening and storing beets from turning into torture, you should know some important nuances.

It would seem that there is nothing simpler than pulling out a vegetable and sending it to dry. But it was not there. At this stage the first difficulties arise. The soil at this time is dry, and no one has cleared it of stones, and while pulling it out, its thin skin can be damaged. This vegetable will not be stored for long. It is necessary to remove the crop from the ground using a fork or shovel. It is enough to dig a little, slightly lift it along with the soil, and the root crop can be easily reached.

The vegetable must be removed from the beds before the first frost, because... a frozen top will not allow the root crop to be stored for a long time. It is best to choose a dry autumn day for cleaning. This will have a positive effect on safety, and it’s much more pleasant to work in such weather.

Before storing vegetables, they should be thoroughly dried. In dry weather, this can be done directly in the garden bed. Keep it on for a long time fresh air It’s not worth it to avoid moisture loss. 2-4 hours will be enough.

After drying, the fruits are cleaned of dirt and soil. Under no circumstances should you knock down the soil by beating them against each other or use a knife or wood chips when cleaning, this will damage the skin and lead to infection.

Next, the tops are removed, but not completely; a small “tail”, about 1 cm long, must be left. The tops are cut with a sharp object rather than pulled out by hand. All side roots are carefully removed. If the main root is small, then it is better not to cut it.

The next step will be sorting. Only healthy and strong fruits are selected for storage. It's better if they are small sizes, because large ones become coarser over time.

Now you can safely send vegetables for storage.

Dirt is carefully removed from the dried beets, after which the tops are cut off

Methods for storing root vegetables

There are two main ways to store beets, which have proven themselves over the course of more than a century:

• outdoors (in holes or trenches);
• indoors (in dark room or underground, in the refrigerator, on the balcony, etc.).

Everyone chooses their own container; the following are suitable for this: boxes (with or without sand), boxes, baskets, in bulk in bins or on shelves, on potatoes, etc.

Conditions necessary for the preservation of fruits

Beetroot is best stored in the cellar. It is there that the ideal conditions are present for her:

• Availability natural movement air masses;
• darkness;
• does not freeze;
• air temperature from 0 to 2 degrees Celsius;
• required level of humidity.

During storage, special attention should be paid to root vegetables in the first months. With a slight increase in temperature, the tops may begin to germinate, which will shorten the storage time. The container with beets should not be located on the floor, but at a 15-centimeter height from it.

During storage of beets, the condition of the root crops must be regularly monitored.

It would seem that if the fruits are not damaged, then it would be enough to simply pile them in a heap in the storage room. Many gardeners over the years of work on personal plots they know exactly how to store beets so that they don’t have to throw them away.

A good storage companion is potatoes, on top of which the beets are placed in one layer. The fruits lack moisture in winter, and the potatoes share it with the beets.

The fruits are well stored in sand, which is pre-calcined either in the oven or in the sun. A box is suitable as a container. Sand is poured onto the bottom, one layer of beets is laid, then sand again, a layer of at least 2 cm. The fruits should not touch.

Ordinary table salt is also suitable as a material for pouring vegetables. It must be dry, like the root vegetables themselves.

For pouring you can use sifted wood ash or dry fern leaves, sawdust, shavings and even peat.

The best remedy for diseases during storage is to roll the fruits in chalk, after which they can simply be placed in a box.

Large and small fruits It is better to sort and store separately from each other.

Even plastic bags with a capacity of up to 40 kg are suitable for storage. Filled bags should never be tied so as not to impede the penetration of air.

If vegetables are stored in bulk, then for constant movement a wooden grille is installed on the floor.

Beets can be stored in a box with sand

Storing vegetables in the apartment

Everyone knows very well how to store beets if you have a basement or cellar. But what to do if you have to store vegetables in the apartment during the winter? This is much more difficult to do, but the right approach It is possible to ensure the safety of fruits for 3-4 months.

If you have a balcony protected from frost, you can safely keep your harvest. The main thing is that the temperature there does not fall below zero. It is best to put it in a box with sand; when the temperature drops, the box should be additionally wrapped in something. If the balcony is cold, then the boxes can be insulated using polystyrene foam.

If there is no balcony in the room, choose a dark corner located as far as possible from the radiator and other heating devices. It is better to do this in boxes. Sawdust or sand are suitable as filling.

You can use a regular refrigerator for storage. Each fruit is wrapped tightly in foil or parchment paper.

Thus, storing beets turns into a whole science. The main thing is to comply with all the conditions so that you can enjoy delicious and healthy culinary delights made from fresh beets all winter: borscht and beetroot soup, herring under a fur coat, boiled beets and much more.

Few city residents stock up on beets for the winter. It's easier to go to the store and buy as much as you need to prepare lunch. But in winter, beets are often frozen or damaged by rot due to improper storage. And its price during this period is much higher. Therefore, thrifty housewives stock up not only onions and potatoes, but also beets for the winter.

Which beets are suitable for storage?

The shape of the beet, as well as its color and taste, depend on the variety. The Egyptian beet variety has excellent taste. These root vegetables have flat shape, purple-red flesh, dark red skin. The Bordeaux variety is known to many housewives because this beet has dark red flesh, purple-red skin and excellent taste.

In addition to these varieties, others are in demand: “Incomparable”, “Pushkinskaya flat”, “Podzimnyaya”, “Leningradskaya rounded”, “Mulatka”, “Libero”, “Salatnaya”. They are not only used for food as they ripen, but also stored.

When to harvest beets for storage

Round root vegetables ripen in July. But the bulk of the beets are ready for harvesting only in August. Beetroot late varieties, which ripens in the fall, begin to be harvested in October, without waiting for frost.

Beet harvesting begins in dry weather. To do this, choose cool days with an air temperature of 10–15°. Late varieties of beets are harvested at a temperature not lower than 0°, since frozen root crops cannot be stored.

The beet harvest begins to be harvested when its leaves begin to turn yellow. You cannot pull out beets by grabbing the tops. This can damage the delicate skin of root vegetables. Such beets will quickly begin to deteriorate, infecting nearby fruits with rot.

To dig up beets, use a pitchfork or shovel. Using these tools, they dig up the root crop, helping to pull it out of the ground with their hands. The dug up beets are carefully shaken off the ground and the leaves are immediately cut off, leaving petioles about 2 cm long. If the tops are not cut off, the leaves will begin to draw juice from the root crops, the beets will quickly wither and therefore become unstable for storage.

The tops are cut with a knife, rather than broken off, so as not to damage the fruit.

If the root crop has a long root, it can be trimmed slightly, but it is still advisable to leave the beets in the form in which they were dug up, because an infection can get inside the fruit through the cut.

If the ground is wet during harvesting, then the dug up root crops are left in the fresh air to dry a little, but not in the sun and no longer than 1-2 hours.

In humid weather, the beets are dried indoors, spread out in one layer on a mat on the floor. In this case, the drying process can be extended to two days.

When cutting the tops, they are immediately sorted. For storage, select strong root crops without mechanical damage, with properly trimmed tops and not infected with diseases.

During sorting, which is carried out with fabric gloves, carefully remove adhering pieces of dirt, leaving them on the surface thin layer earth, which will protect the skin of the fruit from damage.

The prepared beets are immediately sent for storage.

Conditions for storing beets in a basement or cellar

To store beets, you can use a basement, cellar, or specially equipped room.

The ideal temperature for storing beets is 0–3°. At elevated temperature The beets will begin to grow tops, and the shelf life will be significantly reduced.

The air humidity in the room should be 90–92%. Such conditions must be maintained constantly, otherwise the root crops will quickly begin to fade.

The repository should have good ventilation, and also no light should enter there.

How to store beets in a basement or cellar

Beets can be stored in boxes, bags, on racks, or in bulk in bins.

Method 1. The prepared beets are placed tightly in dry wooden boxes with a capacity of 30–50 kg, put away for storage.

Method 2. A layer of clean sand is poured into the box. The beets are placed on it so that the fruits do not touch each other. Covered with sand.

Method 3. The boxes are covered with a film 60–100 microns thick and filled with beets. The containers are stacked.

Method 4. The beets are poured into bins, making the height of the embankment no more than 1 meter. Beets can be stored together with potatoes. This symbiosis prevents the potatoes from rotting, as it gives up unnecessary moisture to the beets. To prevent the lower layers of beets from deteriorating, space is left between the flooring and the floor for ventilation.

Method 5. Root vegetables are laid out on a rack without gaps, each layer is sprinkled with sand. It is recommended to add chalk or dry sand to the sand. slaked lime(for 50 kg of sand you need to take 1 kg of chalk). This additive is a good preventative against rot and other diseases.

Instead of sand, you can use sawdust with a moisture content of up to 15%. Thanks to its disinfectant properties essential oils, contained in sawdust, the beets do not deteriorate and do not fade.

Method 6. For better storage beets use claying. To do this, the clay is diluted with water to a creamy state, root vegetables are immersed in the solution, and allowed to dry. After this, the beets are covered thin film, protecting the fruit from withering and spoilage.

Method 7. Large quantities of beets can be stored in thick polyethylene bags with a capacity of up to 50 kg. The dried beets are placed in bags and placed vertically. To prevent condensation from accumulating in them, they are left open.

Note. All these methods can be used to store beets on the balcony. But only if it is glazed and the conditions mentioned above are maintained on it.

How to store beets in an apartment

At room temperature Beets can be left for no more than a week. Then it will begin to fade. If you need to store beets for a long time, they are put in the refrigerator.

To do this, the prepared beets are placed in a plastic bag, in which small holes are made for ventilation.

Root vegetables packaged in this way are placed in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment. There they can be stored for up to three months. But you need to take into account not only the temperature, but also the humidity, which in some refrigerators is very high. When appearing on inner surface After removing the condensate bag, the beets are removed, dried, and placed in a new bag.

Particularly inventive owners came up with original way storing beets in the apartment. Each root vegetable needs to be wrapped in foil, then put in the refrigerator. This storage method is good because the fruits do not come into contact with each other, do not come into contact with air, but at the same time they breathe. In this packaging, beets retain their original appearance for up to three months.

Note to the hostess

With any storage method, beets are periodically sorted, removing spoiled root crops. If you do not remove fruit that is starting to deteriorate from the total mass in time, it can destroy all stocks.