Cold storage keeps your produce dormant so that it does not over-ripen or rot. Every vegetable and fruit will stay fresh at the right temperature and moisture level, from cold and damp, to warm and dry.

Cold storage will keep vegetables fresh for a long time, but they won’t last forever. Use your vegetables every week. Use up your older or imperfect produce first. Is it all starting to go bad? Cook it up into a recipe you can eat now or preserve (probably by freezing or canning the extra) to eat later. Here is a recipe for a nice beef stew made from root vegetables. Substitute the beef for wild meat like moose, deer or caribou. Or, make it vegetarian by not using any meat at all. Substitute lentils or chickpeas for meat if desired.

Preparing produce

Harvest your produce at peak maturity. Store only the best produce: avoid storing anything that is diseased, has severe insect damage or has been cut, damaged or bruised. Like any living thing, cuts are sites for infection like mould or rot. Preparing vegetables correctly before storing will extend storage life.

For more information about harvesting your vegetables when they are at their best see our article Harvesting your vegetables. To keep them their freshest after harvest, be sure to check their respiration rate and cool accordingly!

 

Leave about 2 cm (1 inch) of stem on root vegetables like carrots, parsnips and beets. This will prevent shrivelling. Gently brush off excess soil. Place vegetables in a single layer on cardboard or newspaper. Set them in a cool dry and dark place to cure or dry for a day or two. Brush off any remaining excess soil and get ready to store.

Washing is not necessary, in fact it’s better not to wash. Washing can damage the outer skin of the vegetable which can lead to rot. Some like to wash root vegetables with cold water to remove the soil. If you do this, make sure that the vegetables are completely dry before you store them to avoid rot. They still need to be cured for a day or two before storing.

 

Onions and garlic need to be cured (dried) before storing. Trim off the tops to 3 – 4 cm (1 ½ - 2 inches). Set garlic and onions on a layer of newspaper or cardboard in a warm, dry, dark place. Leave onions for about a week and garlic for 3 – 4 weeks. Check regularly to see if any onions or garlic are mouldy and remove them right away. Once they are dry, remove the roots (which should be dry) and any loose outer papery skin.

For more information about harvesting your vegetables when they are at their best see our article Harvesting your vegetables.

 

Winter squash includes pumpkin, butternut, spaghetti and acorn squash. When harvesting squashes, leave a 5 – 7 cm (3 inch) stem. The stem also prevents the squash from drying out. Squashes need a short period of curing.  Curing is simply drying the squashes so that they develop a tough outer skin that prevents them from drying out. Set the squash in a dry, dark place at room temperature for about a week before moving them into cooler storage.

For more information about harvesting your vegetables when they are at their best see our article Harvesting your vegetables.

Good storage places

Most vegetables need cool temperatures for long term storage, while other vegetables like onions and winter squash need a bit more warmth. Check the Vegetable Storage Chart below for ideal temperature ranges for storing your vegetables.

Even if your storage temperatures are not ideal, you can still get a long shelf life out of your vegetables in cool conditions.

Before you store, measure the temperature in your storage areas with a thermometer. Since cold air is heavier than warm air, you might find that the floor is colder than a shelf that is higher up. This will help you decide where to put which vegetables. It’s important that any area you choose does not freeze. The ideal temperature is even and should not fluctuate too much. Freezing can damage your vegetables while too much warmth can make them sprout or over-ripen.

 

Some homes have a root cellar in the basement, which is an unheated room that stays cool but does not freeze. Some root cellars are dug into the earth and accessed by a hatch or door. All root cellars need insulation to keep from freezing and ventilation for air circulation and temperature control. Here are some basic plans for building a root cellar.

 

Many homes have other spots that are cool in winter. It could be the attic, a mudroom or arctic entrance, a crawl space, an unheated room, a cool spot in the basement, a closet, cupboard or even under the stairs. A heated workshop or outbuilding that is cool can work too. The area should stay evenly cool without freezing or warming.

Some vegetables, like garlic and winter squash, need to be stored at warmer temperatures. Choose a place like a cupboard, closet or shelf in the kitchen or bedroom for these vegetables.

 

There may not be enough room in your fridge to store all of your extra harvest. However, if you have a second fridge, you can store a lot. A fridge is a good place for cold, damp storage. You can set the temperature in most fridges. Crisper drawers hold more moisture and are good places to store root vegetables. Otherwise, use perforated plastic bags to keep root vegetables moist.

Temperature and humidity

How best to store your veggies? Besides temperature, relative humidity is important too. Humidity is the amount of water vapour air can hold depending on the temperature. Relative humidity can be measured using a hygrometer. You don’t need to buy a hygrometer if you store vegetables correctly.

 

Beets, carrots, parsnips, horseradish, turnip, rutabaga, Jerusalem artichoke, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kohlrabi need to be kept cold and damp. The temperature should be just above 0ºC / 32ºF to a maximum of 5ºC / 40ºF. These vegetables need high humidity. Use perforated bags or bins packed with moist packing material to store these vegetables. See below: How to get the moisture level just right.

 

Potatoes should be stored cool and not too dry. The ideal temperature range is 3ºC – 5ºC (38ºF – 40ºF). Unlike other root vegetables which need damp storage, potatoes can be stored in perforated plastic bags as long as the potatoes are not damp. The bags help to prevent the potatoes from shrivelling. Check your potatoes often as too much moisture will cause them to rot. You can also use large, shallow bins or boxes to store potatoes.

Winter squashes like pumpkin, acorn, butternut and spaghetti squash need warmer temperatures but air that is not too dry. Do not store in plastic as this can cause rot. Store on a shelf and do not let the squashes touch one another.

Onions and garlic need to be cured before storing. They will last longer if they are not piled up too much and have good air circulation. Use mesh bags, baskets or any box (plastic or cardboard) with slats or holes to allow air circulation.

Methods

Plastic bags are a way to keep produce like root vegetables moist but not too wet. Perforated bags have holes that allow excess moisture to escape. Use clips or twist ties to seal the end of the bags. Too much moisture causes produce to rot while too little causes produce to wilt or shrivel. If you notice wilting, use a spray mister to add moisture. If there are soft spots or rot, remove the spoiled vegetables.

Never use black garbage bags or grocery bags to store vegetables for long periods of time. These plastics may contain chemicals that are bad for you if the bag comes into contact with food.

A good choice is clear plastic that is made for food storage. Make your own perforated bags by punching holes in the bags using a knife or scissors. You can recycle plastic food bags that have been used to store bread or vegetables. Wash with warm soapy water, rinse and air dry before using. Never use food bags that were used to store meat or fish as they may be contaminated by bacteria that can make you sick.

Root vegetables like beets, carrots, parsnips, horseradish, turnip, rutabaga and Jerusalem artichoke need cold and damp storage. They can be stored for long periods in clean, large pails, plastic bins, Styrofoam coolers or wooden crates. Pack sphagnum moss, peat, sawdust or sand that is slightly damp around the vegetables to keep them from drying out. Do not allow water to pool at the bottom of the container.

Start by putting a 3 cm layer of damp sphagnum moss, peat moss, sawdust or sand at the bottom of the pail or bin. Put in a layer of the vegetables, and cover with a layer of the packing material. Repeat until the container is full and top with a final layer of packing material. Cover with a lid and store in a place that is cool – just above freezing.

Select containers that allow air to circulate around onions and garlic which need to stay dry. Even a small amount of moisture can encourage molds or rot. Mesh bags, wicker baskets or any box (plastic or cardboard) with slats or holes are good choices.

Vegetable storage chart

Vegetable

Ideal temperature

Relative humidity

Preparation

Storage

How long will they keep?

Beets

0ºC (32ºF)

 

Cold but not frozen

90 – 95%

Damp

Cut tops to 2 cm (1”).

Pail method.

 

Perforated plastic bag.

7 – 8 weeks

Carrots

0ºC (32ºF)

Cold but not frozen

90 – 95%

Damp

Carrots are sweeter harvested after a light frost.

Cut tops to 2 cm (1”).

Pail method.

 

Perforated plastic bag.

16 - 20 weeks

Parsnips

0ºC (32ºF)

 

Cold but not frozen

90 – 95%

Damp

Parsnips are sweeter harvested after a light frost.

Cut tops to 2 cm (1”).

Pail method

 

Perforated plastic bag

24 - 26 weeks

Horseradish

0ºC (32ºF)

 

Cold but not frozen

90 – 95%

Damp

Cut tops to 2 cm (1”).

Pail method

 

Perforated plastic bag

4 – 6 weeks

Turnip

0ºC (32ºF)

 

Cold but not frozen

90 – 95%

Damp

Cut tops to 2 cm (1”).

Turnips have a thick outer skin that protects from drying.

No plastic

Store in a bin or box

16 - 22 weeks

Rutabaga

0ºC (32ºF)

 

Cold but not frozen

90 – 95%

Damp

Cut tops to 2 cm (1”).

Remove tap root.

Perforated plastic bag

8 - 16 weeks

Jerusalem artichoke

 

0ºC (32ºF)

 

Cold but not frozen

85 – 95%

Damp

Cut tops to 2 cm (1”).

Pail method

 

Perforated plastic bag

8 - 20 weeks

Cabbage

0ºC (32ºF)

 

Cold but not frozen

90 – 95%

Damp

Keep outer leaves intact.

Perforated plastic bag optional

 

12 - 16 weeks

Winter squash: pumpkin, butternut, spaghetti, acorn etc.

10ºC – 13ºC

(50ºF – 55ºF)

 

Warm

85 – 90%

Slightly moist air

Keep 3 – 5 cm (1” – 2”) of stem intact

 

Cure before storing.

Cure before storing

 

Place on a shelf

24 - 26 weeks

Onions

0ºC – 5ºC

(32ºF - 40ºF)

 

Cool

70 – 75%

Dry

Cure for 1 week before storing.

No plastic

Store in baskets or mesh bags

28 weeks

Garlic

0ºC – 16ºC (32ºF – 60ºF)

Cool

60 – 70%

Dry

Cure for 3 – 4 weeks before storing.

No plastic.

Store in baskets or mesh bags.

24 - 32 weeks

Potato

3ºC – 5ºC

(38ºF – 40ºF)

Cool

85- 90%

Slightly moist air

Cure for 2 days.

 

Ensure potatoes are dry before storing.

Perforated plastic bags if dry.

Baskets or bins.

24 - 26 weeks

Brussels sprouts

0ºC (32ºF)

 

Cold but not frozen

90 – 95%

Damp

Sprouts may be kept intact on stem or loose.

Perforated plastic bag.

4 weeks

Cauliflower

0ºC (32ºF)

 

Cold but not frozen

 

90 – 95%

Damp

Keep outer leaves intact.

Keep outer leaves intact.

 

Perforated plastic bag.

3 – 4 weeks

 

Kohlrabi

0ºC – 5ºC

(32ºF – 40ºF)

 

Cool

90 – 95%

Damp

Cut tops to 2 cm (1”).

 

Trim side leaves and roots.

Perforated plastic bag.

8 - 12 weeks

Adapted from: https://rvpadmin.cce.cornell.edu/uploads/doc_500.pdf

Troubleshooting

Symptom

Cause

Vegetables are sprouting or growing.

Temperature may be too warm.

Vegetables are shrivelling.

Air is too dry. Wrap root vegetables in perforated plastic bags. For onions, garlic or squashes, place a bucket of water in the storage area to increase humidity.

Vegetables are mouldy or rotting.

Remove damaged vegetables right away to prevent mould or rot from spreading.

Vegetables stored beside fruits are ripening.

Fruits such as apples, give off ethylene gas which causes vegetables to ripen more quickly. Store fruits away from vegetables.

Potatoes are turning green.

Green areas on potatoes are usually caused by too much light. Keep potatoes in a dark location. If you find green areas on a potato, cut it off and do not eat the green part. Green areas on a potato can contain a chemical called solanine, which can make you sick.