It ’s not always soft to get overbold produce – especially if you do n’t have a icebox . The good tidings is that many plants can be farm for storage and used later in the winter months .
Even if you have a refrigerator , growing these plants is a groovy way to hold open space , time , and money . Here ’s a guide to aid you get started on your journey toward a more ego - sufficient ( and peradventure icebox - costless ! ) lifestyle .
Why Might You Want to Grow Storage Plants?
While we reckon of refrigeration as a must - have essential ( just recollect of how panicked you get when the power goes out ) , the realism is that it is a comparatively modern luxury .
Our ancestors did n’t have the ability to stash their nutrient in the refrigerator . They had to get creative and taught themselves direction to store vegetables in a certain style that allowed them to stay invigorated for months on end .
While I would n’t ever tell someone to give up the fridge – it ’s definitely not something I plan to do anytime soon ! – there are no doubt countless benefits to growing industrial plant that can be stored without a icebox . Not only will it allow you to get at nutritious , delicious nutrient without depending on great power , but it also lay aside precious space in the electric refrigerator orfreezer .
In fact , I enjoy growing these vegetable for that reason alone . I very quickly fill up my freezer with vegetables that spoil quickly , like leafy Green River , and rule that growing memory board plant aid me keep plenty of vegetable on helping hand without having to endow in 10 bureau deep freezer !
Plus , many of these veg are incredibly easy to develop . If you are trying to grow your own “ survival garden , ” there ’s no better fashion to do it than to consider growing plant whose fruits can be harvested for long - condition depot .
Best Plants to Grow for Storage – Without relying on a Fridge
Here are some of your best plants to grow for storage , include both fruit and veggie , with no infrigidation or deep freezer required .
1. Garlic
There are several kinds of garlic you’re able to grow , including hardneck and softneck . The good character of garlic to farm for storage will depend on where you live . Althoughsoftneck garlic memory board much better than hardneck , hardneck is really the sort you should be growing if you live in an arena with harsh winters .
The beauty of garlic is that you ’ll implant it in the crepuscule . So rather than needing to store garlic through the wintertime , you ’ll salt away it through the summertime . This can help you save even more room in your pantry or root root cellar . Bulbs ordinarily last around 7 months in storage .
2. Carrots
Not all carrot last a recollective time in computer memory , but certain mixture , like Chantenay , Danvers , and Imperator , are good ones to opt from . Sow sow afterwards in the time of year , so that the carrots mature around the time of the first frost . you’re able to result your carrots in the ground through a lite frost but make certain you pull them out before they freeze .
3. Beets
Beets are ascendant veggie with a distinct taste , but as long as you glean them properly , waiting until the roots are 2 - 3 - inches in diameter with 2 - inches of green attach , they should last for around 4 months with no infrigidation necessary .
4. Potatoes
Just about any good gardener make love that potatoes last a really , really long meter . The ravisher here is that you do n’t have to do anything to get them to last , either !
If you are locomote to store potatoes through the winter , first select a variety that is meant specifically for this purpose . “ Kennebec ” is an example of a good option , though just about any variety of homegrown Irish potato can last through the winter and into the spring as long as they are store aright .
To keep your homegrown potatoes invigorated , you will demand to squirrel away them in a cool , dry , dark , and well - ventilate location . Do n’t bother maintain potatoes that are cut , flawed , or damaged in any agency . In most case , white potato vine that arestored correctlycan last for 4 - 6 months .
5. Apples
When it comes to grow flora for long - condition store , you do n’t have to rely solely on vegetable to keep you satiated . Fruits are also large choices . Apples are some of the expert . Heirloom apples , along with those that are more tart , are your best options .
You might weigh growing smorgasbord like Pink Ladies , Honeycrisps , Fujis , or Rome Beauties for the long shelf - life . As with put in tater , verify you only hang on to the freshest , most mature , and least flawed options . twine each orchard apple tree in a newspaper and keep it in an orchard apple tree crate until you ’re quick to apply it .
6. Pears
If you want to add more variety to your diet and are looking for another fruit that lasts well in memory , look at pears . These should be stored in comparatively dusty temperature around 31 ° F , but they can last up to 3 months .
7. Turnips
Another root crop that you may mature for storage is the turnip . They ’ll last for several months , provided that you cut off the peak to stop them from pulling wet from the theme and keep them in coolheaded , drear condition .
8. Winter Squash
Winter squashis by all odds underrated – but there ’s a reasonableness why pumpkin pie is served at Thanksgiving . Pumpkins are winter squash rackets , after all , and they last long into the wintertime and often even the fountain month .
How well your winter squash vine stores will bet on the type you decide to grow . Although both spaghetti and acorn squash last for several months , there ’s not much that beat butternut or Hubbard squash . Generally speaking , the duncical the skin , the longer your squash racquets will put in . Curing is a great path to harden up the cutis and check that your squash racquets stores as long as you need it to .
9. Onions
Allium cepa are also well - be intimate for their storage abilities . You probably know this yourself if you have had the same traveling bag of onions hanging out on your countertop for the last few month .
If you decide you want to store onions , letthem curefor several weeks ( the tops should be totally ironic ) . Once cured , cut all but 1 - inch off the tiptop of your onion greens and put in the bulb in mesh bags . Most can last up to 8 months when put in this way .
10. Parsnips
The often forgotten cousin of the carrot , theparsnipis another vegetable that can well be salt away . Sow your come directly into the garden in former natural spring and harvest once the first Robert Frost has drop dead . You should be able to store these tasty tubers for up to 5 months .
11. Broccoli and Cauliflower
As long as they have n’t been exposed to scary temperatures , both broccoli and cauliflower can last a couple of weeks if you store them in aroot cellar . reckon for large , unblemished principal .
12. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potato are also good options when it comes to long - terminal figure storage . reap your gratifying potatoes as gingerly as possible , though , because any nick can easily turn to decompose in a hurry . cure your sweet potatoesbefore you store them can increase their shelf - life , as can lay away them in a cool , dour location . Like regular murphy , they ’ll keep for up to 4 - 6 calendar month .
13. Tomatillos
Tomatillos should ideally be refrigerate , but these tasty little fruits can also be stored at way temperature for several days to a week ( often longer , if they are n’t all good when you bring them in ) .
14. Tomatoes
Although tomatoes certainly are n’t going to last as long as other storage veggies , like carrots and murphy , you’re able to keep them much longer than you probably realize – if stored right . Bring them in when they are dark-green or just barely ripe . Put them in the nighttime and once they ’re mature , you ’ll have a supply for 2 or more hebdomad .
15. Jerusalem Artichokes
Jerusalem artichokesaren’t common vegetable that the great unwashed maturate , but these tasty fiddling tubers are good veggie to deal if you do n’t want to have to bank on your icebox . you’re able to store them in coolheaded , humid conditions ( ideally packed in sand ) for around 2 - 5 months .
16. Leeks
Because scallion are so closely related to to onions and Allium sativum , they also put in quite well , too . scallion can last up to 2 week in the refrigerator , but can also be stack away in a root basement for up to 4 months .
17. Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sproutscan be stored in a root cellar , too . For the best flavor , wait until several rime have hit your works . you could then fall them upside down in a beginning cellar where they will last for several months .
18. Cabbage
spate of people do n’t jazz this , but even cabbages can be salt away farseeing - term . You ’ll have to choose cabbages that are list specifically as storage types – ensure you do some enquiry to find a dependable pick . Some storage - specific miscellany include Brunswick , Storage No . 4 ( what an apt name ! ) , Late Flat Dutch , and Red Acre , in cosmopolitan , red cabbage will store better than light-green .
Choose heads that are firm and solid before you stash away . After the first frost , draw the total works out of the soil and bring down off any excess leaf around the head . front for any germ that might be hanging out there , too , but do n’t wash or moisten your plants in any way .
Keep in mind that it ’s sometimes best to stash away cabbages in a separate location from your other storage plants . It has a secure aroma that can change the sapidity of things like pear tree and apples .
19. Rutabagas
The humblerutabagais not nearly as popular as it once was , likely because we can eat other vegetables more often now that we have far-flung infrigidation .
Rutabaga takes a long time to mature but they ’ll store for 3 - 4 month in a root cellar . They ’re also nourishing - impenetrable . The good way to store swedish turnip is in a bucket take with dampish sand . These veggie demand to be kept cool and in conditions of around 90 % humidness , so keep that in mind when you ’re deciding where you want to store these .
20. Dried Beans
you could even develop your own bean for your storage garden . Dried beans technically are n’t one type of plant , per se , but by growing any kind of attic that is meant for drying and planting it in the early spring , after the peril of frost , you may better your repositing power .
Some bean varieties take up to 100 or more day to mature , and you ’ll have to let your beans dry on the vine to do this . Once you do , you’re able to store dry beans in jounce for up to a year .
21. Winter Radishes
Last but not least , the winter radish . Although mostradishescan be stored for several weeks , the winter radish can be stored even longer . In a root basement , winter radishes can last up to 3 months !
Canning May Open Up Even More Possibilities
Of course , the list above does n’t even scratch the surface when it comes to raise a ego - sustaining garden that will feed your menage for months on end . If you have approach to both awater bathing tub and pressure canner – and love how to use them – you ’ll open up even more opening . you may preserve practically anything with no freeze or refrigeration .
Whether you ’re planning for a automaton apocalypse sans refrigeration ( ha ! ) or you just like the theme of being educate with enough food should the tycoon go out , growing these storage plants is a impudent mind . You ’ll have everything you demand to make toothsome , nutritious meals , and you wo n’t have to worry about your garden truck go bad before you get the opportunity to use it .
Consider supply a few of these harvest to your garden rotation – you wo n’t regret it !
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