Page 31 - Simply Veg 3.21

Storage of crops
Produce Storage
Asparagus Use fresh or blanch before freezing.
Aubergines Blanch before freezing, they will keep in the fridge for a week to ten days.
Beetroot Will tolerate light frost and can be left in the ground until Christmas in the southern area of the U.K. lift and remove the tops by twisting off. They will store for 2 to 3 months in old fertiliser bags, or can be stored in boxes in damp sand or peat. They will easily store to May when the new crop should be ready.
Broad beans Blanch and freeze, they will keep for a week in the fridge.
Brussels Sprouts Leave on the plants for as long as possible and this should be most of the winter unless it is an early cultivar. They can also be frozen.
Cabbages Some of the newer cultivars will keep on the plant for up to a month, before they start to bolt. Harvest and they will store in a cool place for two to three weeks, remove any outer leaves which are starting to yellow. Otherwise freeze.
Carrots Again these will withstand a mild frost and are best left in the ground up to Christmas, once lifted store short term in an old fertiliser bag 4 to 6 weeks. Otherwise store in boxes of damp sand, peat or similar. In some soils leaving them in long term may result in slug damage so lift earlier. Use any damaged roots first as these will not keep.
Cauliflowers Can be stored hung upside down in a cool shed / garage and will keep in fridge for a week, I kept some last year for three weeks in a polythene bag before they started to go off.
Celery Again will keep in the fridge for a week or so, leave in the ground if they are not starting to bolt. They can be frozen after blanching in cold water if necessary.
Celeriac Best to leave in the ground until needed or lift near the end of the winter to stop them bolting. Store in a box in damp sand.
Courgettes Blanch and freeze if not used fresh or have a glut.
Chillies Use a needle and cotton, thread it through the fruit and the hang ready for use in the kitchen. They will store for up to a year this way.
French Beans Will store in the fridge for a week or so, otherwise freeze after blanching.
Garlic Store in net sacks or on strings hung in the kitchen. Softneck types store better than hardneck.
Kale Harvest as required during the winter and use fresh, it will freeze as well.
Kohl Rabi Leave in the ground until required or lift and store in boxes of damp sand in a cool shed.
Leeks Leave in the ground until required, if bad weather is forecast lift a few for immediate consumption and heel in somewhere. Most leeks are hardy enough to leave until the spring before using.
Marrows Will store in a cool area up to Christmas or cook before freezing. I have kept marrows until April although tend to lose some.
Onions Store dry on strings (as the French do) or in net sacks or in trays. The autumn harvest types will store to at least April if in a cool dry environment. The Overwintering (Japanese) onions will usually store to October and up to
Christmas.
Parsnips Leave in the ground until late winter, frost tends to sweeten the taste. If necessary store in boxes of sand.
Peas Freeze or dry.
Peppers Blanch then freeze, they will store in the fridge for up to ten days.
Potatoes Store in paper sacks, I have stored in large cardboard boxes and this year trying wooden boxes. Keep in cool conditions and make sure no daylight can get to them as this encourages sprouting. Some cultivars store far
longer than others.
Pumpkins Allow to ripen and then store in a cool but not cold area. Depending on cultivar they will store for up to 6 months but others only 3 months.
Rhubarb Blanch and freeze, fresh sticks will store for a week in the fridge if wrapped in polythene or cling film.
Runner beans Blanch before freezing, they will store for a week in the fridge.
Shallots Hang on strings or in net sacks in a cool dry space.
Spinach Use fresh.
Squash Store in dry indoor areas once the skin is hard. Winter squash store the longest so use the summer squash first.
Swedes Leave in the ground until required, they may start to go woody by late winter. They can be lifted and stored in boxes of damp sand.
Sweetcorn Blanch then freeze. I kept some in a polythene sack for three weeks and they were still O.K. to use!
Tomatoes Use fresh or cook and freeze for use in soups and stews.
Turnips Leave in the ground until Christmas and then lift and store in damp sand if not used; they should store to March if in a cool area.
Simply Vegetables 31