Down the Garden Path: Guest columnist series--Late season vegetable storage FAQs

Q: We still have carrots in the garden and do not want them to go to waste. How can we store them for a while longer?

A: There are a couple of choices for in-ground storage right in the garden. The easiest is to mulch the row with clean straw or loose leaves for the next few weeks. Put down a deep layer – about 6 to 8 inches – and you can harvest well into December, January and maybe February, as you have prevented the soil from freezing solid. Go out and dig what you need and leave the rest.

The second method takes more time now but may be more convenient later. Go ahead, harvest the carrot row and immediately heal them in at the end of the row all together. Cover well and retrieve them as needed, replacing the mulch each time. This puts them at the edge of the garden all in one place.

Carrots fall into the cold moist group for storage. Carrots do not have a thick skin, so high moisture is needed – ideally, around 95%, which is why you have a crisper drawer in the refrigerator and why leaving them in the ground works well. They can endure temperatures down to freezing outside and the other benefit is they get sweeter tasting, too.

Other root crops such as parsnips, turnips and radishes fall into this group, as well. A tip is to place groups of carrots, parsnips and turnips together to use as fresh ingredients in a variety of meals. Storage times range from two to three weeks to four to six months depending on what you are storing.

Q: I have lots of butternut and acorn squash I need to put somewhere. What are the storage conditions to keep them for a long time?

A: Hard-rind, or winter, squashes are not very fussy about storage. They fall into the cool and dry group. Ideal storage temperatures are between 50 and 55 degrees, so not in our range of comfort. If stored warmer, we just need to use them sooner. If you use a humidistat, look for 60% to 70%. So what’s a good place? In the basement, away from heat sources, against an outside wall should work well. A back bedroom that is kept a lot cooler than the rest of the home or a semi-heated breezeway between the home and garage could be another option. Winter squashes, including pie pumpkins, can last two to four months.

Remember, whenever and wherever you store vegetables, the motto should be “store the best and eat the rest.”

Special note: As of April 29, 2022, Richard Hentschel has retired from University of Illinois Extension with nearly 30 years of service as a Horticulture Specialist and Educator in northern Illinois.