Hopefully you’re harvesting all sorts of things at the moment, from french beans to maincrop potatoes. With so much coming out of the veg garden, it is helpful to know a thing or two about storing your homegrown produce. Here’s a quick guide.
Store potatoes & roots in a cool, dark place:
Potatoes and root veggies will keep well in a hessian sack in a cool, dry place. Ideally with minimal light – many gardeners will store in sand/crates in an outbuilding which works brilliantly if you can keep rats and other rodents out. Otherwise, paper sacks and hessian sacks will be a good alternative.
– Beetroot
– Carrots
– Celeriac
– Parsnip
– Swede
– Turnips
You don’t need to harvest all these now – parsnip, celeriac, swede and turnips can stay in the ground for a while yet, and actually parsnips and celeriac tend to have better flavour after a few frosts. Beetroot and carrots are a little less hardy, so pull them up if any hard frosts are forecast, or cover with fleece.
Good for freezing:
If you have a last summer glut to deal with, freezing can be a good option.
– French Beans (can be blanched first)
– Mange Tout / Sugar Snap Peas (whole)
– Peas & Broad Beans (podded)
– Runner Beans (can be blanched first
– Chillies (freeze whole!)
Winter squash/pumpkins:
Once harvested in October, these should keep for 2-3 months if you sit them indoors. We quite often line them up on a windowsill – try not to let them touch each other though as they need a bit of breathability.
Best eaten/used fresh:
(or see one of our suggestions for other ways to use/preserve crops below)
- Courgettes/summer squash
- Sweetcorn
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Aubergine
- Cucumber
OK to leave in the ground:
– Brassicas – cabbages, kale, cauliflower and broccoli should all be fine. Keep an eye out for signs of bolting or splitting though with this little warm spell – they might get carried away! (see below)
– Leeks
– Root Veggies (as mentioned above)
– Spinach & Chard
Other ways to use and preserve your crops:
– Make chutneys and relishes – runner bean chutney, tomato relishes, spiced carrot chutney
– Make pickles – cucumber, beetroot, onion, cabbage, courgette, tomato
– Make & freeze soups, stews and pasta sauces
– Use carrots and beetroot in smoothies
– Make tasty dips & pesto – beetroot hummus, borlotti bean & tahini dip, cucumber raita
– Bake cakes: courgette, carrot, beetroot, parsnip, squash can all be used in cakes
