Growing vegetables in a backyard garden can be very rewarding, but also plenty of work. Watering, fertilizing, and pest control are required throughout the growing season, this after preparing the ground and planting. You now have to take care when harvesting your vegetables and storing them properly so all of your hard work doesn’t go to waste.
Every vegetable has slightly different storage requirements, which makes it important to learn the proper way to store them so that they remain fresh until consumed.
Here is a list of ways to properly harvest and store your summer vegetables:
Harvest your vegetables in the morning after the dew has dried off of the plants.
Make sure you leave plenty of room so that the vegetables are not overcrowded.
Don’t nick and bruise your vegetables.
Only pick the best vegetables to store. Don’t pick rotten or diseased fruits that can spread to the rest of the stored produce.
Don’t wash your harvested vegetables until you are ready to eat them.
Be mindful that different vegetables require different storage conditions.
Use a knife or shears to cut tough stems so as not to damage the fruits by pulling or breaking the tops off.
Storage Temperature for Vegetables
There are basically three environmental conditions for proper vegetable storage:
Cold-dry (32 to 40° F and 65% relative humidity)
Cool-dry (50 to 60° F and 60% relative humidity)
Cold -Moist (32 to 40° F and 95% relative humidity)
Whenever possible keep the temperature on the low end of each condition.
Locations
Home refrigerators are generally cold and dry (40°F and 50-60% relative humidity). This is only good for the long-term storage of garlic and onions.
Basements are the most common location for winter storage of vegetables and usually work well since they are always cool, about 55° F and dry. Vegetables should be given plenty of ventilation; use a fan if necessary, and dehumidifier if your basement is too wet. Dry straw is a very good insulator and also maintains space between the individual fruits.
Some vegetables can be left outside in the garden as long as they are kept from freezing. Some root vegetables actually improve in flavor when stored in the ground, such as carrots, beets, parsnips, and turnips. Remove most of the leafy top, if any is remaining, and cover with a thick layer of straw. You may want to use bird netting or mesh to keep the straw in place. Mark your rows if you have several different crops in the ground. All of the roots should be used by March, especially since you will be planting a new garden by then. Broccoli and cabbage can also be left outside as long as they are completely covered with straw.
Other, older methods for storing root vegetables include building something called a “Clamp.” This is basically a layered conical mound with alternating layers of vegetables and straw or sand, then covered with six to eight inches of straw and covered in soil. The mound should be in an elevated section of the garden, and have a drainage ring dug around it. The first layer should be a thick layer of straw, and the vegetables should be arranged in a circular shape to allow for easy access.
Potatoes should not be stored in this way, any temperature below 40° will turn the starch into sugar and make them soft. Also, potatoes should be kept out of any light source to prevent greening. Green potatoes are poisonous as it indicates that solanine, an alkaloid, has been formed. Partially green potatoes are still edible, but you must cut off the affected parts before consumption.
Harvesting, Storage Conditions and Duration
Green beans- about 2-3 weeks after bloom when seeds still immature- cold and moist will keep for1 week and will develop pitting if stored below 40°
Beets- when 1 ¼ -3 inches in diameter - cold and moist will keep for 5 months; store without tops.
Broccoli- while flower buds still tight and green- cold and moist will keep for 2 weeks
Cabbage- when heads compact and firm- cold and moist will keep for 5 months
Cantaloupe- when fruits slip off vine easily, while netting even, fruit firm- cold and moist will keep 1 week; develops pitting surface decay with slight freezing.
Carrots - when top is 1 inch in diameter- cold and moist will keep for 8 months; store without tops.
Cucumbers- when 6 inches long- cool spot in kitchen 55°F in perforated plastic bags; storage in refrigerator for a few days okay- 1 week develops pitting and water-soaked areas if chilled below 40°F; do not store with apples or tomatoes.
Onions- when necks are tight, scales dry- cold and dry will keep 4 months; cure at room temperature 2-4 weeks before storage, do not freeze.
Parsnips- when roots reach desired size, possibly after light frost- cold and moist will keep 4 months; do not wax or allow roots to freeze; sweetens after 2 weeks storage at 32°F
Peppers- when fruits reach desired size or color- store like cucumbers will keep 2 weeks; develops pitting below 45°F.
Potatoes- when vine dies back- cold and moist; keep away from light, will keep 6 months; cure at 50-60°F or 14 days before storage, will sweeten below 40°F.
Pumpkins- when shells harden, before frost- cool and dry will keep 2 months ; very sensitive to temperatures below 45°F.
Radishes- when roots are up to 1 ¼ inches in diameter- cold and moist will keep 1 month store without tops.
Squash, Summer- when fruit 4-6 inches long- store like cucumbers, will keep 1 week; do not store in refrigerator for more than 4 days.
Squash, Winter- when shell is hard, before frost- cool and dry will keep 2-6 months, depending on variety; curing unnecessary.
Tomatoes, red- when color uniformly pink or red, store like cucumbers will keep 5 days; loses color, firmness and flavor if stored below 40°F; NEVER refrigerate.
Turnips- when roots are up to 2-3 inches in diameter- cool-moist will keep 4 months; can be waxed.
Watermelons- when underside turns yellow or produces dull sound when slapped- store like cucumbers, will keep for 2 weeks; will decay if stored below 50°F for more than a few days.
